Medical Terminology For Health Professions

Front 1

a-

Back 1

without

Front 2

-ar

Back 2

pertaining to

Front 3

-crine

Back 3

to secrete

Front 4

-eal

Back 4

pertaining to

Front 5

-ic

Back 5

pertaining to

Front 6

-ior

Back 6

pertaining to

Front 7

-ologist

Back 7

specialist

Front 8

-ology

Back 8

study of

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-ose

Back 9

pertaining to

Front 10

-plasia

Back 10

formation

Front 11

-plasm

Back 11

formative material of cells

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-stasis

Back 12

control

Front 13

-trophy

Back 13

development

Front 14

abdominal cavity

Back 14

contains primarily the major organs of digestion (abdomen)

Front 15

abdominopelvic cavity

Back 15

indicates the lack of physical division between abdominal and pelvic cavities

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aden/o

Back 16

gland

Front 17

adenectomy

Back 17

surgical removal of a gland

Front 18

adenitis

Back 18

inflammation of a gland

Front 19

adenocarcinoma

Back 19

malignant tumor that originates in glandular tissue

Front 20

adenoma

Back 20

benign tumor that arises in, or resembles, glandular tissue

Front 21

adenomalacia

Back 21

abnormal softening of a gland

Front 22

adenosclerosis

Back 22

abnormal hardening of a gland

Front 23

adenosis

Back 23

any disease condition of a gland

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adip/o

Back 24

fat

Front 25

adipose tissue

Back 25

fat; provides protective padding, insulation and support

Front 26

adult stem cells

Back 26

somatic stem cells; undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ

Front 27

airborne transmission

Back 27

contact with contaminated respiratory droplets spread by a cough or sneeze

Front 28

anaplasia

Back 28

change in the structure of cells and in their orientation to each other

Front 29

anatomic position

Back 29

standard position; straight, erect & facing forward. Holding the arms at the sides with the hands turned with the palms facing the front

Front 30

anatomy

Back 30

study of the structure of the body

Front 31

anomaly

Back 31

deviation from what is regarded as normal

Front 32

anter/o

Back 32

front or before

Front 33

anterior

Back 33

situated in the front/front forward part of the organ

Front 34

aplasia

Back 34

defective development or the congenital absence of an organ or tissue

Front 35

atresia

Back 35

congenital absence of a normal opening or the failure of a structure to be tubular

Front 36

bilateral

Back 36

relating to, or having, two sides

Front 37

bloodborne transmission

Back 37

spread of disease through contact with blood or other body fluids that are contaminated with blood

Front 38

body cavities

Back 38

spaces within the body that contain and protect internal organs

Front 39

body planes

Back 39

imaginary vertical and horizontal lines used to divide the body into sections for descriptive purposes

Front 40

carcin

Back 40

cancerous

Front 41

caud/o

Back 41

tail/lower part of the body

Front 42

caudal

Back 42

toward the lower part of the body

Front 43

cell membrane

Back 43

tissue that surrounds and protects the contents of the cell by separating them from its external environment

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cephal/o

Back 44

head

Front 45

cephalic

Back 45

toward the head

Front 46

chondr/i

Back 46

cartilage

Front 47

chromosomes

Back 47

genetic structures located within the nucleus of each cell

Front 48

communicable disease

Back 48

contagious disease, any condition that is transmitted from one person to another either by direct or by indirect contact with a contaminated surface

Front 49

congenital disorder

Back 49

abnormal condition that exists at the time of birth

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connective tissues

Back 50

support and connect organs and other body tissues

Front 51

cord blood

Back 51

contains embryonic stem cells

Front 52

cranial cavity

Back 52

within the skull, surrounds and protects the brain

Front 53

cyt/o

Back 53

cell

Front 54

cytology

Back 54

study of the anatomy, physiology, pathology and chemistry of the cell

Front 55

cytoplasm

Back 55

material within the cell membrane that is not part of the nucleus

Front 56

dem

Back 56

population

Front 57

dense connective tissues

Back 57

such as cartilage and bone. Form the joints and framework of the body

Front 58

developmental disorder

Back 58

birth defect

Front 59

diaphragm

Back 59

muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities

Front 60

differentiated

Back 60

specialized function or structure

Front 61

distal

Back 61

situated farthest from the midline or beginning of a body structure

Front 62

dors

Back 62

back of the body

Front 63

dorsal

Back 63

back of the organ or body

Front 64

dorsal cavity

Back 64

back of the body and head, contains organs of the nervous system that coordinate body functions

