Taber's Medical Dictionary
curve
(kŭrv)
[L. curvus, bent, crooked]
A bend, chart, or graph.
base curve
The steepest part of the curved structure of a contact lens, where that part fits the shape of the patient's cornea.
bell curve
SEE: Normal distribution.
curve of Carus
SEE: curve of Carus
characteristic curve
In radiographic film analysis, the curve derived by graphing the exposure to the film versus the film density. Analysis yields information about the contrast, speed, latitude, and maximum and minimum densities of the film or film-screen system. Digital radiography systems exhibit linear curves.
SYN: SEE: D log E curve; SEE: Hurter and Driffield curve; SEE: sensitometric curve
D log E curve
SEE: Characteristic curve
dose-response curve
A graph charting the effect of a specific dose of drug, chemical, or ionizing radiation.
dye-dilution curve
A graph of the disappearance rate of a known amount of injected dye from the circulation; used to measure cardiac function.
epidemic curve
A chart or graph in which the number of new cases of an illness is plotted over time.
Gaussian curve
SEE: Normal distribution.
growth curve
A graph of heights and weights, head circumference, and body mass index of infants and children of various ages. A line connecting the data points produces the curve. Usually the changes in height and weight are shown on the same chart. Growth charts are specific for age and gender.
J curve
In studies of human physiology (and in other studies), an increase in bad outcomes that occurs when variables are either too low or too high, e.g., an increase in death from heart disease in patients with hypotension or hypertension. People in the middle of J curves, e.g., those whose blood pressures are approx. 140/80, tend to have the least risk of disease or death.
learning curve
The effect of learning or practice on the performance of an intellectual or physical task. The term describes the acquisition of competence with experience, time, and training.
normal curve
SEE: Normal distribution.
oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve
performance curve
A plot of performance trials to determine the average of a subject or of a group of subjects across a number of practice trials.
receiver operating curve
ABBR: ROC curve A plot of the fraction of true positive test results versus the fraction of false positive test results; the sensitivity of a test versus (1 − the test specificity).
SYN: SEE: receiver operating characteristic
sensitometric curve
SEE: Characteristic curve
curve of Spee
SEE: curve of Spee
Stephan curve
SEE: Stephan curve
survival curve
In radiobiology, a dose-response curve.
SEE: dose-response curve
time-temperature cooling curve
The mathematical relation that plots the physical and chemical behaviors of dental (and other) materials as their temperature decreases over time.
