Medical Terminology Flashcards
a- / an-
No; not; without
ab-
Away from
ad-
toward; near
Abdomin/ o
Abdomen
-ac , -al
Pertaining to
-an , -ar , -ary
Pertaining to
aden/o
Gland
Adip/o
Fat
-algesia
Sensitivity to pain
-algia
Pain
ana-
Up; apart; backward; again; anew
angi/o
Vessel (blood)
ante-
Before; forward
anter/o
Front
anti-
Against
aort/o
Aorta (largest artery)
append/o , appendic/o
appendix
arter/o , arteri/o
artery
arthro-
Joint
-ase
Enzyme
audi/o , audit/o
hearing
aut/o , aut- , auto
Self, own
axill/o
Armpit
Bacter/i/o
Bacteria
bi-
two
bil/i
bile; gall
brachi/o
arm
brady-
slow
bronch/o , bronchi/o
bronchial tube
bucc/o
cheek
calc/o
calcium
carcin/o
cancerous; cancer
cardi/o
heart
-cele , coele
swelling, hernia
cell/u
cell level
-centesis
surgical puncture to remove fluid
cerebr/o
cerebrum (largest part of the brain
Cervic/o
neck
chol/e
bile; gall
cholecyst/o
gallbladder
-cidal
pertaining to killing
col/o , colon/o
colon (large intestine)
comi/o
to care for
contra-
against; opposite
coron/o
heart
cost/o
ribs
cran/i
skull
cyan/o
blue
cyst/o
urinary bladder, cyst, sac of fluid
cyt/o , -cyte
cell
de-
lack of, less
derm/o , derma , dermat/o
skin
diaphor/o
sweat
dist/o
far; distant
dors/o , dorsi
back (of body)
dys-
bad; painful; difficult; abnormal
-eal
pertaining to
-ectomy
removal; excision; resection
-emia
blood condition
-emic
pertaining to a blood condition
end- , end/o
in; within
enter/o
intestines (usually the small intestine)
epi-
above; upon; on
erythr/o
red
erythem/o
flushed; redness
-esis
action; condition; state of
ex-
out; away from
gastr/o
stomach
-genesis
producing; forming
-ger/i , geront/o
old age
gluc/o , glyc/o
glucose; sugar
-gram
record
-graphy
process of recording
hem/o , hemat/o
blood
hemi-
half
hepat/o
liver
herni/o
hernia
hydr/o
water
hyper-
above; excess
hypo-
deficient; below; less than normal
hyster/o
uterus; womb
-ia
condition
-iac, -ic, -ine, -ior
pertaining to
-iasis
abnormal condition
ile/o
ileum
inguin/o
groin
inter-
between
intra-
within; into
-ism
process; condition
-ist
specialist
-itis
inflammation
jaund/o
yellow
jejun/o
jejunum
Kal/i
potassium
ket/o, keton
ketones, acetones
kyph/o
hunch back
lapar/o
abdominal wall; abdomen
later/o
side
leuk/o
white
lip/o
lipid; fat
lob/o
lobe
-logy
study (process of)
-lysis
breakdown; separation; destruction
mal-
bad
mamm/o, mast/o
breast
medi/o
middle
-megaly
enlargement
melan/o
black
-ment/o
mind
my/o
muscle
narc/o
numbness; sleep
nas/o
nose
natr/o
sodium
necr/o
death
nephr/o
kidney
neur/o
nerve
norm/o
rule; order
nos/o
infection
ocul/o
eye
ophthalm/o
eye
opt/o, optic/o
eye; vision
-oid
resembling; derived from
olig/o
scant; slight
-oma
tumor; mass; fluid collection
onc/o
tumor
oophor/o
ovary
-osis
condition, usually abnormal
oste/o
bone
ot/o
ear
-ous
pertaining to
-oxia; oxic
oxygen
pancreat/o
pancreas
para-
near; beside; apart from; along side of
-paresis
weakness
path/o
disease
-pathy
disease; emotion
pector/o
chest
-penia
deficiency
-phagia
eating; swallowing
phas/o, phasia
speech
phleb/o
vein
-plasia
development; formation; growth
-plasty
surgical repair
-plegia, -plegic
paralysis; palsy
-pnea
breathing
pneum/o, pneumon/o
lung; air; gas
post-; poster/o
after; behind
pre-
before; in front of
proxim/o
near
pseudo
false; fake
purul/o
pus
quadri-
four
rhino
nose
-rrhage
bursting forth (of blood)
-rrhea
flow, discharge
sanguin/o
fluid- blood
