Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology

-algia

Pain, sufferring

Dys-

bad, difficult, painful, abnormal

-ectomy

Surgical removal

-megaly

Enlargment

Hyper-

Excessive, increased, more than normal

Hypo-

Deficient, decreased, less than normal

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

Abnormal softening.

-necrosis

Tissue death

-osis

Any abnormal condition or disease

-ostomy

The creation of an artificial opening to the body

-otomy

to cut into or incision

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhage

burst forth of blood

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-rrhaphy

to suture

-rrhexis

to rupture

-centiesis

surgical puncture

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

arthr/o

Joint

carcin/o

cancer

cardi

heart

cephal

head

electr

electricity

gastr

stomach

hepat

liver

my

muscle

oste

bone

rhin

nose

-pathy

disease

-ology

study of

-ologist

one who studies

a-

without

bi-

two

inter-

between, among

intra-

within, inside

post-

after, behind

pre-

before, in front of

peri-

surrounding, around

sub-

under, below

encephal-

brain

fibr/o

fibrous

dermat/o

Combining form meaning skin

-oma

tumor, mass

cutane

skin

-ous

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ic

pertaining to

laryng

larynx (voice box)

neur

nerve

opthalm

eye

oto

ear

-scope

look, observe

scapul

scapula (shoulder blade)

angi-

vessel

ventricul

ventricle; a small cavity

pan-

all, entire

men/o

menstruation, menses

enter

small intestine

cyan

blue

erythr/o

red

melan

black

luek/o

white

poli/o

gray

symptom

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

syndrome

A group of symptoms typical of a particular disease or condition

signs

objective changes that a clinician can observe and measure

diagnosis

identification of a disease

prognosis

a prediction of the course of a disease

differential diagnosis

a list of conditions the patient may have based on the symptoms exhibited and the results of the exam

acronym

A word formed from the first letter of each word in a series

gastrosis (gas-TROH-sis)

Any disease of the stomach.

hepatomegaly (hep-ah-toh-MEG-ah-lee)

Abnormal enlargement of liver.

Heorrhage (HEM-or-idj)

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

angiography (an-jee-OG-rah-fee)

Process of producing an x-ray to study blood vessels.

neonatology (nee-oh-nay-TOL-oh-jee)

The study of disorders of the newborn.

supination (soo-pih-NAY-shun)

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

infection (in-FECK-shun)

Invasion of the body by pathogenic (disease producing) organism.

malaise (mah-LAYZ)

a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease

Acute

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

eponym (EP-oh-nim)

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

fissure (FISH-ur)

A groove or cracklike sore of the skin; also a normal fold in the contours of the brain.

edema (eh-DEE-mah)

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

pyoderma (pye-oh-DER-mah)

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

pyrosis (pye-ROH-sis)

heartburn, discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus

neurorrhaphy (new-ROR-ah-fee)

surgically suturing together the ends of a severed nerve

Intersitial (in-ter-STISH-al)

between, but not within, the parts of a tissue

abdominocentesis (ab-dom-ih-noh-sen-TEE-sis)

A procedure where a needle is inserted into the abdominal cavity to remove fluid for diagnosis or treatment

hypertension (high-per-TEN-shun)

higher than normal blood pressure

hypotension (high-poh-TEN-shun)

lower than normal blood pressure

fistula (FIS-chuh-lah)

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

Arteriosclerosis (ar-tee-ree-oh-skleh-ROH-sis)

abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries

appendectomy (ap-en-DECK-toh-mee)

surgical removal of the appendix

Lesion (LEE-zhun)

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

Otorhinolaryngology (oh-toh-rye-noh-lar-in-GOL-oh-jee)

Study of the ears, nose, and throat.

natal (NAY-tal)

pertaining to birth

cyanosis (sigh-ah-NOH-sis)

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

dermatologist (der-mah-TOL-oh-jist)

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

palpitation (pal-pih-TAY-shun)

pounding or racing heart

supracostal (sue-prah-KOS-tal)

above or outside the ribs