Medical Terminology - Root Words Flashcards
Abdomin/o
Abdomen
EX: Abdominal pain: pain from inside the abdomen or the outer muscle wall
Cardi/o
Heart
EX: Cardiac arrest: when the heart stops beating suddenly
Thorac/o
Chest
EX: Thoracotomy: surgical procedure in which a cut is made between the ribs to see and reach the lungs or other organs in the chest or thorax
Psych/o
Mind
EX: Psychosis: when people lose some contact with reality
Neur/o
Nerve
EX: Neurodegenerative: resulting in degeneration of the nervous system, especially the neurons in the brain.
Nephr/o
Kidney
EX: Nephrolithiasis: kidney stones
Hepat/o
Liver
EX: Hepatitis: a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation
Cyan/o
Blue
EX: Cyanosis: a bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membrane
Erythr/o
Red
EX: Erythroderma: also sometimes called exfoliative dermatitis, is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition that presents with diffuse erythema and scaling involving all or most of the skin surface area
Leuk/o
White
EX: Leukemia: a broad term for cancers of the blood cells
Aort/o
Aorta: the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso
EX: Aortic aneurysm: a balloon-like bulge in the aorta. Aortic aneurysms can dissect or rupture. The force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them.
Ateri/o
Artery: any of the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system by which blood is conveyed from the heart to all parts of the body.
EX: Arteriogram: an X-ray of the blood vessels
Ather/o
Fat
EX: Atherogenic: tending to promote the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries.
Brachi/o
Arm
EX: that which is felt over the brachial artery at the inner aspect of the elbow
Hem/o
Blood
EX: Hemorrhagic stroke: when blood from an artery suddenly begins bleeding into the brain
Bronchi/o
Airway
EX: Bronchitis: an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs.
Pneumo
Lung
EX: Tension pneumothorax: severe condition that results when air is trapped in the pleural space under positive pressure, displacing mediastinal structures, and compromising cardiopulmonary function.
Pharyng/o
Throat
EX: Oropharyngeal dysphagia: difficulty initiating a swallow.
Path/o
Disease
EX: Pathology: branch of medical science primarily concerning the cause, origin, and nature of disease.
Mening/o
Meninges
EX: Meningitis: inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
Myo
Muscle
EX: Myopathy: any disease that affects the muscles that control voluntary movement in the body.
Oste/o
Bones
EX: Osteoarthritis: occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time
Cyt/o
Cell
EX: Cytokinesis: part of the cell division process during which the cytoplasm of a single eukaryotic cell divides into two daughter cells.
Cyst/o
Bladder
EX: Cystocele: when the wall between the bladder and the vagina weakens
Phag/o
Eat
EX: Phagocytosis: the ingestion of bacteria or other material by phagocytes
Scler/o
Hard
EX: Sclerotherapy: injecting a solution directly into the vein. This solution causes the vein to scar, forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins
Trache/o
Windpipe
EX: Tracheotomy: an opening surgically created through the neck into the trachea