-sclerosis
hardening
-scope
instrument to visually examine
-scopy
process of visually examining w/ a scope
-sect
to cut
seps/o
infection
ser/o
fluid-serum; clear
-sis
state of
-spasm
sudden contraction of muscle
-stasis
to stop; control; place
-static
pertaining to stopping; controlling
-stenosis
tightening; narrowing
stern/o
strenum
-stomy
new opening (to form a mouth)
sub-
under; below
supra-
above; upper
syncop/o
faint
tachy-
fast
-tension; -tensive
pressure
therm/o
heat
thorac/o
chest
-thorax
chest; pleural cavity
thromb/o
clot
thyroid/o
thyroid gland
-tic
pertaining to
-tomy
process of cutting
-toxic
poison
trache/o
trachea
trans-
across; through
tri-
three
-trophy
development-condition of
umbilic/o
umbilicus; navel
uni-
one
ur/o
urine; urinary tract
ureter/o
ureter
urethr/o
urethra
-uria
urination; condition of urine
urin/o
urine
-us
structure; thing
uter/o
uterus; womb
vascul/o
vessel (blood)
ven/o, ven/i
vein
ventr/o
abdominal side of body
vertebr/o
vertebra (backbone)
xer/o
dry
-y
condition; process
ã
Before (ante)
AAA
Abdominal aortic aneurysm - (will hear “Triple A”)
abd
abdomen
ABG
arterial blood gas
abx, ABX
antibiotic
a.c.
before meals (ante cibum)
AC
Antecubital (elbow pit)
ADL
activities of daily living
ad lib.
as desired
AEB
as evidenced by
AKA
above the knee amputation
AMA
against medical advice
AMI
acute myocardial infraction
amb., amb
ambulate, or ambulatory
AP
anteroposterior (AP chest X-ray)
ASAP
as soon as possible
BCP
birth control pills
BhCG
Beta hCG- serum pregnancy test
b.i.d, bid, BID
Twice a day (bis in die)
BKA
Below the knee amputation
BLE
bilateral lower extremities
BLS
Basic life support
BM
bowel movement
BMP
basic metabolic panel
BP, B/P
blood pressure
bpm
beats per minute
BRP
bathroom privilages
BS, bs
bowel sounds, blood sugar, breath sounds
BUN
blood urea nitrogen
Bx, bx
biopsy
Cº
degrees with Celsius of Centigrade
c (c with a flat line above it)
with
Ca
Calcium
CA
cancer
cap
capsule
cath
catheter, catheterize
C & S
culture and sensitivity
c/o, C/O
complains of
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft(s) (pronounced cabbage)
CAD
coronary artery disease
CT scan, CAT scan
computer tomography scan, computed axial tomography scan
CBC
complete blood count
CC or C.C.
Chief complaint
cc
cubic centimeter, same as mL (Do Not Use cc - use mL instead)
CHF
congestive heart failure
CMP
Comprehensive metabolic panel
CNS
central nervous system
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPAP
continuous positive airway pressure
CPR
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRF
chronic renal failure
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
CTA
clear to ausciltation
CV
Cardiovascular
CVA
Cerebrovascular accident
CXR
chest X-ray
d
day
D/C or d/c
discontinue, discharge
DM
diabetes mellitus
DNR
do not resuscitate
DOE
dyspnea on exertion
dsg, drsg
dressing
DVT
Deep vein thrombosis
Dx, dx
diagnosis
EBL
estimated blood loss
ECG, EKG
electrocardiogram; electrokardiogram in Britain
EEG
Electroencephalogram
EENT
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
ER; ED
Emergency Room; Emergency Department
ESRD
end stage renal disease
et al.
and others (et alii)
ET-tube
Endotracheal tube
ETOH, EtOH
ethanol, alcohol
eval
evaluation
Fº
degrees Farenheit
F/U, f/u
follow-up
Fe
iron
FFP
fresh frozen plasma
Fx., fx
Fracture
GERD
gastroesophageal reflux disease
GI, G.I.
