Chapter 1; Medical Terms

abdominocentesis

a medical procedure involving the surgical puncture of the abdomen with a needle or catheter to remove fluid (peritoneal fluid) from the peritoneal cavity

acute

condition that has a rapid onset, a severe course, and a relatively short duration.

angiography

process of producing an x-ray, or radiographic study, of blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make these blood vessels visible.

appendectomy

surgical removal of the appendix.

arteriosclerosis

abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries.

arthralgia

pain in a joint or joints.

colostomy

a surgical operation in which a piece of the colon is diverted to an artificial opening in the abdominal wall so as to bypass a damaged part of the colon

cyanosis

blue discoloration of the skin caused by lack of adequate oxygen in the blood.

dermatologist

a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin.

diagnosis

the identification of a disease.

diarrhea

the frequent flow of loose or watery stools.

edema

swelling caused by an abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues, or cavities of the body.

endarterial

pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery.

eponym

a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first.

erythrocyte

a mature red blood cell.

fissure

a groove or crack-like sore of the skin; this term also describes normal folds in the contours of the brain.

fistula

an abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body.

gastralgia

also known as a stomachache, means pain in the stomach.

gastritis

inflammation of the stomach.

gastroenteritis

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine.

gastrosis

any disease of the stomach.

hemorrhage

the loss of a large amount of blood in a short time.

hepatomegaly

abnormal enlargement of the liver.

hypertension

higher-than-normal blood pressure.

hypotension

lower-than-normal blood pressure.

infection

invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease-producing) organism.

inflammation

a localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues.

interstitial

between, but not within, the parts of a tissue.

intramuscular

within the muscle.

laceration

a torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut.

lesion

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury.

malaise

word of French origin referring to a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease.

mycosis

any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus.

myelopathy

any injury, degeneration or disease in the spinal cord.

myopathy

any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue.

natal

pertaining to birth.

neonatology

the study of disorders of the newborn.

neurorrhaphy

suturing together the ends of a severed nerve.

otorhinolaryngology

study of the ears, nose, and throat.

palpation

an examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts.

palpitation

a pounding or racing heart.

pathology

the study of all aspects of diseases.

phalanges

the bones of the fingers and toes.

poliomyelitis

a viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord.

prognosis

a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease.

pyoderma

any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection such as impetigo.

pyrosis

also known as heartburn, is discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus.

remission

the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure.

sign

objective evidence of disease, such as a fever.

supination

the act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward.

suppuration

the formation of pus.

supracostal

above or outside the ribs.

symptom

subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache.

syndrome

a set of signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process.

tenorrhaphy

surgical suturing of a tendon.

tonsillitis

inflammation of the tonsils.

trauma

wound or injury.

triage

the medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment.

viral

pertaining to a virus.

Cyanosis

blue discoloration of the skin caused by lack of adequate oxygen in the blood

erythrocyte

a mature red blood cell

leukocyte

a white blood cell

Melanoma

a type of skin cancer

Poliomyelitis

a viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord

differential diagnosis

(D/DX), also known as a rule out (R/O), is an attempt to determine which one of several possible diseases is causing the signs and symptoms that are present.

chronic condition

is of long duration. Although such diseases can be controlled, they are rarely cured.

disease

is a condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally. Some diseases are named for their signs and symptoms. For example, chronic fatigue syndrome is a persistent, overwhelming fatigue of unknown origin

ileum

the last and longest portion of the small intestine. Memory aid: Ileum is spelled with an e as in intestine

ilium

is part of the hip bone. Memory aid: Ilium is spelled with an i as in h i p

mucous (adjective)

describes the specialized membranes that line the body cavities

mucus (noun)

refers to the fluid secreted by these mucous membranes

Virile

having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male.

Exudate

Fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound