Medical Terminology (MPA 500) Lecture Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamentals of medical terminology, body systems, and oncology based on the MPA 500 course materials.

Root

The core part of the term that pertains to its essential meaning; every medical term must contain at least one.

Combining Form

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

Suffix

A word part at the end of a medical term that modifies its meaning, often indicating procedures, conditions, or diseases.

Prefix

A word part at the beginning of some medical terms that indicates quantity, measurement, shape, position, or direction.

Anatomic Position

The standard neutral position where the body is standing upright, arms at the side, palms facing forward, thumbs pointing away, and feet slightly parallel.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane passing through the midline of the body dividing it longitudinally into right and left portions.

Coronal Plane

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

Transverse Plane

A horizontal plane dividing the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

Proximal

A directional term meaning closer to the point of origin of a body part.

Distal

A directional term meaning away or farthest away from the point of origin of a body part.

Bradycardia

A condition of slow heart rate, typically defined as less than $60$ beats per minute.

Tachycardia

A condition of fast heart rate, typically defined as greater than $100$ beats per minute.

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Blockage of blood flow resulting in death of heart muscle tissue; commonly known as a heart attack.

Atherosclerosis

Hardening of the fatty plaques lining blood vessels.

Ischemia

A condition where blood flow and oxygen supply are insufficient to sustain muscle tissue.

Encephalitis

Inflammation of the brain.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

The medical term for a stroke, occurring when blood flow to the brain is stopped by blockage or vessel rupture.

Aphasia

A language disorder affecting communication, often following a stroke or head injury, characterized by the loss of speech.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

A disease of the central nervous system involving the degeneration of the myelin fatty insulating layer of nerve fibers.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder.

Cirrhosis

A degenerative disease of the liver, often associated with chronic alcoholism, named for its orange-yellow appearance.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Severe heartburn caused by weakness of the valve between the esophagus and stomach, allowing acid to reflux and irritate the lining.

Dysphagia

Difficulty or pain in swallowing.

Atelectasis

Incomplete expansion or partial/complete collapse of the lung.

Epistaxis

The medical term for a nosebleed.

Oliguria

Diminished or scant urine excretion in relation to fluid intake.

Cystoscopy

The process of examining the urinary bladder with a fiberoptic instrument.

Lithotripsy

The procedure of crushing kidney or gall stones with sound waves.

Cryptorchidism

A condition meaning "hidden testicle," characterized by the lack of descent of one or both testes into the scrotum.

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)

Non-life-threatening swelling of the prostate gland causing difficulty urinating, common in aging men.

Endometriosis

A condition where islands of endometrial tissue colonize the abdominal or pelvic cavity, causing pain during hormonal cycles.

Ectopic pregnancy

A pregnancy implanted outside of the uterus, most commonly in the Fallopian tube.

Gravida / Para

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

Osteoporosis

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

Myasthenia gravis

An autoimmune disease causing profound muscular weakness due to antibodies interfering with nerve-to-muscle stimulation.

Carcinoma

The most common form of cancer, developing from sheets of cells that cover surfaces or line body cavities.

Sarcoma

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

Metastasis

The process where malignant cells travel to other areas of the body to form new tumors.

Palliative treatment

Medical care that provides relief of symptoms but does not cure the disease, reserved for advanced malignancy.

Adjuvant therapy

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