Medical Terminology Course Review (MPA 500)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering basic word parts, positional terms, organ system disorders, and oncology as presented in the MPA 500 Medical Terminology course.

Medical Terminology

A specialized language used by health care professionals to describe the human body, its components, processes, conditions affecting it, and procedures performed upon it.

Root

Word part that pertains to the essential meaning of the term; it is the core part of the term and usually located in the middle.

Combining Form

The root with a vowel attached (usually "o," but can be "i") used to connect the root to a suffix; shown with a slash, such as Gastr/o.

Suffix

Word part at the end of the medical term that modifies the meaning, often indicating procedures, conditions, or diseases.

Prefix

Word part at the beginning of some medical terms that often indicates quantity, measurement, shape, physical property, position, or direction.

Anatomic Position

A neutral standard position where the body is standing upright, arms hanging by the side, palms facing forward, thumbs pointing away, and feet slightly parallel with toes oriented to the front.

Sagittal Plane (or Median Plane)

Vertical plane passing through the midline of the body or body part, dividing it longitudinally into right and left portions.

Coronal Plane (or Frontal Plane)

Vertical plane perpendicular to the sagittal plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Transverse Plane (or Horizontal/Axial Plane)

Horizontal plane perpendicular to both sagittal and coronal planes, dividing the body into a superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portion.

Proximal

Closer to or towards the point of origin of the body part.

Distal

Away or farthest away from the point of origin of the body part.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

A disease of unknown cause manifesting as many hard plaques of degeneration of the myelin fatty insulating layer of nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

The medical term for a "stroke," occurring when blood flow to part of the brain is stopped by a blockage or vessel rupture, depriving tissue of oxygen.

Aphasia

A language disorder meaning "loss of speech" that affects communication, often following a stroke or head injury.

Lumbar (spinal) puncture (LP)

Introducing a needle between the lower bony vertebrae to take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic purposes.

Jaundice

Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes from a backup of bile, which may result from duct blockage or excessive breakdown of red blood cells.

Cirrhosis

A degenerative disease of the liver typically found in chronic alcoholics, named after the Greek word for "orange yellow" describing the organ's appearance.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Severe "heartburn" caused by a valve weakness allowing stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus and irritate the lining.

Peritonitis

Inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity, often indicated by a tender abdomen, rebound pain, and board-like rigidity of muscles.

Epistaxis

The medical term for a "nosebleed."

Emphysema (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease resulting in progressive destruction of the alveoli and loss of respiratory membrane for oxygen exchange, often causing a "barrel" chest.

Dialysis

A procedure for cleansing waste products from the blood in individuals with kidney failure by circulating blood through a machine.

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)

Non-life-threatening swelling of the prostate gland surrounding the male bladder neck, causing difficulty urinating, dribbling, and nocturia.

Cryptorchidism

Literally meaning "hidden testicle"; the lack of descent of one or both testes into the scrotum.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

A surgical repair for BPH where an instrument inserted through the penile urethra is used to partially cut away prostatic tissue.

Endometriosis

A condition involving the colonization of the abdominal/pelvic cavity with islands of endometrial tissue that cycle and bleed in response to monthly hormones.

Ectopic pregnancy

A pregnancy implanted anywhere outside of the uterus, most commonly in the uterine tube (Fallopian tube).

Gravida and Para

Gravida refers to the number of pregnancies; Para refers to the number of live births.

Osteoporosis

Condition of "porous bones" where bones lose density and become easily fractured due to the loss of calcium.

Myasthenia gravis

An autoimmune disease where antibodies interfere with nerves stimulating muscle contractions, leading to profound weakness and drooping eyelids.

Carcinoma

The most common form of cancer, developing from sheets of cells that cover a surface or line a body cavity.

Sarcoma

A rare form of cancer arising from connective and supportive tissues such as bone, fat, and muscle.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer cells beyond the original site to other areas of the body to form new tumors.

Adjuvant therapy

Additional treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, following surgery to enhance the probability of a cure.

TNM Staging System

A system used to describe tumor size (T 1 to 4), spread to lymph nodes (N 0 to 3), and metastasis (M 0 or 1).