Chapter 2 Medical Terms

Question 1

abdominal cavity

Answer 1

body cavity containing major organs of digestion

Question 2

adenectomy

Answer 2

surgical removal of a gland

Question 3

adenocarcinoma

Answer 3

malignant tumor that originates in glandular tissue

Question 4

adenoma

Answer 4

benign tumor that originates in or resembles glandular tissue

Question 5

adenomalacia

Answer 5

abnormal softening of a gland

Question 6

adenosclerosis

Answer 6

abnormal hardening of a gland

Question 7

anaplasia

Answer 7

change in the structure of cells and in the orientation to each other

Question 8

anatomy

Answer 8

study of the structures of the body

Question 9

anomaly

Answer 9

deviation from what is regarded as normal

Question 10

anterior

Answer 10

situated in the front

Question 11

aplasia

Answer 11

defective development or congenital absence of an organ or tissue

Question 12

bloodborne transmission

Answer 12

spread of a disease through contact with blood or contaminated bodily fluids

Question 13

caudal

Answer 13

toward the lower part of the body

Question 14

cephalic

Answer 14

toward the head

Question 15

chromosome

Answer 15

genetic structure located within the nucleus of each cell

Question 16

communicable disease

Answer 16

disease transmitted from one person to another either directly or by indirect contact

Question 17

congenital disorder

Answer 17

abnormal condition that exists at time of birth

Question 18

cytoplasm

Answer 18

material located within the cell membrane that’s not part of the nucleus

Question 19

distal

Answer 19

situated farthest from the midline or beginning of body structure

Question 20

dorsal

Answer 20

back of the body or organ

Question 21

dysplasia

Answer 21

abnormal development or growth of cells, tissues, or organs

Question 22

endemic

Answer 22

the ongoing presence of a disease, such as common cold, within a population, group, or area

Question 23

endocrine glands

Answer 23

secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream

Question 24

epidemic

Answer 24

sudden and widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area

Question 25

epigastric region

Answer 25

located above the stomach

Question 26

etiology

Answer 26

study of causes of diseases

Question 27

exocrine glands

Answer 27

secrete chemicals into ducts leading to other organs or out of body

Question 28

functional disorder

Answer 28

produces symptoms for which no physiological or anatomical cause is identified

Question 29

genetic disorder

Answer 29

pathological condition caused by an absent or defective gene

Question 30

geriatrician

Answer 30

physician who specializes in care of older people

Question 31

hemophilia

Answer 31

group of hereditary bleeding disorders in which a blood-clotting factor is missing

Question 32

histology

Answer 32

microscopic study of the structure, composition, and function of tissues

Question 33

homeostasis

Answer 33

processes through which the body maintains constant internal environment

Question 34

hyperplasia

Answer 34

enlargement of an organ or tissue because of an abnormal increase in the number of cells in the tissues

Question 35

hypertrophy

Answer 35

general increase in the bulk of a body part due to an increase in the size of the cells in the tissues

Question 36

hypogastric region

Answer 36

located below the stomach

Question 37

hypoplasia

Answer 37

incomplete development of an organ or tissue usually due to a deficiency in the number of cells

Question 38

iatrogenic illness

Answer 38

unfavorable response due to prescribed medical treatment

Question 39

idiopathic disorder

Answer 39

illness without known cause

Question 40

infectious disease

Answer 40

illness caused by a living pathogenic organism such as bacteria or a virus

Question 41

inguinal

Answer 41

relating to the groin

Question 42

medial

Answer 42

direction toward or nearer the midline

Question 43

mesentery

Answer 43

fused double layer of the parietal peritoneum that attached part of the intestine to the interior abdominal wall

Question 44

midsagittal plane

Answer 44

veritcal plane that divides the body into equal left and right portions

Question 45

nosocomial infection

Answer 45

disease acquired in a hospital or clinical setting

Question 46

pandemic

Answer 46

disease outbreak occurring over a large geographic area, possibly worldwide

Question 47

pelvic cavity

Answer 47

space formed by hip bones, contains organs of reproductive and excretory systems

Question 48

peritoneum

Answer 48

multilayered membrane that protects and holds organs in place in abdominal cavity

Question 49

peritonitis

Answer 49

inflammation of the peritoneum

Question 50

phenylketonuria

Answer 50

genetic disorder in which essential digestive enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase is missing

Question 51

physiology

Answer 51

study of the functions of body structures

Question 52

posterior

Answer 52

situated in back or back part of organ

Question 53

proximal

Answer 53

situated nearest the midline of beginning of body structure

Question 54

retroperitoneal

Answer 54

located behind the peritoneum

Question 55

stem cells

Answer 55

unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods of time through cell division

Question 56

thoracic cavity

Answer 56

cavity that surrounds and protects the heart and lungs

Question 57

transverse plane

Answer 57

horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower portions

Question 58

umbilicus

Answer 58

pit in the center of the abdominal wall that marks where the umbilical cord was before birth

Question 59

vector-borne transmission

Answer 59

disease spread due to the bite of a vector

Question 60

ventral

Answer 60

front or belly side of the body or organ