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323 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
A medical word consists of some or all of the following elements:
|
- word root
- combining form - suffix - prefix |
|
|
The word root is:
|
the foundation of the medical term
contains its primary meaning |
|
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-itis
|
inflammation
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-ectomy
|
excision, removal
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A combining form is:
|
created when a word root is combined with a vowel
|
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|
Combining vowel
|
- usually an "o" (but sometimes "i" or "e")
- helps combine two word elements - makes pronunciation of combinations of word roots easier |
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Like the word root, the combining form (word root/vowel) usually indicates:
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a body part
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arthr/o
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joint
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gastr/o
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stomach
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nephr/o
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kidney
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neur/o
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nerve
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oste/o
|
bone
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A combining form links with a suffix that begins with:
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a consonant
|
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-centesis
|
surgical puncture
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-pathy
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disease
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A word root links with a suffix that begins with:
|
a vowel
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mast/o
|
breast
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A suffix usually describes a:
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- pathology (disease or abnormality)
- symptom - surgical or diagnostic procedure - part of speech |
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A prefix usually indicates a:
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- number
- time - position - direction - negation |
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Prefixes do not require:
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adding a connecting vowel
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pre-
pro- |
before, in front of
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nat
|
birth
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-ac
-al -ar(y) -eal -ic -ical -ior -ous -tic |
pertaining to
|
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post-
|
after
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splen
|
spleen
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hyster
|
uterus
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hepat/o
|
liver
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cholangi/o
|
bile vessel
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Three rules for building medical words:
|
- word root links suffix beginning with a vowel
- combining form (root + "o") links suffix beginning with a consonant - combining vowel links two roots into a compound word, even if second root begins with a vowel (e.g., gastroenteritis) |
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append
|
appendix
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-scope
|
instrument for examining
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chondr/o
|
cartilage
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-malacia
|
softening
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sarcoma (plural)
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sarcomata
(retain "ma" and add "ta") |
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thrombus (plural)
|
thrombi
(drop "us" and add "i") |
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appendix (plural)
|
appendices
(drop "ix" and add "ices") |
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diverticulum (plural)
|
diverticula
(drop "um" and add "a") |
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ovary (plural)
|
ovaries
(drop "y" and add "ies") |
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diagnosis (plural)
|
diagnoses
(drop "is" and add "es") |
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lumen (plural)
|
lumina
(drop "en" and add "ina") |
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vertebra (plural)
|
vertebrae
(retain "a" and add "e") |
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thorax (plural)
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thoraces
(drop "x" and add "ces") |
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spermatozoon (plural)
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spermatozoa
(drop "on" and add "a") |
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-clasis
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to break; surgical fracture
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-desis
|
binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)
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-lysis
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separation; destruction; loosening
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-pexy
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fixation (of an organ)
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-plasty
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surgical repair
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-rrhaphy
|
suture
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-stomy
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forming an opening (mouth)
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trache/o
|
trachea
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thromb/o
|
blood clot
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rhin/o
|
nose
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my/o
|
muscle
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thromb/o
|
blood clot
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rhin/o
|
nose
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my/o
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muscle
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-tome
|
instrument to cut
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-tomy
|
incision
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-tripsy
|
crushing
|
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-gram
|
record, writing
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electr/o
|
electricity
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cardi/o
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heart
|
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-graph
|
instrument for recording
|
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angi/o
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vessel (usually blood or lymph)
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-graphy
|
process of recording
|
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-meter
|
instrument for measuring
|
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pelv/i
(this is an exception to the rule of the "o" as connecting vowel) |
pelvis
|
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endo-
intra- |
in, within
|
|
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-algia
-dynia |
pain
|
|
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-cele
|
hernia, swelling
|
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-ectasis
|
dilation, expansion
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bronchi
|
plural of bronchus
|
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-edema
|
swelling
|
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lymph
|
lymph (duh!)
