minimal inhibitory concentration

minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC),

the lowest concentration of an antibiotic medication in the blood that is effective against a bacterial infection, determined by inoculating the bacteria into a culture medium containing various concentrations of a proposed antibiotic. The lowest antibiotic concentration that stops microbial growth may be used in further treatment of the patient. Also called minimum inhibitory concentration. Compare minimal bactericidal concentration.

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concentration [kon″sen-tra´shun]

1. increase in strength by evaporation.

2. the ratio of the mass or volume of a solute to the mass or volume of the solution or solvent.

3. intense mental focus.

hydrogen ion concentration see hydrogen ion concentration.

mass concentration the mass of a constituent substance divided by the volume of the mixture, as milligrams per liter (mg/l).

mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) the average hemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes, conventionally expressed in “per cent,” meaning grams per deciliter of red blood cells, obtained by dividing the blood hemoglobin concentration (in g/dl) by the hematocrit (in l/l): MCHC = Hb/Hct.

minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) the concentration of anesthetic that at a pressure of 1 atmosphere produces immobility in 50 per cent of subjects exposed to a noxious stimulus.

minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) the lowest concentration of a given antibiotic required to kill a specific organism.

minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) the lowest concentration of a given antibiotic that inhibits the growth of a specific organism.

molar concentration the concentration of a substance expressed in terms of molarity.

concentration test a test of renal function based on the patient's ability to concentrate urine; see also fishberg concentration test.