Front 65

dysplasia

Back 65

abnormal development or growth of cells, tissues or organs

Front 66

embryonic stem cells

Back 66

undifferentiated cells that are unlike any specific adult cell; they have the ability to form any adult cell

Front 67

en-

Back 67

within

Front 68

endemic

Back 68

ongoing presence of a disease within a population, group or area

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endo-

Back 69

within the skull, surrounds and protects the brain

Front 70

endocrine glands

Back 70

produce hormones; do not have ducts

Front 71

endothelium

Back 71

specialized epithelial tissue that lines the blood and lymph vessels, body cavities, glands and organs

Front 72

epi-

Back 72

above

Front 73

epidemic

Back 73

sudden and widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area

Front 74

epigastric region

Back 74

located above the stomach

Front 75

epithelial tissues

Back 75

form protective covering for all of the internal and external surfaces of the body

Front 76

epithelium

Back 76

specialized epithelial tissue that forms the epidermis of the skin and the surface layer of mucous membranes

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eti-

Back 77

cause

Front 78

etiology

Back 78

study of the causes of diseases

Front 79

exo-

Back 79

out of

Front 80

exocrine glands

Back 80

secrete chemical substance into ducts that leader either to other organs or out of the body; such as sweat glands

Front 81

frontal plane

Back 81

coronal plane, vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions

Front 82

functional disorder

Back 82

produces symptoms for which no physiological or anatomical cause can be identified

Front 83

gametic cell mutation

Back 83

change within the genes in a gamete; can be transmitted parent to child

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gene

Back 84

fundamental physical and functional unit of heredity

Front 85

genetic disorder

Back 85

hereditary disorder; pathological condition caused by an absent or defective gene.

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genetic engineering

Back 86

manipulating or splicing of genes for scientific or medical purposes

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genetic mutation

Back 87

change of the sequence of a DNA molecule

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genetics

Back 88

study of how genes are transferred from parent s to their children

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genome

Back 89

complete set of genetic information of an individual

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geriatrician

Back 90

specialist in the care of older people

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gland

Back 91

group of specialized epitheleal cells that are capable of producing secretions

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hemophilia

Back 92

group of hereditary bleeding disorders in which a blood-clotting factor is missing

Front 93

hemopoietic

Back 93

blood forming

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hist/o

Back 94

tissue

Front 95

histologist

Back 95

specialist in the study of the organization of tissues at all levels

Front 96

histology

Back 96

study of the structure, composition and function of tissues

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home/o

Back 97

constant

Front 98

homeostasis

Back 98

processes through which the body maintains a constant internal environment

Front 99

horizontal plane

Back 99

flat crosswise plane

Front 100

hyperplasia

Back 100

enlargement of an organ or tissue because of an abnormal increase in the number of cells in the tissues

Front 101

hypertrophy

Back 101

general increase in the bulk of a body part or organ that is due to an increase in the size, but not in the number, of cells in the tissues

Front 102

hypochondriac regions

Back 102

located on the left and right sides of the body and are covered by the ribs

Front 103

hypogastric region

Back 103

located below the stomach

Front 104

hypoplasia

Back 104

incomplete development of an organ or tissue usually due to a deficiency in the number of cells

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iatrogenic illness

Back 105

unfavorable response due to prescribed medical treatment.

Front 106

idi/o

Back 106

peculiar to the individual

Front 107

idiopathic disorder

Back 107

illness without known cause

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ili

Back 108

hip bone

Front 109

iliac regions

Back 109

located on the left and right sides over the hip bones

Front 110

indirect contact transmission

Back 110

refers to situations in which a susceptible person is infected by contact with a contaminated surface

Front 111

infectious disease

Back 111

illness caused by living pathogenic organisms such as bacteria

Front 112

inferior

Back 112

lowermost, below or toward the feet

Front 113

inguinal

Back 113

relating to the groin; refers to entire lower area of the abdomen

Front 114

lateral

Back 114

direction toward, or nearer, the side and away from the midline

Front 115

liquid connective tissues

Back 115

blood and lymph; transport nutrients and waste products through the body.

