Chap 1, Basic Word Structure, Comb Forms

Question 1

aden/o

Answer 1

gland

Question 2

adenoma

Answer 2

tumor of a gland

The suffix -oma means tumor or mass.

Question 3

adenitis

Answer 3

inflammation of a gland

The suffix -itis means inflammation.

Question 4

arthr/o

Answer 4

joint

Question 5

arthritis

Answer 5

inflammation of a joint(s)

Question 6

bi/o

Answer 6

life

Question 7

biology

Answer 7

process of study of life

The suffix -logy is composed of the root log (study) and the final suffix -y (process or condition).

Question 8

biopsy

Answer 8

To remove & view living tissue under microscope.

The suffix -opsy means process of viewing. Living tissue is removed from the body and viewed under a microscope.

Question 9

carcin/o

Answer 9

cancerous, cancer

Question 10

carcinoma

Answer 10

malignant tumor or mass

A carcinoma is a cancerous tumor. Carcinomas grow from the epithelial (surface or skin) cells that cover the outside of the body and line organs, cavities, and tubes within the body.

Question 11

cardi/o

Answer 11

heart

Question 12

cardiology

Answer 12

study of the heart

Question 13

cephal/o

Answer 13

head

Question 14

cephalic

Answer 14

pertaining to the head

The suffix -ic means pertaining to. A cephalic presentation describes a “head first” position for the delivery of an infant.

Question 15

What is the most common form of skin cancer or carcinoma of the skin?

Answer 15

Basal cell carcinoma

Question 16

cerebr/o

Answer 16

cerebrum (largest part of the brain)

Question 17

cerebral

Answer 17

pertaining to largest part of the brain - cerebrum

The suffix -al means pertaining to.

Question 18

cis/o

Answer 18

to cut

Question 19

incision

Answer 19

process of cutting into

The prefix in- means into, and the suffix -ion means process.

Question 20

excision

Answer 20

process of cutting out

The prefix ex- means out.

Question 21

crin/o

Answer 21

to secrete (to form and give off)

Question 22

endocrine glands

Answer 22

glands that secrete hormones within the body

The prefix endo- means within; endocrine glands (e.g., thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal glands) secrete hormones directly within (into) the bloodstream. Other glands, called exocrine glands, release their secretion (e.g., saliva, sweat, tears) through tubes (ducts) to the outside of the body.

Question 23

cyst/o

Answer 23

urinary bladder; a sac or a cyst (sac containing fluid)

Question 24

cystoscopy

Answer 24

process of visual examination of the urinary bladder

The suffix -scopy is a complex suffix that includes the root scop, meaning visual examination, and the final suffix -y, meaning process.

Question 25

complex suffixes

Answer 25

Many suffixes, like -scopy, contain an embedded root word. Other examples are -opsy (ops is a root) and -logy (log is a root).

Question 26

cyt/o

Answer 26

cell

Question 27

cytology

Answer 27

Study of cells

Question 28

Examples of blood cells

Answer 28

1) erythrocytes (red blood cells)
2) leukocytes (a type of white blood cells)
3) Thrombocytes or platelets (clotting cells)

Question 29

Cerebrum and the functions it controls:

Answer 29

Sensation from body
Movement
Eye movement 
Thought processes
Writing
Hearing 
Vision
Reading
Smell
Speech

Question 30

derm/o

Answer 30

skin

Question 31

dermatitis

Answer 31

inflammation of the skin

Question 32

dermat/o

Answer 32

skin

Question 33

hypodermic

Answer 33

pertaining to under or beneath skin

The prefix hypo- means under or below.

Question 34

electr/o

Answer 34

electricity

Question 35

electrocardiogram

Answer 35

record of the electricity of heart

The suffix -gram means record. Abbreviated ECG (or sometimes EKG).

Question 36

encephal/o

Answer 36

brain

Question 37

electroencephalogram

Answer 37

record of the electricity of brain.

The suffix -gram means record. Abbreviated EEG.

Question 38

enter/o

Answer 38

intestines (usually the small intestine)

Question 39

enteritis

Answer 39

inflammation of the small intestine or of the intestines

The small intestine is narrower but much longer than the large intestine (colon).

Question 40

erythr/o

Answer 40

red

Question 41

erythrocyte

Answer 41

A red blood cell

The suffix -cyte means cell. Erythrocytes carry oxygen in the blood.

Question 42

gastr/o

Answer 42

stomach

Question 43

gastrectomy

Answer 43

removal of the stomach

The suffix -ectomy means excision or removal. All or, more commonly, part of the stomach is removed.

Question 44

gastrotomy

Answer 44

incision of the stomach

The suffix -tomy is another complex suffix, which contains the root tom, meaning to cut, and the final suffix -y, meaning process of.

Question 45

glyc/o

Answer 45

sugar

Question 46

hyperglycemia

Answer 46

condition of increased blood sugar

The prefix hyper- means excessive, above, or more than normal. The suffix -emia means blood condition.

Question 47

gnos/o

Answer 47

knowledge

Question 48

diagnosis

Answer 48

state of complete knowledge

The prefix dia- means complete. The suffix -sis means state or condition of. A diagnosis is made after sufficient information has been obtained about the patient’s condition. Literally, it is a “state of complete knowledge.”

Question 49

prognosis

Answer 49

prediction about the outcome of illness

The prefix pro- means before. Literally “knowledge before,” a prognosis is a prediction about the outcome of an illness, but it is always given after the diagnosis has been determined.

