Medterms B & C

Front 1

Bactericidal

Back 1

Pertaining to and agent that destroys bacteria.

Front 2

Bacteriostatic

Back 2

Pertaining to an agent that inhibits bacterial growth.

Front 3

Bacterium

Back 3

Type of one-celled organism whose genetic material (DNA) is not organized within a nucleus (plural: bacteria).

Front 4

Balanitis

Back 4

Inflammation of the penis.

Front 5

Bariatric surgery

Back 5

Surgery on part of the gastrointestinal tract for obesity. BARI/O means weight, and IATR/O means treatment.

Front 6

Barium

Back 6

Substance used as a radiopaque (x-rays cannot pass through it) contrast medium for x-ray examination of the digestive tract.

Front 7

Barium enema

Back 7

X-ray study of the lower digestive tract performed by instilling a solution of barium into the rectum, which highlights structures seen on the x-ray images.

Front 8

Barium swallow

Back 8

X-ray study of the upper digestive tract performed by having the patient swallow a solution of barium, which highlights structures seen on the x-ray images.

Front 9

Benign

Back 9

Not cancerous; a tumor that does not spread and is limited in growth.

Front 10

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Back 10

Nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate gland. Also called benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Front 11

Benzodiazepine

Back 11

Drug used to relive anxiety, relax muscles, and produce sedation.

Front 12

Beta blocker

Back 12

Drug that is used for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension), chest pain (angina), and abnormal rhythms of the heart (arrhythmias).

Front 13

Bilateral

Back 13

Pertaining to two (both) sides.

Front 14

Bile

Back 14

A yellow or orange fluid produced by the liver. It breaks up large fat globules and helps in the digestion of fats.

Front 15

Bile duct

Back 15

Tube that carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the intestine.

Front 16

Bilirubin

Back 16

A red blood cell pigment extracted with bile from the liver into the intestine.

Front 17

Biology

Back 17

Study of life

Front 18

Biopsy

Back 18

Removing living tissue for subsequent viewing under a microscope or other laboratory studies.

Front 19

Bladder

Back 19

See URINARY BLADDER

Front 20

Bone

Back 20

Hard, rigid type of connective tissues that makes up most of the skeleton. It is composed of calcium salts.

Front 21

Bone marrow

Back 21

Soft, sponge-like material in the inner part of bones. Blood cells are made in the bone marrow.

Front 22

Bradycardia

Back 22

Slow heartbeat.

Front 23

Brain

Back 23

Organ in the head that controls the activities of the body.

Front 24

Breast

Back 24

One of the glandular organs in front of the chest. The breasts produce milk after childbirth.

Front 25

Bronchial tube

Back 25

One of the tubes that carry air from the windpipe to the lungs. Also called a bronchus (plural: bronchi).

Front 26

Bronchiole

Back 26

Small bronchial tube.

Front 27

Bronchiolitis

Back 27

Inflammation of bronchial tubes.

Front 28

Bronchoscope

Back 28

Instrument used to visually examine bronchial tubes.

Front 29

Bronchoscopy

Back 29

Visual examination of bronchial tubes by passing an endoscope through the trachea (windpipe) into the bronchi.

Front 30

Bronchus

Back 30

See BRONCHIAL TUBE.

Front 31

Bursa

Back 31

Sac of fluid near a joint (plural: bursae).

Front 32

Bursitis

Back 32

Inflammation of a bursa.

Front 33

Calcaneus

Back 33

Heel bone.

Front 34

Calcification

Back 34

Accumulation of calcium salts in tissues.

Front 35

Calcium channel blocker

Back 35

Drug that dilates arteries by inhibiting the flow of calcium into muscle cells hat line arteries. It is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain caused by insufficient oxygen to heart muscle).

Front 36

Calculus

Back 36

Stone (plural: calculi).

Front 37

Callus

Back 37

Bony deposit formed between and around the broken ends of a fractured bone. Also, a painless thickening of skin cells in areas of external pressure or friction.

Front 38

Capillary

Back 38

Smallest blood vessel (plural: capillaries).

Front 39

Carbon dioxide

Back 39

Odorless, colorless gas formed in tissues and eliminated by the lungs.

Front 40

Carcinoma

Back 40

Cancerous tumor. Carcinomas form from epithelial cells, which line the internal organs and cover the outside of the body.

Front 41

Cardiac

Back 41

Pertaining to the heart.

Front 42

Cardiologist

Back 42

Physician specializing in the study of the heart and heart disease.

