Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology Medical Terms Flashcards
abdominocentesis (ab-dom-ih-noh-sen-TEE-sis)
The surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes.
Acronym (ACK-roh-nim)
A word formed from the initial letters of the major parts of a compound term.
Acute
A condition that has rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration.
Angiography (an-jee-OG-rah-fee)
The process of producing a radiographic study of the blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make the blood vessels visible.
Appendectomy (ap-en-DECK-toh-mee)
Surgical removal of the appendix.
arteriosclerosis (ar-tee-ree-oh-skleh-ROH-sis)
Abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries.
Arthralgia (ar-THRAL-jee-ah)
Pain in a joint or joints
Colostomy (koh-LAHS-toh-mee)
The surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface
Cyanosis (sigh-ah-NOH-sis)
Blue discoloration of the skin caused by clack of adequate oxygen in the blood.
Dermatologist (der-mah-TOL-oh-jist)
a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin
Diagnosis (dye-ag-NOH-sis)
The identification of a disease
Diarrhea (dye-ah-REE-ah)
The frequent flow of loose or watery stools
Edema (eh-DEE-mah)
Swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues.
Endarterial (end-ar-TEE-ree-al)
Pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery
Eponym (EP-oh-nim)
A disease, structure operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first.
Erythrocyte (eh-RITH-roh-sight)
A mature red blood cell
Fissure (FISH-ur)
A groove or cracklike sore of the skin; also a normal fold In the contours of the brain
Fistula (FIS-chuh-la)
An abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body.
Gastralgia (gas-TRAL-jee-ah)
Pain in the stomach
Gastritis (gas-TRY-tis)
Inflammation of the stomach
Gastroenteritis (gas-troh-en-ter-EYE-tis)
Inflammation of the stomach and small intestine
gastrosis (gas-TROH-sis)
Any abnormal condition or disease of the stomach
Hemorrhage (HEM-or-idj)
The loss of a large amount of blood in a short time
hepatomegaly (hep-ah-toh-MEG-ah-lee)
Abnormal enlargement of the liver
Hypertension (high-per-TEN-shun)
Higher-than-normal blood pressure
Hypotension (high-poh-TEN-shun)
Lower-than-normal blood pressure
Infection (in-FECK-shun)
Invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism
Inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun)
A localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues that is characterized by heat, redness, swelling, and pain
interstitial (in-ter-STISH-al)
Between, but not within, the parts of a tissue
Intramuscular (in-trah-MUS-kyou-lar)
Within the muscle
Laceration (lass-er-AY-shun)
A torn, ragged, wound, or an accidental cut wound.
Lesion (LEE-zhun)
A pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury
Malaise ( mah-LAYZ)
A feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease
Mycosis (my-KOH-sis)
Any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus
myelopathy (my-eh-LOP-ah-thee)
Any pathologic change ordisease in the spinal cord
Myopathy (my-OP-ah-thee)
Any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue
Myorrhexis (my-oh-RECK-sis)
The rupture of a muscle
Natal (NAY-tal)
Pertaining to birth
Neonatology (nee-oh-nay-TOL-oh-jee)
Study of disorders of the newborn
neurorrhaphy (new-ROR-ah-fee)
Suturing together the ends of a severed nerve
otorhinolaryngology (oh-toh-rye-noh-lar-in-GOL-oh-jee)
Study of the ears, nose, and throat
Palpation (pal-PAY-shun)
An examination technique in which the examiners hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts
Palpitation (pal-pih-TAY-shun)
A pounding or racing heart
Pathology (pah-THOL-oh-jee)
The study of all aspects of diseases
Phalanges (fah-LAN-jeez)
The bones of the fingers and toes
Poliomyelitis (poh-lee-oh-my-eh-LYE-tis)
A viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord
Prognosis (prog-NOH-sis)
A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease
Pyoderma (pye-oh-DER-mah)
Any acute, inflammatory,pus-forming bacterial skin infection
Pyrosis (pye-ROH-sis)
Discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus
Remission
The temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure
Sign
Objective evidence of disease, such as a fever
Supination (soo-pih-NAY-shun)
The act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward
Suppuration (sup-you-RAY-shun)
The formation or discharge of pus
Supracostal (sue-prah-KOS-tal)
Above or outside the ribs
Symptom (SIMP-tum)
Subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache
Syndrome (SIN-drohm)
A set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process
tonsillitis (ton-sih-LYE-tis)
Inflammation of the tonsils
Trauma (TRAW-mah)
Wound or injury
Triage (tree-AHZH)
Medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment
Viral (VYE-ral)
Pertaining to a virus