Med Term (IPHY 2400) Chapters 1 & 2

etymology

the study of word origins

singular word ends in -y (EX: artery), plural would end in:

-ies (EX: arteries)

singular word ends in -is (EX: iris), plural would end in:

-ides (EX: irides)

singular word that ends in -nx (e.g., phalanx); plural would end in:

-nges (EX: phalanges)

singular word that ends in -oma (e.g., carcinoma); plural would end in:

-omata (carcinomata)

singular word that ends in -on(e.g., ganglion); plural would end in:

-a (ganglia)

singular word that ends in -a (e.g., vertebra); plural would end in:

-ae (vertebrae)

singular word that ends in -us (e.g., bronchus); plural would end in:

-i (bronchi)

singular word that ends in -um (e.g., bacterium); plural would end in:

-a (bacteria)

singular word that ends in -is (e.g., diagnosis); plural would end in:

-es (diagnoses)

singular word that ends in -ex (e.g., apex); plural would end in:

-ices (apices)

abdomin/o

abdomen

arteri/o

artery

intestin/o

intestine

muscul/o

muscle

thyroid/o

thyroid gland

tonsill/o

tonsil

ven/o

vein

arthr/o

joint

cardi/o

heart

derm/o

skin

gastr/o

stomach

mamm/o

breast

nas/o

nose

cost/o

rib

cyan/o

blue

enter/o

intestine

hepat/o

liver

lapar/o

abdomen

leuk/o

blood (specifically white blood cell)

-ac

pertaining to

-al

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-ic

pertaining to

-ine

pertaining to

-ive

pertaining to

-ous

pertaining to

-ation

being, having, or process (ex:urination; process of making urine)

-ion

action or condition (ex: digestion; action of breaking down food)

-ia

condition; state; thing (ex: pneumonia; condition of the lung)

-ism

disease from a specific cause (hypothyroidism, disease from a specific cause of a deficient thyroid gland)

-itis

inflammation of; infection of

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

mass; tumor

-osis

abnormal condition

-pathy

disease

-ectomy

surgical removal

-gram

picture; record

-graphy

process of recording

-metry

process of measuring

-scope

instrument used to examine

-scopy

process of using an instrument to examine

-tomy

process of cutting or making an incision

-iatry

medical treatment (ex: psychiatry; medical treatment for the mind)

-ics

knowledge; practice (ex: obstetrics; knowledge and practice of pregnancy and childbirth)

-ist

person who specializes in; thing that specializes in (ex: therapist; person who specializes in treatment)

-logy

study of

epi-

above; upon (ex: epidermal; pertaining to upon the skin)

inter-

between (ex: intercostal)

intra-

within (ex: intravenous; pertaining to within a vein)

peri-

around (ex: the perimeter of a rectangle is the length of around the shape)

post-

after; behind (ex: postnasal; pertaining to behind the nose)

pre-

before; in front of

sub-

below or under; less than

trans-

across; through

bi-

two

brady-

slow

hemi-

one half

hyper-

more than normal; above

hypo-

below; deficient

poly-

many; much

quadri-

four

tachy-

fast

tri-

three

an-

not; without

anti-

against

dys-

abnormal; difficult; painful

re-

again and again; backward; unable to (ex: respiration; process of breathing again and again)

anatomical position

feet and palms face forward, body standing erect, head up, eyes forward

coronal plane

Slices the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) (think wearing a crown in your head that cuts straight through you)

sagittal plane

slices the body into right and left halves

transverse plane

slices across (trans) the body, into top (superior) and bottom (anterior) halves

anterior

moving toward the front of the body

posterior

moving toward the back of the body

cephalad

aka superior, moving toward the head

caudad

aka inferior, moving toward the tailbone

proximal

moving away from the fingers/toes toward the trunk of the body

distal

moving away from the trunk of the body, toward the fingers/toes

external/superficial

refers to the outer part of the body or organ

internal/deep

refers to the inside of the body or an organ

five main cavities in the body:

cranial

spinal

thoracic

abdominal

pelvic

(note: abd. and pelvic are often referred to as one abdominal pelvic cavity)

body quadrants

RUQ (right upper quad)
RLQ (right lower quad)
LUQ (left upper quad)
LLQ (left lower quad)

note: direction is the PATIENT’s left/right, not your left/right

disease

any change in the normal structure or function of the body

disorder

a disturbance of action or function

etiology

study of the cause/origin of a disease or disorder

congenital disease

fetal abnormality; abnormal process during gestation or birth (ex: cleft lip)

degenerative disease

progressive destruction of cells due to disease or the aging process (ex: loss of hearing)

environmental disease

exposure to substances in the environment (ex: breathing problems from smoking, skin cancer)

genetic disease

mutation in genes or chromosomes during fetal development (ex: down syndrome)