Front 43

Cardiology

Back 43

Study of the heart.

Front 44

Cardiomegaly

Back 44

Enlargement of the heart.

Front 45

Cardiomyopathy

Back 45

Disease of heart muscle.

Front 46

Cardiovascular surgeon

Back 46

Specialist in operating on the heart and blood vessels.

Front 47

Cardioversion

Back 47

Brief discharges of electricity passing across the chest to stop a cardiac ARRHYTHMIA called DEFIBRILLATION.

Front 48

Carpals

Back 48

Wrist bones.

Front 49

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Back 49

Group of symptoms resulting from compression of the median nerve in the wrist. Symptoms include tingling, pain, and burning sensations in the hand and wrist.

Front 50

Cartilage

Back 50

Flexible, fibrous connective tissue, found as part of the nose, ears, voice box, and windpipe and chiefly attached to bones and joints.

Front 51

Cataract

Back 51

Clouding of the lens of the eye.

Front 52

Cathartic

Back 52

Pertaining to a substance that causes the release of feces from the large intestine.

Front 53

CAT scan

Back 53

Computerized axial tomography. See CT SCAN.

Front 54

Caudal

Back 54

Pertaining to the tail or the lower portion of the body.

Front 55

Cell

Back 55

Smallest unit or part of an organism,

Front 56

Cellulitis

Back 56

Inflammation of soft tissue under the skin; it is marked by swelling, redness, and pain and is caused by bacterial infection.

Front 57

Cephalgia

Back 57

Headache. Shortened form of cephalalgia.

Front 58

Cephalic

Back 58

Pertaining to the head. Cephalic presentation refers to fetal position in which the head of the fetus appears at the uterine cervix as the infant is born.

Front 59

Cephalosporin

Back 59

Antibiotic similar to penicillin and used o treat infections of the respiratory tract, ear, urinary tract, bones, and blood.

Front 60

Cerebellar

Back 60

Pertaining to the cerebellum.

Front 61

Cerebellum

Back 61

Lower, back part of the brain that coordinates muscle movement and balance.

Front 62

Cerebral

Back 62

Pertaining to the Cerebrum.

Front 63

Cerebrospinal fluid

Back 63

Fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Front 64

Cerebrovascular accident

Back 64

Disorder of blood vessels within the cerebrum. It results from inadequate blood supply to the brain. See also STROKE.

Front 65

Cerebrum

Back 65

Largest part of the brain. It controls thought processes, hearing, speech, vision, and body movements.

Front 66

Cervical

Back 66

Pertaining to the neck of the body or the neck (cervix) if the uterus.

Front 67

Cervical region

Back 67

Seven backbones in the area of the neck.

Front 68

Cervical vertebra

Back 68

Backbone in the neck.

Front 69

Cervix.

Back 69

Lower, neck-like portion of the uterus opening into the vagina.

Front 70

Cesarean section

Back 70

Incision of the uterus to remove the fetus at birth.

Front 71

Chlamydial infection

Back 71

A bacterial infection commonly transmitted by sexual contact.

Front 72

Chemotherapy

Back 72

Treatment with drugs. Chemotherapy is most often used in the treatment of cancer.

Front 73

Cholecystectomy

Back 73

Removal of the gallbladder.

Front 74

Choledochoduodenostomy

Back 74

New surgical attachment of the common bile duct to the duodenum; an anastomosis.

Front 75

Choledochotomy

Back 75

Incision of the common bile duct.

Front 76

Cholelithiasis

Back 76

Abnormal condition of gallstones.

Front 77

Cholesterol

Back 77

Fatty substance made in the liver and found in the bloodstream. It is an important part of all cells and is necessary for creating hormones. It may accumulate in the lining of arteries, such as in the heart, causing heart disease, or in the gallbladder to form gallstones. Normal adult levels are 150 to 200 mg/dL.

Front 78

Chondroma

Back 78

Benign tumor of CARTILAGE.

Front 79

Chondrosarcoma

Back 79

Malignant tumor of CARTILAGE.

Front 80

Chronic

Back 80

Lasting a long time.

Front 81

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Back 81

Chronic limitation in airflow into and out of the body; includes chronic bronchitis, ASTHMA, and EMPHYSEMA.

Front 82

Circulatory system

Back 82

Organs (heart and blood vessels) that carry blood throughout the body.

Front 83

Cirrhosis

Back 83

Liver disease with deterioration of the liver cells. Cirrhosis is often caused by alcoholism and poor nutrition.

