medical terminology chapter 3

adip/o

fat

lip/o

fat

steat/o

fat

adip/o/cele

hernia containing fat or fatty tissue *-cele:* hernia, swelling

lip/o/cyte

fat cell

steat/itis

inflammation of fatty tissue *-itis:* inflammation

cutane/o

skin

dermat/o

skin

derm/o

skin

cutane/ous

pertaining to the skin *-ous:* pertaining to

dermat/o/logist

physician specializing in treating skin disorders *-logist:* specialist in the study of

hypo/derm/ic

under or inserted under the skin, as in a hypodermic injection

hidr/o

sweat

sudor/o

sweat

hidr/aden/itis

inflammation of a sweat gland *aden:* gland

sudor/o

sweat

sudor/esis

condition of profuse sweating; also called *diaphoresis* and *hyperhidrosis*

ichthy/o

dry, scaly

ichthy/osis

any of several dermatologic conditions characterized by noninflammatory dryness and scaling of the skin and commonly associated with other abnormalities of lipid metabolism

kerat/o

horny tissue; hard; cornea

kerat/osis

any condition of the skin characterized by an overgrowth and thickening of the skin

melan/o

black

melan/oma

malignant tumor of melanocytes that commonly begins in a darkly pigmented mole and can metastasize widely

myc/o

fungus

dermat/o/myc/osis

fungal infection of the skin

onych/o

nail

onych/o/malacia

abnormal softening of the nails *-malacia:* softening

pil/o

hair

trich/o

hair

pil/o/nid/al

growth of hair in a dermoid cyst or in a sinus opening on the skin

trich/o/pathy

any disease of the hair

scler/o

hardening; sclera (white of eye)

scler/o/derma

chronic disease with abnormal hardening of the skin caused by formation of new collagen

seb/o

sebum, sebaceous

seb/o/rrhea

increase in the amount and, commonly, an alteration of the quality of the fats secreted by the sebaceous glands

squam/o

scale

squam/ous

covered with scales or scalelike *-ous:* pertaining to

xer/o

dry

xer/o/derma

chronic skin condition characterized by excessive roughness and dryness

derma

skin

py/o/derma

any pyogenic infection of the skin

oid

resembling

derm/oid

resembling skin

phoresis

carrying, transmission

dia/phoresis

condition of profuse sweating, also called *sudoresis* and *hyperhidrosis*

\-plasty

surgical repair

dermat/o/plasty

surgical repair of the skin *dermat/o:* skin

\-therapy

treatment

cry/o/therapy

treatment using cold as a destructive medium

albin/o:

white

cyan/o:

blue

erythr/o:

red

leuk/o

white

albinism

white condition

cyanoderma

blue skin

erythroderma

red skin

leukoderma:

white skin

melanoderma:

black skin

xanthoma

yellow tumor

abrasion

Scraping, or rubbing away of a surface, such as skin, by friction

abscess

Localized collection of pus at the site of an infection (characteristically, a staphylo- coccal infection)

furuncle

Abscess that originates in a hair follicle; also called *boil*

carbuncle

Cluster of furuncles in the subcutaneous tissue

acne

Inflammatory disease of sebaceous follicles of the skin, marked by comedos (black- heads), papules, and pustules

alopecia

Absence or loss of hair, especially of the head; also known as baldness

comedo

Discolored, dried sebum plugging an excretory duct of the skin; also called blackhead

cyst

Closed sac or pouch in or under the skin with a definite wall that contains fluid, semifluid, or solid material

sebaceous

A cyst filled with sebum (fatty material) from a sebaceous gland

eczema

Redness of the skin caused by swelling of the capillaries

hemorrhage

Loss of a large amount of blood in a short period, externally or internally

contusion

Hemorrhage of any size under the skin in which the skin is not broken; also known as a bruise

ecchymosis

Skin discoloration consisting of a large, irregularly formed hemorrhagic area with col- ors changing from blue-black to greenish brown or yellow; commonly called a bruise

petechia

Minute, pinpoint hemorrhagic spot on the skin

hematoma

Elevated, localized collection of blood trapped under the skin that usually results from trauma

hirsutism

Condition characterized by excessive growth of hair or presence of hair in unusual places, especially in women

impetigo

Bacterial skin infection characterized by isolated pustules that become crusted and rupture

psoriasis

Autoimmune disease characterized by itchy red patches covered with silvery scales

scabies

Contagious skin disease transmitted by the itch mite

skin lesion

Area of pathologically altered tissue caused by disease, injury, or a wound due to ex- ternal factors or internal disease

primary lesion

Skin lesion caused directly by a disease process

secondary lesion

Skin lesion that evolves from a primary lesion or that is caused by external forces, such as infection, scratching, trauma, or the healing process

excimer laser

Aims a high intensity ultraviolet B (UVB) light dose of a very specific wavelength, and a handheld wand allows the energy to be delivered precisely to the affected areas without harming healthy skin around them; also called exciplex laser.

fulguration

Tissue destruction by means of a high-frequency electric current; also called elec- trodesiccation

incision and drainage

Surgical procedure to release pus or pressure built up under the skin, such as in an ab- scess, and remove its contents

Mohs surgery

Procedure in which layers of cancer-containing skin are progressively excised and ex- amined until only cancer-free tissue remains

skin graft

Surgical procedure to transplant healthy tissue to an injured site

allograft

Transplantation of healthy tissue from one person to another person; also called homograft

autograft

Transplantation of healthy tissue from one site to another site in the same individual

synthetic

Transplantation of artificial skin produced from collagen fibers arranged in a lattice pattern

xenograft

Transplantation (dermis only) from a foreign donor (usually a pig) and transferred to a human; also called *heterograft*

skin resurfacing

Repair of damaged skin, acne scars, fine or deep wrinkles, or tattoos or improvement of skin tone irregularities using topical chemicals, abrasion, or laser

chemical peel

Use of chemicals to remove outer layers of skin to treat acne scarring and general ker- atoses, as well as cosmetic purposes to remove fine wrinkles on the face; also called chemabrasion

secondary lesion

Skin lesion that evolves from a primary lesion or that is caused by external forces, such as infection, scratching, trauma, or the healing process

tinea

Fungal infection whose name commonly indicates the body part affected; also called

ringworm

ulcer

Lesion of the skin or mucous membranes marked by inflammation, necrosis, and sloughing of damaged tissues

pressure ulcer

Skin ulceration caused by prolonged pressure, usually in a person who is bedridden; also known as decubitus ulcer or bedsore

urticaria

Allergic reaction of the skin characterized by eruption of pale red elevated patches that are intensely itchy; also called wheals or hives

verruca

Rounded epidermal growths caused by a virus; also called wart

vitiligo

Localized loss of skin pigmentation characterized by milk-white patches; also called leukoderma

biopsy (Bx, bx)

Removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or other part of the body for microscopic examination to confirm or establish a diagnosis, estimate prognosis, or follow the course of a disease