Chapter 1 Flashcards
Introduction to Medical Terminology
-algia
pain, suffering
dys-
bad, difficult, or painful
-ectomy
surgical removal, cutting out
hyper-
excessive, increased
hypo-
deficient, decreased
-itis
inflammation
-osis
abnormal condition, disease
-ostomy
the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface
-plasty
surgical repair
-rrhage
bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge
-rrhaphy
surgical suturing
-rrhea
flow or discharge
-rrhexis
rupture
-sclerosis
abnormal hardening
The 4 types of word parts used to create many medical terms
word roots, combining forms, suffixes, & prefixes
Contains the basic meaning of a term usually, but not always, indicates the involved body part
word root
A word root with a combining vowel added at the end, used when 2 root words are combined or when a suffix beginning with a consonant is added.
combining form
When a combining form appears alone, how is it shown?
With a back slash between the word root & combining vowel (ex. gastr/o)
What letters are considered vowels in medical terminology?
a, e, i, o, u, & y
What must always be added to a word root to complete a term?
a suffix
What does the suffix usually indicate?
the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease
What does the prefix usually indicate?
location, time, number, or status
gastr-
stomach
cyan/o
blue
erythr/o
red
leuk/o
white
melan/o
black
poli/o
gray
-cyte
cell
cyanosis
a blue discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of adequate oxygen in the blood
erythrocyte
a mature red blood cell
leukocyte
a white blood cell
melanosis
any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs
myel
spinal cord
poliomyelitis
a viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord
enter
small intestine
gastroenteritis
an inflammation of the stomach & small intestine
neur/o
nerve
neuroplasty
the surgical repair of a nerve
neurorrhaphy
suturing together the ends of a severed nerve
tonsill
tonsils
tonsillitis
inflammation of the tonsils
tonsillectomy
the surgical removal of the tonsils
cranium
the portion of the skull that encloses the brain
crani
skull
-um
noun ending
cardi
heart
-ac
pertaining to
cardiac
pertaining to the heart
-a
noun ending
-e
noun ending
-us
noun ending
-y
noun ending
-al
pertaining to
-an
pertaining to
-ar
pertaining to
-ary
pertaining to
-eal
pertaining to
-ical
pertaining to
-ial
pertaining to
-ic
pertaining to
-ine
pertaining to
-ior
pertaining to
-ory
pertaining to
-ous
pertaining to
-tic
pertaining to
gastrosis
any disease of the stomach
-ago
abnormal condition
-esis
abnormal condition
-ia
abnormal condition
-iasis
abnormal condition
-ion
abnormal condition
-ism
abnormal condition
pathology
the study of all aspects of diseases
path
disease
-ology
the study of
gastralagia
(stomachache) pain in stomach
-dynia
pain (not as common)
gastrodynia
pain in stomach
gastritis
an inflammation of the stomach
-megaly
enlargement
hepatomegaly
an abnormal enlargement of the liver
hepat/o
liver
-malacia
abnormal softening
arteriomalacia
the abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries
arteri/o
artery
opposite of -sclerosis
-malacia
-necrosis
tissue death
arterionecrosis
the tissue death of an artery or ateries
-sclerosis
abnormal hardening
arteriosclerosis
the abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries
opposite of -malacia
-sclerosis
-stenosis
abnormal narrowing
arteriostenosis
abnormal narrowing of an artery or arteries
-centesis
a surgical procedure to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes or to remove excess fluid
abdominocentesis
the surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid
abdomin/o
abdomen
-graphy
the process of producing a picture or record or the process of recording
angiography
the process of producing a radiographic (xray) study of blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make these blood vessels visible
angi/o
blood vessel
-gram
a picture or record
angiogram
the resulting film that is produced by angiography
my/o
muscle
-scopy
visual examination
arthr/o
joint
arthroscopy
the visual examination of the internal structure of a joint
-rrhagia
bleeding (usually sudden, severe)
hem/o
blood
hemorrhage
the loss of a large amount of blood in a short time
myorrhaphy
the surgical suturing of a muscle wound
dia-
through
diarrhea
the frequent flow of loose or watery stools
myorrhexis
the rupture of a muscle
ab-
away from, negative, absent
dextr/o
right side
ex-
out of, outside, away from