|
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-emesis
|
vomiting
|
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hyper-
|
excessive, above normal
|
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-emia
|
blood condition
|
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a-
an- |
without, not
|
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-iasis
|
abnormal condition (produced by something specific)
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chol/e
(an exception to using "o" as the connecting vowel) |
bile, gall
|
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-lith
|
stone, calculus
|
|
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-megaly
|
enlargement
|
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-oma
|
tumor
|
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cyan
|
blue
|
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-osis
|
abnormal condition; increase
(used primarily with blood cells) |
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-penia
|
decrease, deficiency
|
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erythr/o
|
red
|
|
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-phobia
|
fear
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hem/o
|
blood
|
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-plegia
|
paralysis
|
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hemi-
|
one half
|
|
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-rrhage
-rrhagia |
bursting (of)
|
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men/o
|
menses, menstruation
|
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-rrhea
|
discharge, flow
|
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dia-
trans- |
through, across
|
|
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-rrhexis
|
rupture
|
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arteri/o
|
artery
|
|
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-stenosis
|
narrowing, stricture
|
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-toxic
|
poison
|
|
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-trophy
|
nourishment, development
|
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dys-
|
bad, painful, difficult
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-ia
|
condition
|
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-esthesia
|
feeling
|
|
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circum-
peri- |
around
|
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-duction
|
act of leading, bringing, conducting
|
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odont
|
teeth
|
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-y
|
condition, process
|
|
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therm
|
heat
|
|
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di-
dipl- diplo- |
double
|
|
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-opia
|
vision
|
|
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bacteri
|
bacteria
|
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-phonia
|
voice
|
|
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-crine
|
secrete
|
|
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muscul
|
muscle
|
|
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homo-
homeo- |
same
|
|
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-graft
|
transplantation
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-plasia
|
formation, growth
|
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hypo-
|
under, below, deficient
|
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derm
|
skin
|
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macro-
|
large
|
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-cyte
|
cell
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micro-
|
small
|
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mono-
uni- |
one
|
|
|
-therapy
|
treatment
|
|
|
nucle
|
nucleus
|
|
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-gnosis
|
knowing
|
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primi-
|
first
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gravida
|
pregnant woman
|
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retro-
|
backward, behind
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-version
|
turning
|
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super-
|
upper, above
|
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brady-
|
slow
|
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|
hetero-
|
different
|
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multi-
poly- |
many, much
|
|
|
quadri-
|
four
|
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tachy-
|
fast
|
|
|
infer
|
lower, below
|
|
|
Standard reference position of the body
|
anatomical position
|
|
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adduction
|
movement toward the midline of the body
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abduction
|
movement away from the midline of the body
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superior
|
above or higher
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inferior
|
below or lower
|
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cephalic
cranial |
toward the head
|
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caudal
|
toward the tail
|
|
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anterior
ventral |
front of the body
toward the front |
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posterior
dorsal |
back of the body
toward the back |
|
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medial
|
pertaining to the middle
toward the midline |
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lateral
|
pertaining to the side
toward the side (away from the midline) |
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external
|
outside, exterior to
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internal
|
within, interior to
|
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superficial
|
toward or on the surface
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deep
|
away from the surface
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proximal
|
near the point of attachment to the trunk or a structure
|
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distal
|
farther form the point of attachment to the trunk or a structure
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parietal
|
pertaining to the outer wall of a cavity
(e.g., the parietal pleura lines the chest cavity) |
|
|
visceral
|
pertaining to the organs within a cavity
(e.g., the visceral pleura covers the lungs) |
|
|
plane
|
imaginary flat surface that separates two portions of a body or organ
|
|
|
Vertical plane that passes through the midline of the body and divides the body into equal right and left halves
|
midsaggital plane
median plane |
|
|
Plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions
|
frontal plane
coronal plane |
|
|
Plane that separates the body into superior and inferior portions
|
transverse plane
horizontal plane |
|
|
The four abdominopelvic quadrants
|
right upper quadrant (RUQ)
right lower quadrant (RLQ) left upper quadrant (LUQ) left lower quadrant (LLQ) |
|
|
What is in the RUQ?
|
- right lobe of liver
- gallbladder - part of pancreas - part of small and large intestines |
|
|
What is in the RLQ?
|
- part of small and large intestines
- appendix - right ovary and fallopian tube - right ureter |
|
|
What is in the LUQ?
|
- left lobe of liver
- stomach - spleen - part of pancreas - part of small and large intestines |
|
|
What is in the LLQ?
|
- part of small and large intestines
- left ovary and fallopian tube - left ureter |
|
|
For what are abdominopelvic quadrants used?
|
to report findings of clinical examination or exploratory surgery
to describe location of surgical procedures, incision sites, or tumors |
|
|
How many abdominopelvic regions are there?
|
nine
|
|
|
For what are abdominopelvic regions used?
|
to indicate the locations of internal organs
|
|
|
What are the nine abdominopelvic regions?
|
Right hypochondriac, right lumbar, right iliac (or right inguinal)
Left hypochondriac, left lumbar, left iliac (or left inguinal) epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric |
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|
How many basic patient positions for examinations, treatments, surgeries are there?
|
7
|
|
|
What are the seven basic patient positions?
|
- prone (on stomach; examine back, spine, lower extremities)
- supine (on back; examine chest, heart, abdomen, extremities; also head, neck & neurological reflexes) - Fowler - (on back with elevated head for difficulty breathing) - Sims - (left side lying, right knee up; for vaginal or rectal exam or enema) - dorsal recumbent (supine with knees bent; vaginal or rectal exam) - lithotomy - (stirrups; Pap or childbirth) - knee-chest - (on knees and chest with buttocks elevated; rectal exam) |
|
|
What are two other commonly used patient positions?
