Vocabulary (Chapter 1) Flashcards
The surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes.
abdominocentesis
A word formed from the initial letters of the major parts of a compound term.
acronym
A condition that has a rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration.
acute
The process of producing a radiographic study of the blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make the blood vessels visible.
angiography
Surgical removal of the appendix.
appendectomy
Abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries.
arteriosclerosis
Pain in a joint or joints.
arthralgia
The surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface.
colostomy
Blue discoloration of the skin caused by a lack of adequate oxygen in the blood.
cyanosis
A specialist in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin.
dermatologist
The identification of a disease.
diagnosis
The flow of frequent loose or watery stools.
diarrhea
Swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues.
edema
Pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery.
endarterial
A disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first.
eponym
A mature red blood cell.
erythrocyte
A groove or crack-like sore of the skin; also a normal fold in the contours of the brain.
fissure
An abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body.
fistula
Pain in the stomach.
gastralgia
Inflammation of the stomach.
gastritis
Inflammation of the stomach and small intestines.
gastroenteritis
Any abnormal condition or disease of the stomach.
gastrosis
The loss of a large amount of blood in a short time.
hemorrhage
Abnormal enlargement of the liver.
hepatomegaly
Abnormal elevated blood pressure.
hypertension
Lower-than-normal arterial blood pressure.
hypotension
Invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism.
infection
A localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues that is characterized by heat (hyperthermia), redness (erythema), swelling (edema) and pain.
inflammation
Between, but not within, the parts of a tissue.
interstitial
Within the muscle.
intramuscular
A torn, ragged wound.
laceration
A pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury.
lesion
A feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease.
malaise
Any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus.
mycosis
Any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord.
myelopathy
Any pathologic change or disease of the muscle tissue.
myopathy
The rupture of a muscle.
myorrhexis
Pertaining to birth.
natal
Study of disorders of the newborn.
neonatology
Suturing together the ends of a severed nerve.
neurorrhaphy
Study of the ears, nose and throat.
otorhinolaryngology
An examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency and location of certain body parts.
palpation
A pounding or racing heart with or without irregularity in rhythm.
palpitation
The study of all aspects of diseases.
pathology
The bones of the fingers and toes.
phalanges
A viral infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord.
poliomyelitis
A forecast, or prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disorder.
prognosis
Any acute, inflammatory pus-producing skin infection.
pyoderma
Discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus.
pyrosis
The temporary, partial or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure.
remission
Objective evidence of disease, such as a fever.
sign
The act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward.
supination
The formation or discharge of pus.
suppuration
Above or outside the ribs.
supracostal
Subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache.
symptom
A set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process.
syndrome
Inflammation of the tonsils.
tonsillitis
Wound or injury.
trauma
Screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment.
triage
Pertaining to a virus.
viral
Cells
cytes
Abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries.
arteriomalacia
Tissue death of an artery or arteries.
arterionecrosis
Abnormal narrowing of an artery or arteries.
arteriostenosis
Surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid.
abdominocentesis
Surgical repair of a muscle.
myoplasty
The visual examination of the internal structure of a joint.
anthroscopy
Surgical suturing of a muscle wound.
myorrhaphy
Not normal or away from normal.
abnormal
Drawn toward or a strong dependence on a drug or substance.
addiction
An organ or body part that is not working properly.
dysfunctional
Easy or normal breathing.
eupnea
Below a rib or ribs.
subcostal
Inflammation of the ear.
otitis
Instrument used for viewing or examining a joint.
arthroscope
Inflammation of the joint or joints.
arthritis
Surgical removal of the appendix.
appendectomy
Any disease of the heart.
cardiopathy
Excessive development (muscles).
hypertrophy
Condition is of long duration. Although such diseases can be controlled, they are rarely cured.
chronic
A condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally. Some diseases are named for their signs and symptoms. Ie. Chronic fatigue syndrome
disease
(D/DX), also known as a rule out (R/O) is an attempt to determine which one of several diseases can be causing the signs and symptoms that are present.
differential diagnosis
Fatty deposit within the wall of an artery (tumor).
atheroma
Surgical incision into the colon.
colotomy
Adjective - describes the specialized membranes that line the body cavities.
mucous
Noun - the name of the fluid secreted by these mucous membranes.
mucus
Last and longest portion of the small intestines. Memory aid: ileum is spelled with an “e” as in intEstine.
ileum
Part of the hip bone. Memory aid: ilium is spelled with an “i” as in hip.
ilium
Fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound.
exudate
Inflammation of the renal pelvis.
pyelitis
Any acute, inflammatory, pus forming bacterial skin infection such as impetigo.
Pyoderma
Also known as heartburn, is discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus.
pyrosis