Question 50

gynec/o

Answer 50

woman, female

Question 51

gynecology

Answer 51

study of females & female diseases

Question 52

hemat/o

Answer 52

blood

Question 53

hematology

Answer 53

study of blood

Question 54

hem/o

Answer 54

blood

Question 55

hematoma

Answer 55

a mass or collection of blood

In this term, -oma means a mass or collection of blood, rather than a growth of cells (tumor). A hematoma forms when blood escapes from blood vessels and collects as a clot in a cavity or organ or under the skin.

Question 56

hemoglobin

Answer 56

blood protein found in red blood cells

The suffix -globin means protein. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in red blood cells.

Question 57

hepat/o

Answer 57

liver

Question 58

hepatitis

Answer 58

inflammation of the liver

Question 59

iatr/o

Answer 59

treatment, physician

Question 60

iatrogenic

Answer 60

producing adverse effects from medical treatment

The suffix -genic means pertaining to producing, produced by, or produced in. Iatrogenic conditions are adverse effects that result from treatment or intervention by a physician.

Question 61

leuk/o

Answer 61

white

Question 62

leukocyte

Answer 62

white blood cell

This blood cell helps the body fight disease.

Question 63

log/o

Answer 63

study of

Question 64

dermatology

Answer 64

study of skin

Question 65

nephr/o

Answer 65

kidney

Question 66

nephritis

Answer 66

inflammation of kidney

Question 67

nephrology

Answer 67

study of the kidney

Question 68

neur/o

Answer 68

nerve

Question 69

neurology

Answer 69

study of nerves

Question 70

onc/o

Answer 70

tumor

Question 71

oncology

Answer 71

study of tumors

Question 72

oncologist

Answer 72

specialist in the study of tumors

The suffix -ist means one who specializes in a field of medicine (or other profession).

Question 73

ophthalm/o

Answer 73

eye

Question 74

ophthalmoscope

Answer 74

visual measuring instrument of eyes

The suffix -scope means an instrument for visual examination. (To help with spelling, notice that just as there are two eyes, there are two “h”s in this term.)

Question 75

oste/o

Answer 75

bone

Question 76

osteitis

Answer 76

inflammation of the bone

Question 77

osteoarthritis

Answer 77

inflammation of bone and joints

This condition of aging is actually a degeneration of bones and joints often accompanied by inflammation.

Question 78

path/o

Answer 78

disease

Question 79

pathology

Answer 79

study of disease(s)

Question 80

pathologist

Answer 80

one who studies diseases.

A pathologist examines biopsy samples microscopically and examines dead bodies to determine the cause of death.

Question 81

ped/o

Answer 81

child

Question 82

pediatric

Answer 82

pertaining to treatment of children

Notice that ped/o is also in the term orthopedist. Orthopedists once were doctors who straightened (orth/o means straight) children’s bones and corrected deformities. Nowadays, orthopedists specialize in disorders of bones and muscles in people of all ages.

Question 83

psych/o

Answer 83

mind

Question 84

psychology

Answer 84

study of mind

Question 85

psychiatrist

Answer 85

specialist in the treatment of the mind

Question 86

radi/o

Answer 86

x-rays

Question 87

radiology

Answer 87

study of x-rays

Low-energy x-rays are used for diagnostic imaging.

Question 88

ren/o

Answer 88

kidney

Question 89

renal

Answer 89

pertaining to kidney

Ren/o (Latin) and nephr/o (Greek) both mean kidney. Ren/o is used with -al (Latin) to describe the kidney, whereas nephr/o is used with other suffixes such as -osis, -itis, and -ectomy (Greed) to describe abnormal conditions and operative procedures.

Question 90

rhin/o

Answer 90

nose

Question 91

rhinitis

Answer 91

inflammation of the nose

Question 92

sarc/o

Answer 92

flesh

Question 93

sarcoma

Answer 93

tumor of connective (fleshy) tissue

This is a cancerous (malignant) tumor. A sarcoma grows from cells of “fleshy” connective tissue such as muscle, bone, and fat, whereas a carcinoma (another type of cancerous tumor) grows from epithelial cells that line the outside of the body or the inside of organs in the body.

Question 94

sect/o

Answer 94

to cut

Question 95

resection

Answer 95

process of cutting out, removal

The prefix re- means back. S resection is a cutting back in the sense of cutting out or removal 9excision). A gastric resection is a gastrectomy, or excision of the stomach.

Question 96

thromb/o

Answer 96

clot, clotting

Question 97

thrombocyte

Answer 97

a clotting cell (platelet)

Also known as platelets, these cells help clot blood. A thrombus is the actual clot that forms, and thrombosis (-osis means condition) is the condition of clot formation.

Question 98

ur/o

Answer 98

urinary tract, urine

Question 99

urology

Answer 99

study of urinary tract

A urologist is a surgeon who operates on the organs of the urinary tract and the organs of the male reproductive system.

Question 100

Hyperglycemia and Diabetes

Answer 100

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) most frequently is associated with diabetes. People with diabetes have high blood sugar levels because they lack insulin (in type 1 diabetes) or have ineffective insulin (in type 2 diabetes). Insulin is the hormone normally released by the pancreas (an endocrine gland near the stomach) to “escort” sugar from the bloodstream into cells. Sugar (glucose) is then broken down in cells to release energy. When insulin is not present, sugar cannot enter cells and builds up in the bloodstream (hyperglycemia).