Medical Terminology and Skin Disease Review for Clinical Medical Assistants

Latin or Greek

The majority of medical terms have either Latin or Greek foundations.

gastr/o

stomach.

colp/o

vagina.

cyan/o

blue.

megalo-

large.

tachy-

fast.

-ectomy

surgical removal.

-pathy

disease.

-rrhea

discharge.

-stomy

opening.

tachycardia

prefix is tachy-.

nephr/o and ren/o

Both refer to kidneys.

The lesions caused by chicken pox

vesicles (which are small fluid-filled sacs on the skin)

Herpes zoster is commonly known as

shingles (viral infection that causes a painful rash, typically on one side of the body)

Lyme disease is carried by which insect?

tick, highlighting the importance of vector control in preventing disease.

If a patient has verrucae, he or she has

warts

Scabies is caused by

itch mite, leading to intense itching and a rash, emphasizing the need for proper hygiene and treatment.

Eczema is characterized by .

scaly skin ,often requiring long-term management strategies

The skin makes up about x percent of total body weight.

15 percent, serving as a protective barrier and regulating temperature.

Which of the following is not one of the five important functions of the skin?

ingestion

Oil glands are located in or near hair follicles over the entire skin surface, except for

palms and soles

Rosacea affects which part of the body?

face

Which of the following is not a common treatment for acne vulgaris?

change in diet

ABCDE rules

An easy reference to remember the signs of melanoma is: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color, Diameter, and Evolving.

Basal cell carcinoma

Slow-growing, locally destructive skin tumor.

Folliculitis

Infection of the hair follicle with the formation of a pustule.

Pediculosis pubis

Condition commonly known as crabs.

Malignant melanoma

Neoplasm that develops from the pigment-producing melanocytes.

Keloid

Scar that developed excess dense tissue as it progressed through the healing process.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Invasive tumor with metastatic potential.

Psoriasis

Chronic inflammatory condition that is recurrent.

Dermatitis

Inflammation of the skin.

Pediculosis capitis

head lice condition, spread among children by combs, brushes, hats.

Hirsutism

Excessive body hair in adult male pattern of growth.

Xer/o

dry.

Adip/o

fat.

Erythr/o

red.

Melan/o

black.

Dermat/o

skin.

Onych/o

nail.

Icter/o

yellow.

prefixes

modify the meaning of the root word, indicating aspects like size, quantity, or location

suffixes

provide additional information about the condition or procedure,

Important functions of the skin

include protection, sensation, thermoregulation, excretion, and vitamin D synthesis

Common treatments for acne vulgaris

include topical retinoids, antibiotics, and hormonal therapies