Front 116

loose connective tissue

Back 116

surrounds various organs and supports both nerve cells and blood vessels

Front 117

lumb

Back 117

lower back

Front 118

lumbar

Back 118

part of the back between the ribs and the pelvis

Front 119

lumbar regions

Back 119

located on the left and right sides near the inward curve of the spine

Front 120

malignant

Back 120

harmful, capable of spreading and potentially life threatening

Front 121

medial

Back 121

direction toward, or nearer, the midline

Front 122

membrane

Back 122

thin layer of tissue that covers a surface, lines a cavity or divides a space or organ

Front 123

mesentery

Back 123

fused double layer of the parietal peritoneum that attaches parts of the intestine to the interior abdominal wall

Front 124

midsagittal plane

Back 124

midline; divides the body into equal left and right halves

Front 125

muscle tissue

Back 125

contains cells with the specialized ability to contract and relax

Front 126

nerve tissue

Back 126

contains cells with the specialized ability to react to stimuli and to conduct electrical impulses

Front 127

nosocomial infection

Back 127

disease acquired in a hospital or clinical setting

Front 128

nucleus

Back 128

surrounded by the nuclear membrane, a structure within the cell that has two important functions 1) controls the activities of the cell 2) helps the cell divide

Front 129

organic disorder

Back 129

produces symptoms caused by detectable physical changes in the body (chickenpox, etc.)

Front 130

pan-

Back 130

entire

Front 131

pandemic

Back 131

outbreak of a disease occuring over a large geographic area

Front 132

parietal

Back 132

cavity wall

Front 133

parietal peritoneum

Back 133

outer layer of the peritoneum that lines the interior of the abdominal wall

Front 134

path/o

Back 134

disease acquired in a hospital or clinical setting

Front 135

pelvic cavity

Back 135

space formed by the hip bones, contains primarily the organs of the reproductive and excretory systems

Front 136

periton

Back 136

peritoneum

Front 137

peritoneum

Back 137

multilayered membrane that protects and holds the organ in place within the abdominal cavity

Front 138

peritonitis

Back 138

inflammation of the peritoneuym

Front 139

phenylketonuria

Back 139

PKU; genetic disorder in which the essential digestive enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase is missing

Front 140

physiology

Back 140

study of the functions of the structures of the body

Front 141

poster/o

Back 141

back or towards the back

Front 142

posterior

Back 142

situated in the back/back of an organ

Front 143

proximal

Back 143

situated nearest the midline or beginning of a body structure

Front 144

quadrant

Back 144

divided into 4

Front 145

retro

Back 145

behind

Front 146

retroperitoneal

Back 146

located behind the peritoneum

Front 147

sagittal plane

Back 147

vertical plane that divides the body into unequal left and right portions

Front 148

secretion

Back 148

substance produced by a gland

Front 149

somatic cell mutation

Back 149

change within the cells of the body; cannot be transmitted to the next generation

Front 150

spinal cavity

Back 150

located within the spinal column, surrounds and protects the spinal cord

Front 151

stem cells

Back 151

unspecialized cells that are able to renew themselves for long periods of time by cell division

Front 152

superior

Back 152

uppermost, above or toward the head

Front 153

thoracic cavity

Back 153

chest cavity/thorax; surrounds and progects the heart and the lungs

Front 154

tissue

Back 154

group or layer of similarly specialized cells that join together to perform specfic functions

Front 155

transverse plane

Back 155

horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions

Front 156

umbilical region

Back 156

surrounds the umbilicus

Front 157

umbilicus

Back 157

belly button or navel

Front 158

undifferentiated

Back 158

not having a specialized function or structure

Front 159

vector

Back 159

insects or animals such as flies, mites, etc. capable of transmitting a disease

Front 160

vector-borne transmission

Back 160

spread of certain disease due to the bite of a vector

Front 161

ventr

Back 161

belly side of the body

Front 162

ventral

Back 162

front/belly side of the organ or body

Front 163

ventral cavity

Back 163

front side of the body, contains the body organs that maintain homeostasis

Front 164

vertical plane

Back 164

Up-and-down plane that is a right angle to the horizon

Front 165

visceral peritoneum

Back 165

inner layer of the peritoneum that surrounds the organs of the abdominal cavity