Medical Terminology Flashcards
a or an
without, away from, not
ab
away from, absent
Abdominal
abd, to the abdomen
Abduction
abd, lateral movement of the limbs away from the median plane of the body, or lateral bending of the head or trunk
Above or higher
superior
Adduction
add, movement of a limb or eye toward the median plane of the body or in the case of digits toward the axial line of a limb
Ad lib
as desired
ADL
activities of daily living
AC
before meals
–algia
pain, suffering, neuraligia
Analgesia
absence of normal sense of pain
Antecubital
in front of the elbow
Anterior
ant., toward the front
Apnea
temporary cessation of breathing
Arthro
joint, arthroscopy
Auro, auriculo, audio
Hearing
Axilla
armpit, axillary
BID
twice a day
BM
bowel movement
Brachial
pertaining to the arm
Brady
abnormally slow
BRP
BathRoom Privileges
Buccal
pertaining to the cheek
BX
biopsy
C with line over it
means “with”
Cardiac
pertaining to the heart
CBC
Complete Blood Count
Chol, Chole
bile, gall, Cholecystitis
CHF
Congestive Heart Failure
Chondro
cartilage
C & S
Culture and Sensitivity
Coag
coagulation
Coccyx
base of the spine
Contra
against
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Costal
pertaining to the ribs
Cranial
pertaining to the cranium
Cutaneous
pertaining to the skin
CXR
Chest X Ray
Cyto
cell
Deltoid
pertaining to the deltoid
Derma, Dermato, cutaneous
skin
Dorsal
pertaining to the back
Distal
farthest from the center
DM
Diabetes Mellitus
DOB
Date of Birth
DVT
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Dys
difficult, bad, painful, such as “Dyspnea” air hunger resulting in labored breathing, sometimes accompanied by pain
-ectomy
excision
Edema
swelling
EKG or ECG
ElectroCardioGram
-emia
blood
ENT
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Enter, Entero
intestine
Eupnea
normal quiet breathing
Eversion
turning outward
ext
exterior, external
Extension
movement that pulls apart both ends of any part
Femoral
pertaining to the femur
Flexation
the act of bending
Fowlers
a semi sitting position
Frontal
pertaining to the forehead bone
Gastric, Gastro
pertaining to the stomach
Glossal
pertaining to the tongue
Gluteal
pertaining to the buttocks
Groin
inguinal
HA
HeadAche
Hepatic
pertaining to the liver
Heme
iron containing non-protein portion of the hemoglobin
Hemi
half
H & P
History and Physical
HTN
HyperTensioN
Humerus
the upper arm
Hx
history
Hyper
excessive,above or beyond such as hyperextended
Hypo
under, beneath, hypodermic
Iliac
pertaining to the ilium
IM
Intramuscular
Inferior
inf; away from the head end
Inguinal
pertaining to the region of the groin
Int-
intermittent, such as intermittent infusion as opposed to continuous IVF’s
Intra-
within, such as intra-arterial
Inversion
turning upward
I & O
Intake and Output
-itis
inflammation of
IV
intravenous
IVF
intravenous fluids
Lateral
to the side of
Lingual
pertaining to the tongue
-lithiasis
formation of stones
LLQ
Left Lower Quadrant
Lumbar
pertaining to the loins, part of the back between the thorax and pelvis
LUQ
Left Upper Quadrant
Mammary
to the breast
Medial
toward the middle
Melena
black tarry feces
MI
Myocardial Infarction or heart attack
ML
milliliters
Myo
muscle
Naso
Nose - projection in the center of the face that is the organ of smell and the entrance of the nasal cavities
Nephr-, nephra-, nephro-, ren-, reno
pertains to kidney - one of a pair of purple-brown organs situated at the back of the abdominal cavity; each is lateral to the spinal column
Neuro
nervous system
NPO
nothing by mouth or Nothing Per Os
NSAIDS
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Occipital
concerning to the back of the head
Oculo, opto, ophthalmo
eye
OD
right eye
-oma
tumor such as sarcoma
Opioids
narcotic
OS
left eye
-ostomy
a created mouth or outlet, gastrostomy
OTC
Over The Counter
OU
both eyes
Outside or exterior
external
Parietal
pertaining to the wall of a cavity, to the parietal bone
PC
Post meals or after meals
-otomy
incision into such as episiotomy
PCA
Patient Controlled Analgesia
osteo
referring to the bone
Patellar
concerning the patella
Pedal
concerning the foot
PERRLA
Pupils Equal, Round, React to Light and Accommodation
Peripheral
occurring or located away from the center
Perineal
situated on the perineum
Plantar
concerning the sole of the foot, Plantar Warts
Popiteal
back of the knee
Posterior
towards the back
-pnea
breathing
Pneumo-
air, lung
PO
by mouth
Prone
lying horizontal with the face downward
Proximal
nearest the point of attachment, center of the body
PRN
as needed
Pseudo
false
Psychogenic
of mental origin
Pulmonary
involving the lungs
PVD
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Radial
pertaining to the radius bone
Renal
pertaining to the kidneys
Retro
backward
RLQ
Right Lower Quadrant
-rrhagia
rupture, profuse discharge, such as menorrhagia
-rrhaphy
suturing or stitching, such as herniorrhaphy
RUQ
Right Upper Quadrant
Rx
prescription
S with line over it
means “without”
Sanguine
pertaining to the blood
SC, SQ
Subcutaneous
SCD
Sequential Compression Devices
-stalsis
contraction, such as peristalsis
-stasis
arrest, fixation, venostasis
Stat
right away
Sub
beneath or under, sublingual= under the tongue
Superficial
near the surface
Superior
above something else
Supine
lying on the back with the face upward
Sx
symptom
Tachy
swift, rapid; tachycardia
Temporal
relating to the temple
Thorax
chest
Thrombus
blood clot that obstructs a blood vessel or a cavity of the heart
-tomy
excision, cutting operation; vasectomy
Toxic
toxin caused by poison
Tx
treatment
UOQ
Upper Outer Quadrant
Umbilical
pertaining to the umbilicus
Ventral
pertaining to the belly
Visceral
pertaining to the viscera or internal organs
WBC
White Blood Count
WNL
Within Normal Limits
X with a line over it
means “except”