Term | Definition |
-algia | pain, suffering |
dys- | bad, difficult, or painful |
-ectomy | surgical removal, cutting out |
hyper- | excessive, increased |
hypo- | deficient, decreased |
-itis | inflammation |
-osis | abnormal condition, disease |
-ostomy | cutting, surgical incision |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhage | bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing |
-rrhea | flow or discharge |
-rrhexis | rupture |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
word root | basic meaning of word, usually body part |
combining form | word root w/ combining vowel |
suffix | end of word, usually procedure, condition, disorder, or disease |
prefix | beginning of word, usually indicates location, time, number, or status |
gastroenteritis | Inflammation of the stomach and small intestine |
Neuroplasty | surgical repair of a nerve |
Neurorrhaphy | suturing together the ends of a severed nerve |
cyan/o | blue |
erythr/o | red |
leuk/o | white |
melan/o | black |
poli/o | gray |
cyanosis | blue discoloration of skin |
erythrocyte | mature red blood cell |
leukocyte | white blood cell |
melanosis | any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs |
poliomyelitis | viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord |
tonsillitis | inflammation of the tonsils |
tonsillectomy | surgical removal of the tonsils |
cranium | portion of skull that encloses brain |
cardiac | pertaining to the heart |
gastrosis | any disease of the stomach |
pathology | study of all aspects of diseases |
gastralgia | stomachache, pain in the stomach |
gastrodynia | pain in the stomach |
gastritis | inflammation of the stomach |
hepatomegaly | abnormal enlargement of the liver |
gastr | stomach |
dynia | pain |
enter | small intestines |
neur/o | nerve |
-plasty | surgical repair |
tonsill | tonsils |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
crani | skull |
cardi | heart |
-ac | pertaining to |
-osis | abnormal condition or disease |
path | disease |
-ology | study of |
-algia | pain and suffering |
-megaly | enlargement |
hepat/o | liver |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
arteriomalacia | abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries |
arteri/o | artery |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
-necrosis | tissue death |
arterionecrosis | tissue death of an artery or arteries |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
arteriostenosis | abnormal narrowing of an artery or arteries |
-centesis | surgical procedure to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes or to remove excess fluid |
abdominocentesis | surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid |
-graphy | process of producing a picture or record |
angiography | process of producing radiographic study of blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make the vessels visible |
angi/o | blood vessel |
-plasty | surgical repair |
myoplasty | surgical repair of a muscle |
-scopy | visual examination |
arthroscopy | visual examination of the internal structure of a joint |
-rrhage | sudden and severe bleeding |
-rrhagia | sudden and sever bleeding |
hemmorrhage | loss of a large amount of blood in a short time |
hem/o | blood |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing to close a wound and includes the use of sutures, staples, or surgical glue |
myorrhaphy | surgical suturing of a muscle wound |
my/o | muscle |
-rrhea | flow or discharge & refers to flow of most body fluids |
diarrhea | frequent flow of loose or watery stools |
dia- | through |
myorrhexis | rupture of a muscle |
-rrhexis | rupture |
natal | pertaining to a birth |
nat | birth |
-al | pertaining to |
prenatal | the time and events before birth |
pre- | before |
perinatal | the time and events surrounding birth |
peri- | surrounding |
ab- | away from, negative, absent |
ad- | toward, to, in the direction of |
dextr/o | right side |
sinistr/o | left side |
ex- | out of, outside, away from |
in- | in, into, not, without |
macro- | large, abnormal size, or long |
micr/o, micro- | small |
mega-, megal/o | large, great |
olig/o | scanty, few |
post- | after, behind |
postnatal | time and events after birth |
abnormal | not normal or away from normal |
eu- | good, normal, well, or easy |
addiction | being drawn toward or having a strong dependence on a drug or substance |
dysfunctional | an organ or body part that is not working properly |
eupnea | easy or normal breathing |
hypertension | higher-than-normal blood pressure |
hypotension | lower-than-normal blood pressure |
interstitial | between, but not within, the parts of a tissue |
intramuscular | within the muscle |
intra- | within or inside |
sub- | under, less, below |
subcostal | below a rib or ribs |
super-, supra- | above or excessive |
supracostal | above or outside the ribs |
otorhinolaryngology | study of the ears, nose, throat. ENT |
rhin/o | nose |
laryng, laryng/o | throat |
-ology | study of |
lithotomy | surgical incision for the removal of a stone |
lith | stone |
-otomy | surgical incision |
edema | swelling caused by abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues, or cavities of the body |
appendicitis | inflammation of the appendix |
appendic | appendix |
arteri/o | artery |
endarerial | pertaining to the interior lining of an artery |
ather/o | plaque or fatty substance |
atheroma | fatty deposit w/in the wall of an artery |
-oma | tumor |
arthr/o | joint |
arthralgia | pain in a joint or joints |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
appendectomy | surgical removal of the appendix |
append | appendix |
-ostomy | surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface |
colostomy | surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening btw the colon and body surface |
col | colon |
-otomy | cutting or a surgical incision |
colotomy | surgical incision into the colon |
sign | objective evidence of a disease, such as fever |
objective (objective sign) | can be evaluated or measured by patient or others |
symptom | subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or headache |
subjective (subjective sign) | can be evaluated or measured only by patient |
syndrome | set of signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process |
diagnosis | identification of a disease |
diagnose | process of reaching a diagnosis |
differential diagnosis (D/DX) | aka rule out (R/O) - attempt to determine which one of several possible diseases is causing the signs and symptoms that are present |
prognosis | prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease |
acute condition | rapid onset, sever course, and a relatively short duration |
chronic condition | long duration - can be controlled, but rarely cured |
remission | temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease w/out having achieved a cure |
disease | condition which one or more body parts are not functioning normally |
eponym | disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered/ described it |
acronym | word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term |
Laser acronym | light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation |
fissure | groove or crack-like sore of the skin or normal folds in the contours of the brain |
fistula | abnormal passage, usually btw 2 interal organs or leading from an organ to surface of body. May be due to surgery, injury, or draining of abscess. |
ileum | last and longest portion of small intestine |
ilium | part of hip bone |
malaise | feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that's often 1st sign of infection or disease |
exudate | fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound |
inflammation | localized response to injury or to destruction of tissues caused by extra blood flowing into area as part of healing process |
Key indicators of inflammation | 1) hyperthermia (heat), 2) erythema (redness), 3) edema (swelling), 4) pain |
laceration | torn or jagged wound or accidental cut |
lesion | pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury |
mucous | specialized membranes that line body cavities |
mucus | fluid secreted by mucous membranes |
myc/o | fungus |
mycosis | abnormal condition or disease caused by fungus |
myel/o | bone marrow or spinal cord |
myelopathy | any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord |
-pathy | disease |
my/o | muscle |
myopathy | pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue |
-ologist | specialist |
dermatologist | physician that specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin |
dermat | skin |
-ology | study of |
neonatology | study of disorders of the newborn |
palpation | examination technique |
palpitation | pounding or racing heart |
pyel/o | renal pelvis, which is part of kidney |
pyelitis | inflammation of the renal pelvis |
py/o | pus |
pyoderma | any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection such as impetigo |
pyr/o | fire or fever |
pryosis | heartburn |
supination | act of rotating arm so palm of hand is forward or upward |
suppuration | formation or discharge of pus |
triage | medical screening of patients to determine relative priority of care |
trauma | wound or injury from accident, shooting, natural disaster, fire |
viral | peratining to a virus |
vir | virus |
virile | having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male |
MS | can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate |
QD and QOD | daily and every other day |
U | unit |