Front 84

Clavicle

Back 84

Collarbone.

Front 85

Clinical

Back 85

Pertaining to the bedside or clinic; involving patients care.

Front 86

Coccygeal region

Back 86

Four fused (joined-together) bones at the base of the spinal column (backbone).

Front 87

Coccyx

Back 87

Tailbone.

Front 88

Colectomy

Back 88

Removal of the colon (large intestine).

Front 89

Colitis

Back 89

Inflammation of the colon (large intestine).

Front 90

Colocolostomy

Back 90

New surgical connection between two previously unconnected portions of the colon. This is an anastomosis.

Front 91

Colon

Back 91

Large intestine (bowel).

Front 92

Colonic polyposis

Back 92

Condition of growths or masses, protruding from the mucous membrane lining the colon.

Front 93

Colonoscopy

Back 93

Visual examination of the colon.

Front 94

Colorectal surgeon

Back 94

Physician specializing in operating on the colon and rectum.

Front 95

Colostomy

Back 95

Opening of the colon to the outside of the body.

Front 96

Colposcopy

Back 96

Visual examination of the vagina and cervix.

Front 97

Computed tomography scan

Back 97

X-ray images taken to show the body in cross-sectional views. Also called CT scan.

Front 98

Concussion

Back 98

Loss of consciousness resulting from a blow to the head.

Front 99

Congenital anomaly

Back 99

See anomaly.

Front 100

Congestive heart failure

Back 100

Condition in which the heart is unable to pump its required amount of blood, resulting in inadequate oxygen to body cells.

Front 101

Conization

Back 101

Removal of a wedge-shaped piece (cone) of tissue from the cervix in the diagnosis and treatment of early cancer of the cervix.

Front 102

Conjunctiva

Back 102

Thin protective membrane over the front of the eye and attached to the eyelids.

Front 103

Conjunctivitis

Back 103

Inflammation of the CONJUNCTIVA.

Front 104

Connective tissue

Back 104

Fibrous tissue that supports and connects internal organs, bones, and walls of blood vessels.

Front 105

Corium

Back 105

Middle layer over the front of the aye. It bends light to focus it on sensitive cells (retina) at the back of the eye.

Front 106

Coronal plane

Back 106

See FRONTAL PLANE.

Front 107

Coronary

Back 107

Pertaining to the heart.

Front 108

Coronary angiogram

Back 108

X-ray record of blood vessels surrounding the heart.

Front 109

Coronary arteries

Back 109

Blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to the heart muscle.

Front 110

Cortex

Back 110

Outer part of an organ (plural: cortices).

Front 111

Cortisol

Back 111

Anti-inflammatory hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex.

Front 112

Costochondritis

Back 112

Inflammation of a rib and its cartilage.

Front 113

Costochondral

Back 113

Pertaining to a rib and its cartilage.

Front 114

Cranial cavity

Back 114

Space surrounded by the skull and containing the brain and the outer organs.

Front 115

Craniotomy

Back 115

Incision of the skull.

Front 116

Cranium

Back 116

Skull.

Front 117

Creatinine

Back 117

Nitrogen-containing waste that is removed from the blood by the kidney and excreted in urine.

Front 118

Crohn disease

Back 118

Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (often the ileum) marked by bouts of diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Along with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s is a type of INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE.

Front 119

Cross-section

Back 119

Division of an organ or the body into upper and lower portions; TRANSVERSE PLANE.

Front 120

Cryotherapy

Back 120

Treatment using cold (CRY/O) temperatures.

Front 121

Cryptorchism

Back 121

Undescended (CRYPT- means hidden) testicle. The testicle is not in the scrotal sac at birth.

Front 122

CT scan

Back 122

Computed tomography; series of x-ray images showing organs in cross-section (transverse view). Also called a CAT SCAN.

Front 123

Cusp

Back 123

Any one of the small flaps on the valves of the heart. Also, a sharp projection extending from the surface of a tooth.

Front 124

Cushing syndrome

Back 124

Symptoms produced by an excess of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Cushing syndrome is marked by moon face, fatty swellings, and weakness.

Front 125

Cyanosis

Back 125

Bluish discoloration of the skin due to deficient OXYGEN in the bloodstream.

Front 126

Cystitis

Back 126

Inflammation of the urinary bladder.

Front 127

Cystoscope

Back 127

Instrument (endoscope) used to view the urinary bladder.

Front 128

Cystoscopy

Back 128

Visual examination of the urinary bladder.

Front 129

Cytology

Back 129

Study of cells.