|
- erect standing or anatomical position
- Trendelenburg (patient flat on back and exam table tilted head down; for drainage of thick respiratory secretions) |
|
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abdomin/o
|
abdominal
|
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caud/o
|
tail
|
|
|
-ad
|
toward
|
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cephal/o
|
head
|
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cervic/o
|
neck
cervix uteri (neck of uterus) |
|
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crani/o
|
cranium (skull)
|
|
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ili/o
|
ilium (lateral, flaring portion of hip bone)
|
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inguin/o
|
groin
|
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lumb/o
|
loins (lower back)
|
|
|
spin/o
|
spine
|
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thorac/o
|
chest
|
|
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umbilic/o
|
umbilicus, navel
|
|
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anter/o
|
anterior, front
|
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dist/o
|
far, farthest
|
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dors/o
|
back (of the body)
|
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infer/o
|
lower, below
|
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later/o
|
side, to one side
|
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medi/o
|
middle
|
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poster/o
|
back (of the body), behind, posterior
|
|
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proxim/o
|
near, nearest
|
|
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super/o
|
upper, above
|
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ventr/o
|
belly, belly side
|
|
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cyt/o
|
cell
|
|
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hist/o
|
tissue
|
|
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nucle/o
|
nucleus
|
|
|
radi/o
|
radiation, x-ray
radius (forearm bone on thumb side) |
|
|
coron
|
heart
|
|
|
cost
|
ribs
|
|
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path/o
|
disease
|
|
|
-gen
-genesis |
forming, production, origin
|
|
|
carcin/o
|
cancer
|
|
|
-logist
|
specialist in the study of
|
|
|
-logy
|
study of
|
|
|
eti/o
|
cause
|
|
|
therm/o
|
heat
|
|
|
bi-
|
two
|
|
|
epi-
|
above, on
|
|
|
infra-
|
below, under
|
|
|
adhesion
|
band of scar tissue binding anatomical surfaces that are normally separate from each other
|
|
|
inflammation
|
protective response of body tissues to irritation, infection, allergy, or injury
|
|
|
sepsis
|
body's inflammatory response to infection in which there is fever, elevated heart and respiratory rate, and low blood pressure
|
|
|
fluor/o
|
luminous, fluorescence
|
|
|
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
|
radiographic technique that uses electromagnetic energy to produce multiplanar cross-sectional images of the body
|
|
|
fluoroscopy
|
radiographic procedure that uses a fluorescent screen instead of a photographic plate to produce a visual image from x-rays that pass through the patient, resulting in continuous imaging of the motion of internal structures and immediate serial images
|
|
|
nuclear scan
|
diagnostic technique that produces an image of an organ or area by recording the concentration of a radiopharmaceutical substance called a tracer; usually introduced into the body by ingestion, inhalation, or injection
|
|
|
radiopharmaceutical
|
drug that contains a radioactive substance, which travels to an area or specific organ that will be scanned
|
|
|
phamaceutic
|
drug, medicine
|
|
|
tomography
|
radiographic technique that produces a film representing a detailed cross-section of tissue structure at a predetermined depth
|
|
|
tom/o
|
to cut
|
|
|
computed tomography (CT) scan
|
narrow beam of x-rays with a contrast medium (provides more detail) or without a contrast medium, that targets a specific organ or body area to produce multiple cross-sectional images for detecting such pathological conditions as tumors or metastases
|
|
|
positron emission tomography (PET) scan
|
nuclear imaging study that combines CT with radiopharmaceuticals to produce a cross-sectional image of radioactive dispersements in a section of the body to reveal the areas where the radiopharmaceutical is being metabolized and where there is a deficiency in metabolism; useful in evaluating Alzheimer disease and epilepsy