macro-
large, abnormal size, or long
mega-, megal/o
large, great
pre-
before
ad-
toward, to, in the direction of
sinistr/o
left side
in-
in, into, not, without
micr/o, micro
small
olig/o
scanty, few
post-
after, behind
nat
birth
prenatal
the time and events before birth
perinatal
the time and events surrounding birth
peri
surrounding
postnatal
time and events after birth
eu-
good, normal, well, or easy
inter-
between or among
intra-
within or inside
sub-
under, less, or below
super, supra-
above or excessive
eupnea
easy or normal breathing
interstitial
between, but not within, the parts of a tissue
intramuscular
within the muscle
subcostal
below a rib or ribs
supracostral
above or outside the ribs
opposite of dys-
eu-
opposite of ad-
ab-
opposite of hypo-
hyper-
opposite of inter-
intra-
opposite of sub-
super-, supra-
-ology
the study of
laryng
larynx or throat
rhin/o
nose
ot/o
ear
otorhinolaryngology
the study of the ears, nose, and throat (ENT)
otolaryngology
the study of the ears and larynx or throat
lith
stone
lithotomy
a surgical incision for the removal of a stone; or the name of an examination position in which the patient is lying on back with legs in stirrups
edema
swelling caused by abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues, or cavities of the body
appendic
appendix
appendicitis
inflammation of the appendix
phalanx
singular finger or toe bone
phalanges
more than one finger or toe bones
end-
within
endarterial
pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery
ather/o
plaque or fatty substance
-oma
tumor
atheroma
a fatty deposit within the wall of an artery
arthralgia
pain in a joint or joints
appendectomy
the surgical removal of the appendix
col
colon
colostomy
the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface
colotomy
a surgical incision into the colon
sign
objective evidence of disease (ex. fever)
diagnosis
the identification of a disease
acute
a condition that has a rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration
disease
a condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally
symptom
subjective evidence of a disease (ex. pain, headache)
differential diagnosis
(aka r/o) is an attempt to determine which one of several possible diseases is causing the signs and symptoms that are present
chronic
condition of long duration
eponym
a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first (ex Alzheimer’s disease)
syndrome
a set of s/sx that occur together as part of a specific disease process
prognosis
a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease
remission
the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease w/o having achieved a cure
acronym
a word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term
fissure
a groove or crack-like sore of the skin (ex. corners of mouth)
fistula
an abnormal passage, usually b/w 2 internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body.
ileum
the last and longest portion of the small intestine (think “e” for “entero” or intEstine.
ilium
part of the hip bone
infection
the invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism
malaise
a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness
exudate
a fluid the leaks out of an infected wound
inflammation
localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues
laceration
a torn or jagged wound or accidental cut
lesion
a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury
mucous
the specialized membranes that line the body cavities
mucus
the fluid secreted by mucous membranes
myc/o
fungus
mycosis
any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus
myel/o
bone marrow or spinal cord
-pathy
disease
myelopathy
any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord
-ologist
specialist
-ology
the study of
dermat
skin
neo
new
palpation
an examination technique where examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts
palpitation
a pounding or racing heart
pyel/o
renal pelvis
pyelitis
inflammation of the renal pelvis
py/o
pus
pyoderma
any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection
pyr/o
fever or fire
pyrosis
aka heartburn
supination
the act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward (“soup nation’)
suppuration
the formation of discharge or pus
triage
the medical screening of patients to determine their priority of need and proper placement of treatment
trauma
wound or injury
vir
virus or poison
viral
pertaining to a virus
virile
having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male