Gastrointestinal
gtt(s)
drop/drops (guttae)
GYN, gyn
gynecology
G-tube
feeding tube in the stomach
GJ-tube
feeding tube with two lumens, one into stomach, one into jejunum
H/H, Hgb/Hct
hemoglobin and hematocrit (Hemoglobin always first)
HA
headache
HHN
hand-held nebulizer
HIPAA
Health Insurance Policy and Accountability Act (of 1996)
HOB
head of bed
H & P
History and physical
HPI
history of present illness
HS, hs
Hour of sleep (at bedtime) or half strength - Do Not Use - Write it Out)
HTN
hypertension
Hx, hx
history
I & D
Incision and drainage
ICU
Intensive Care Unit
IM, I.M.
Intramuscular
I & O
intake and output
IS
incentive spirometer
IV
intraveinous
JP, J-P
Jackson-Pratt drain
J-tube
Feeding tube in the jejunum
K+
potassium
KCl
potassium chloride
Kg
Kilograms
KUB, K.U.B.
(X-ray of) kidneys, ureter, bladder
KVO
Keep vein open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)
L
liter
L (with a circle around it), Lt, lt
Left
L&D
Labor and delivery
LMP
Last menstrual period
LOC
level of conciousness
LTAC
long term acute care
LUE, L.U.E.
Left upper extremity(ies)
LLE, L.L.E.
Left Lower Extremity(ies)
LUQ, L.U.Q
Left upper quadrant
LLQ, L.L.Q.
Left lower quadrant
lytes
electrolytes
MAR
Medical administration record
mcg
microgram
mEq
miliequivilent
mg
milligram
MICU
medical intensive care unit
MI, M.I.
myocardial infraction
mL
milliliter
MN
midnight
MODS
multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
MS, MSO4
morphine sulfate (Do Not Use These - write it out instead)
NaCl
sodium chloride
NC
nasal cannulae
NG, NGT
Nasogastric tube
NICU
neonatal intensive care unit
NKA
no known allergies
NKDA
no known drug allergies
NPO
Nothing by mouth (nil per os)
NRB
non-rebreather mask (for oxygen delivery)
NS
Normal Saline
NSAID
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
N/V
Nausea and vomiting
N/V/D
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
NWB
non-weight bearing
O2
oxygen
OD
right eye
OS
left eye
O.U.
both eyes
OOB
out of bed
OTC
over the counter
p (p with a straight line over the top)
after
PACU
post-anesthetic care unit
pc, p.c.
after meals
PCA
patient controlled analgesia
PCP
Primary care physician
PEG
percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube
per
by or through
peri care
perineal care
p.o.
by mouth
pr
Suppository route (per rectum)
PRBC
packed red blood cells
pre-op, preop
preoperatively, before surgery
PRN, P.R.N., prn, p.r.n.
as needed, as necessary (pro re nata)
Pt., pt.
Patient
P.T.
physical therapy
q
every (q 1 hr = every hour, etc.)
QID, Q.I.D., qid, q.i.d.
four times a day
QOD
every other day (Do Not Use - Write it out)
qs
every shift
R, RT, Rt
right
RA
Rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium, room air
r/t
related to
R/O
rule out
RLE
right lower extremity
RUE
right upper extremety
RUQ
right upper quadrant
RLQ
right lower quadrant
Rx
Prescription
s (with a straight line on top)
without
SAH
subarachnoid hemorrage
SARS
severe acute respiratory syndrome
SCD
Sequential compression devices
SICU
severe intensive care unit
SIRS
systemic inflammatory response syndrome
SL
Sublingual (below the tongue)
SN, S.N.
student nurse
SNF
skilled nursing facility
SOB
Shortness of breath
S/P
status post
S/S; Sx
Signs and symptoms
S.S.I.
sliding scale insulin
STAT, Stat
IMMEDIATELY, now
sub-Q
Subcutaneously
tachy
tachycardia
T
Temperature
T & C
Type and crossmatch
TB, Tb
tuberculosis
TCDB
Turn, cough, deep breathe
TEDs
Thromboembolic disease support hose
TIA
transient ischemic attack
TID, T.I.D., tid, t.i.d.
Three times a day
TKO
to keep open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)
tol, tol.
tolerated
TPCN
total patient care nurse
TPR
temperature, pulse, and respiration
tsp
teaspoon (5mL)
Tbsp, tbsp
Tablespoon (15mL)
Tx
treatment
U, IU
Unit, International Unit (DO NOT USE - Write out unit)
UA
urinalysis
URI
upper respiratory infection
UTI
urinary tract infection
VBG
venous blood gas
VS
Vital signs
WBAT
weight bearing as tolerated
WBC
white blood cell
y/o, YO
years old
