Medical Terminology - Key Terms and Definitions (P-Z) Flashcards
Parietal layers
Outermost layer of the pleura that connects to the thoracic wall, mediastinum, and diaphragm.
Pericardium
A membrane that separates the heart from other mediastinal structures; consists of two distinct, fused sublayers: the fibrous pericardium and the parietal pericardium.
Peritoneum
Serous membrane that lines the abdominopelvic cavity and covers the organs found there.
Physiology
The branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.
Pleura
The membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity.
Posterior (or dorsal)
Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
Prefix
Word part at the beginning of a medical term that changes the word root’s meaning.
Prone
Face down.
Proximal
Describes a position in a limb nearer to the point of attachment or the body’s trunk.
Sagittal plane
Divides the body vertically from right to left.
Serous membrane
One of the thin membranes that covers the walls and organs in the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.
Serous space
The very thin, fluid-filled space between the parietal and visceral layers.
Spinal cavity
The space in vertebrae through which the spinal cord passes.
Suffix
A word part added to the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word root.
Superficial
Describes a position closer to the surface of the body.
Superior (or cranial)
Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper.
Supine
Face up
Synovial membrane
A thin layer that lines the inner surface of the joint cavity at a synovial joint; produces the synovial fluid.
Thoracic cavity
The space in the chest that contains organs, blood vessels, nerves, and other important body structures. It is divided into three main parts: right pleural cavity, left pleural cavity, and mediastinum. The five organs in your thoracic cavity are your heart, lungs, esophagus, trachea, and thymus.
Tissue membrane
A thin layer or sheet of cells that covers the outside of the body, the organs, internal passageways that lead to the exterior of the body, and the lining of the moveable joint cavities.
Tissue
An assembly of similar cells and their extracellular matrix from the same embryonic origin that together carry out a specific function.
Transverse plane
Divides the body horizontally into upper and lower.
Visceral layer
Innermost layer of the pleura that is superficial to the lungs and extends into the lung fissures.
Word root
The foundational meaning of a word.