|
|
|
single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan
|
nuclear imaging study that scans organs after injection of a radioactive tracer and employs a specialized gamma camera that detects emitted radiation to produce a three-dimensional image form a composite of numerous views; used to show how blood flows to an organ and helps determine how well it is functioning
|
|
|
ultrasonography (US)
|
imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) that bounce off body tissues and are recorded to produce an image of an internal organ or tissue
|
|
|
ultra
|
excess, beyond
|
|
|
son/o
|
sound
|
|
|
ant (abbreviation)
|
anterior
|
|
|
AP
|
anteroposterior
|
|
|
Bx
bx |
biopsy
|
|
|
CXR
|
chest x-ray, chest radiograph
|
|
|
LAT
lat |
lateral
|
|
|
PA
|
posteroanterior
|
|
|
Sx
|
symptom
|
|
|
Tx
|
treatment
|
|
|
CT
|
computed tomography
|
|
|
MRI
|
magnetic resonance imaging
|
|
|
PET
|
positron emission tomography
|
|
|
US
|
ultrasound, ultrasonography
|
|
|
SPECT
|
single photon emission computed tomography
|
|
|
AB
Ab ab |
antibody
abortion |
|
|
ad lib
|
as desired
|
|
|
ADH
|
antidiuretic hormone
(vasopressin) |
|
|
ADLs
|
activities of daily living
|
|
|
AE
|
above the elbow
|
|
|
AED
|
automatic external defibrillator
|
|
|
AF
|
atrial fibrillation
|
|
|
AGN
|
acute glomerulonephritis
|
|
|
AI
|
artificial insemination
|
|
|
AK
|
above the knee
|
|
|
ALL
|
acute lymphocytic leukemia
|
|
|
ALS
|
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease) |
|
|
AML
|
acute myelogenous leukemia
|
|
|
ANS
|
autonomic nervous system
|
|
|
AOM
|
acute otitis media
|
|
|
ARDS
|
acute respiratory distress syndrome
|
|
|
ARF
|
acute renal failure
|
|
|
ARMD or AMD
|
age-related macular degeneration
|
|
|
AS
|
aortic stenosis
|
|
|
ASHD
|
arteriosclerotic heart disease
|
|
|
Ast
|
astigmatism
|
|
|
AV
|
atrioventricular
arteriovenous |
|
|
BE
|
barium enema
below the elbow |
|
|
BG
|
blood glucose
|
|
|
BK
|
below the knee
|
|
|
BKA
|
below-knee amputation
|
|
|
BS
|
blood sugar
|
|
|
C1, C2, C3, etc
|
first, second, third cervical vertebrae
|
|
|
CA
|
cancer
chronological age cardiac arrest |
|
|
Ca
|
calcium
cancer |
|
|
CABG
|
coronary artery bypass graft
|
|
|
CAD
|
coronary artery disease
|
|
|
CAH
|
chronic active hepatitis;
congenital adrenal hyperplasia |
|
|
CC
|
cardiac catheterization
chief complaint |
|
|
CCU
|
coronary care unit
|
|
|
CDH
|
congenital dislocation of the hip
|
|
|
CHD
|
coronary heart disease
|
|
|
CHF
|
congestive heart failure
|
|
|
CLL
|
chronic lymphocytic leukemia
|
|
|
CML
|
chronic myelogenous leukemia
|
|
|
c/o
|
complains of
complaints |
|
|
CO
|
cardiac output
|
|
|
CRF
|
chronic renal failure
|
|
|
CTS
|
carpal tunnel syndrome
|
|
|
CV
|
cardiovascular
|
|
|
CVD
|
cardiovascular disease
|
|
|
dc
DC D/C* |
discharge
discontinue |
|
|
Decub.
|
decubitus (lying down)
|
|
|
DI
|
diabetes insipidus
diagnostic imaging |
|
|
DJD
|
degenerative joint disease
|
|
|
DKA
|
diabetic ketoacidosis
|
|
|
DM
|
diabetes mellitus
|
|
|
DMARDs
|
disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
|
|
|
DOE
|
dyspnea on exertion
|
|
|
DPI
|
dry powder inhaler
|
|
|
ECG
EKG |
electrocardiogram
electrocardiography |
|
|
ECHO
|
echocardiogram
echocardiography echoencephalogram echoencephalography |
|
|
EMG
|
electromyography
|
|
|
ESRD
|
end-stage renal disease
|
|
|
ETT
|
exercise tolerance test
|
|
|
FH
|
family history
|
|
|
FVC
|
forced vital capacity
|
|
|
Fx
|
fracture
|
|
|
G
|
gravida (pregnant)
|
|
|
g
gm |
gram
|
|
|
GER(D)
|
gastroesophageal reflux (disease)
|
|
|
GH
|
growth hormone
|
|
|
HAV
HBV HCV HDV HEV |
hepatitis A virus
hepatitis B virus hepatitis C virus hepatitis D virus hepatitis E virus |
|
|
Hb
Hgb hgb |
hemoglobin
|
|
|
HD
|
hemodialysis
hip disarticulation hearing distance |
|
|
HMD
|
hyaline membrane disease
|
|
|
HNP
|
herniated nucleus pulposus
(herniated disk) |
|
|
HTN
|
hypertension
|
|
|
Hx
|
history
|
|
|
ICD
|
implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
|
|
|
ICP
|
intracranial pressure
|
|
|
I&D
|
incision and drainage
irrigation and debridement |
|
|
ID
|
intradermal
|
|
|
IDDM
|
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
|
|
|
IM
|
intramuscular
infectious mononeucleosis |
|
|
IMP
|
impression (synonymous with diagnosis)
|
|
|
IT
|
inhalation therapy
intensive therapy |
