PCD

PCD is an acronym that can refer to several distinct concepts across medicine, materials science, computer science, and popular culture. The exact meaning depends on the context, so it is common to see clarifications or disambiguation when the term is used.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder caused by defects in motile cilia. This impairs movement in the respiratory tract, leading to chronic infections, sinusitis, and coughing. In about half of cases, situs inversus is present, a condition where internal organs are mirrored from their normal positions (Kartagener syndrome). Diagnosis may involve nasal nitric oxide testing, electron microscopy of cilia, and genetic testing of related genes. There is no cure, but management focuses on airway clearance, prompt treatment of infections, and monitoring of organ function and fertility where applicable.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) denotes a synthetic diamond material made of many small crystal grains bonded together. It can be produced by high-pressure high-temperature methods or chemical vapor deposition. PCD is valued for extreme hardness, high wear resistance, and good thermal conductivity, making it suitable for cutting tools and wear-intensive machining of hard materials such as ceramics and carbide.

Point Cloud Data (PCD) refers to a file format and data representation used for 3D point clouds. Stored in formats compatible with the Point Cloud Library, a PCD file typically records xyz coordinates and may include color, normals, and other attributes. It is widely used in 3D scanning, robotics, and computer vision workflows.

Pussycat Dolls (PCD) is an American pop girl group formed in 2003. Known for chart-topping singles and performances, the group is sometimes abbreviated as PCD in media and fan communities.

Photoconductive detector (PCD) is a device whose electrical conductivity increases when illuminated. Used in spectroscopy and infrared or terahertz detection, PCDs convert light into an electrical signal for analysis.