Key Phlebotomy Terms

Medical Terminology

Hemo/Hemat

Blood

Phleb

vein

Cardi

Heart

derm

skin

osteo

bone

neuro

nerve

ren/nephro

kidney

A-/An

without, lack of

Hyper

Above, excessive

Hypo

below, deficient

Brady

slow

Tachy

fast

epi

on, over

endo

within

-emia

blood condition

-itis

inflammation (ex: meningitis)

-oma

tumor, mass (ex: hematoma)

-pathy

disease (ex: neuropathy)

-lysis

destruction (ex: hemolysis)

-ectomy

removal (ex: mastectomy)

-logy

study of (ex: pathology)

anticoagulant

prevents blood from clotting

plasma

liquid portion of blood after centrifugation

serum

liquid portion after clotting (no clotting factors)

hematopoiesis

process of producing blood cells

capillary

small blood vessels between arteries and veins

lancet

sharp instrument for capillary puncture

gauge

diameter of needle (higher number = smaller)

aliquot

portion of specimen transferred for testing

hemolysis

rupture of red blood cells

hematoma

bruise from blood leaking into tissue

syncope

fainting

petechiae

small red spots from capillary bleeding

iatrogenic anemia

blood loss from repeated draws

anterior

front

posterior

back

distal

father from center

proximal

closer to center

medial

toward midline

lateral

away from midline

supine

lying on back

prone

lying face down

NPO

nothing by mouth

STAT

immediately

QNS

quantity not sufficient