Chapter 1 medical terms

Question 1

abdomino centesis (ab-dom-ih-noh-sen-TEE-sis)

Answer 1

the surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid

Question 2

acronym (ACK-roh-nim)

Answer 2

is a word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term

Question 3

acute

Answer 3

condition has a rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration

Question 4

angiography (an-jee-og-rah-fee)

Answer 4

is the process of producing an x-ray, or radiographic study of blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make these blood vessels visible

Question 5

appendectomy (ap-en-DECK-toh-mee)

Answer 5

is the surgical removal of the appendix

Question 6

arteriosclerosis (ar-tee-ree-oh-shleh-ROH-sis)

Answer 6

is the abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries

Question 7

arthralgia (ar-THRAL-jee-ah)

Answer 7

pain in a joint or joints

Question 8

colostomy

Answer 8

surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface

Question 9

cyanosis

Answer 9

blue discoloration of the skin caused by lack of adequate oxygen in the blood

Question 10

dermatologist

Answer 10

physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin

Question 11

diagnosis

Answer 11

identification of a disease

Question 12

supracostal

Answer 12

above or outside the ribs

Question 13

symptom

Answer 13

subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache (can be measured or evaluated by the patient)

Question 14

syndrome

Answer 14

a set of signs and symptoms that occur together as a part of a specific disease process

Question 15

tonsillitis

Answer 15

inflammation of the tonsils

Question 16

trauma

Answer 16

wound or injury

Question 17

triage

Answer 17

the medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment

Question 18

viral

Answer 18

pertaining to a virus

Question 19

diarrhea

Answer 19

is the frequent flow of loose or watery stools

Question 20

edema

Answer 20

swelling caused by an abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues, or cavities of the body

Question 21

endarterial

Answer 21

pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery

Question 22

eponym

Answer 22

a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first

Question 23

erythrocyte

Answer 23

a mature red blood cell

Question 24

fissure

Answer 24

a groove or cracked like sore of the skin

Question 25

fistula

Answer 25

abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body

Question 26

gastralgia

Answer 26

(stomachache) pain in the stomach

Question 27

gastritis

Answer 27

inflammation of the stomach

Question 28

gastroenteritis

Answer 28

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

Question 29

gastrosis

Answer 29

any disease of the stomach

Question 30

hemorrhage

Answer 30

the loss of a large amount of blood in a short time

Question 31

hepatomegaly

Answer 31

abnormal enlargement of the liver

Question 32

hypertension

Answer 32

higher than normal blood pressure

Question 33

hypotension

Answer 33

lower than normal blood pressure

Question 34

infection

Answer 34

invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism

Question 35

inflammation

Answer 35

localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues

Question 36

interstitial

Answer 36

between, but not within, the parts of a tissue

Question 37

intramuscular

Answer 37

means within a muscle

Question 38

laceration

Answer 38

torn or jagged wound, or accidental cut wound

Question 39

lesion

Answer 39

pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

Question 40

malaise

Answer 40

feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease

Question 41

myelopathy

Answer 41

any injury, degeneration or disease in the spinal cord

Question 42

mycosis

Answer 42

describes any abnormal condition or disease caused by fungus

Question 43

myopathy

Answer 43

pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue

Question 44

myorrhexis

Answer 44

rupture of a muscle

Question 45

natal

Answer 45

pertaining to birth

Question 46

neonatology

Answer 46

the study of disorders of the newborn

Question 47

neurorrhaphy (new-RoR-ah-fee)

Answer 47

suturing together the ends of a severed nerve

Question 48

otorhinolaryngology

Answer 48

study of the ears, nose, throat

Question 49

palpation

Answer 49

examination technique in which the examiner's hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts

Question 50

palpitation

Answer 50

a pounding or racing heart

Question 51

pathology

Answer 51

the study of all aspect of diseases

Question 52

phalanges

Answer 52

are the bones of the fingers and toes

Question 53

poliomyelitis

Answer 53

viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord

Question 54

prognosis

Answer 54

a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease (or disorder)

Question 55

pyoderma

Answer 55

any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection such as impetigo

Question 56

pyrosis

Answer 56

(heartburn) discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus

Question 57

remission

Answer 57

the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure

Question 58

sign

Answer 58

objective evidence of disease, such as a fever (can be evaluated or measured by the patient or others)

Question 59

supination

Answer 59

the act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward

Question 60

suppuration (sup-you-RAY-shun)

Answer 60

the formation of pus