Term | Definition |
anterior | toward the front of the body, organ, or structure |
anteroposterior | pertaining to the front and the back of the body, or passing from the front to the back of the body |
inferior | pertaining to below, lower, or toward the tail |
scan | process of using a moving device or sweeping beam of radiation to produce images of an internal organ, area, or tissue in the body |
adduction | movement towards the midline of the body |
adbuction | movement away from the midline of the body |
superior (cephalic, cranial) | above, higher, toward the head |
inferior (caudal) | below, lower, toward the back |
anterior (ventral) | front of the body, toward the front |
posterior (dorsal) | back of the body, toward the back |
medial | pertaining to the middle, toward the midline |
lateral | pertaining to the side, toward the side |
external | outside, exterior to |
internal | within, interior to |
superficial | toward or on the surface |
deep | away from the surface |
proximal | near the point of attachment |
distal | farther from the point of attachment |
parietal | pertaining to the outer wall of a cavity |
visceral | pertaining to the organs within a cavity |
abdomin/o | abdomen |
caud/o | tail |
cephal/o | head |
cervic/o | neck, cervix uteri (neck of uterus) |
crani/o | cranium (skull) |
gastr/o | stomach |
ili/o | ilium (lateral, flaring portion of the hip bone) |
inguin/o | groin |
lumb/o | loins (lower back) |
pelv/i, pelv/o | pelvis |
spin/o | spine |
thorac/o | chest |
umbilic/o | umbilicus, navel |
anter/o | anterior, front |
dist/o | far, fartherst |
dors/o | back (of the body) |
infer/o | lower, below |
later/o | side, to one side |
medi/o | middle |
poster/o | back (of the body), behind, posterior |
proxim/o | near, nearest |
super/o | upper, above |
ventr/o | belly, belly side |
cyt/o | cell |
hist/o | tissue |
nucle/o | nucleus |
radi/o | radiation, x-ray, radius (lower arm bone on the thumb side) |
-ad | toward |
-al | pertaining to |
-algia, -dynia | pain |
-gen, -genesis | forming, producing origin |
-logist | specialist in the study of |
-logy | study of |
-lysis | separation, destruction, loosening |
-meter | instrument to measure |
-plasia | formation, growth |
-toxic | poison |
bi- | two |
epi- | above, on |
infra- | below, under |
trans- | across, through |
adhesion | band of scar tissue binding anatomical surfaces that are normally separate from each other |
inflammation | protective response of body tissues to irritation, infection, or allergy |
sepsis | body's inflammatory response to infection in which there is fever, elevated heart and respiratory rate, and low blood pressure |
endoscopy | visual examination of the interior of organs and cavities with a specialized lightened instrument called an endoscope |
fluoroscopy | (radiographic procedure) uses fluorescent screen to produce a visual image from x-rays. produces a continuous imaging of the motion of internal structures and immediate serial images |
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | (radiographic technique) uses electromagnetic energy to produce multiplanar cross-sectional images of the body |
nuclear scan | (diagnostic technique) produces image of an organ or area by recording the concentration of a tracer (is put into body by ingestion, inhalation) |
radiography | producing captured shadow images on a photographic film through action of ionizing radiation passing through the body from an external source |
radiopharmaceutical | drug that contains a radioactive substance. It travels to an area or a specific organ that will be scanned |
tomography | (radiographic technique) produces film representing a detailed cross-section of tissue structure at t predetermined depth |
computed tomography scan (CT) | narrow x-rays beam, targets a specific organ or body area, produces lots of cross-sectional images to deter pathological conditions such as tumors or metastases |
positron emission tomography scan (PET) | (nuclear imaging) combines CT with radiopharmaceuticals to produce a cross-sectional image of radioactive dispersements in a body section. These reveal where body is metabolized and where there is a metabolism deficiency. in Alzheimer disease, epilepsy |
single-photon emmission computed tomography scan (SPECT) | (nuclear imaging) scans organs after radioactive tracer injection. employs a gamma camera that detects emitted radiation to produce 3d images from numerous views. Used for blood flow and functioning in organs |
ant | anterior |
AP | anteroposterior |
Bx, bx | bioposy |
CXR | chest x-ray, chest radiograph |
LAT, lat | lateral |
PA | posteroanterior |
Sx | symptom |
Tx | treatment |
cellular level | molecules combine to form cells (basic structural and functional units of the body) |
tissue level | groups of cells that work together to perform a specialized function |
organ level | structures that are composed of two or more different types of tissue with specific functions |
system level | related organs with a common function |
organism level | collection of body systems that make up a human (Most complex level) |
median place | verticle plane that passes through body midline (midsaggital plane) |
frontal plane | plane that divides body into front and back portions (coronal plane) |
horizontal plane | plane that separates body into superior and inferior portions (transverse plane) |
abdominal quadrants | page 28 |
abdominopelvic regions | page 29 |
body positions for examination | page 30 and 31 |
erect standing position | (anatomical position). page 31 |
trendelenburg positions | patient is lying flat on his back and the table is tilted with the head of the table is downward |