Medical Terminology for Health Professions 8th edition, Chapter 15

albumin/o

prefix: albumin, protein

calc/i

prefix: calcium, lime, heel

-centesis

suffix: surgical puncture for fluid removal

creatin/o

prefix: creatinine

fluor/o

prefix: glowing

glycos/o

prefix: glucose, sugar

lapar/o

prefix: abdomen, abdominal wall

lingu/o

prefix: tongue

-otomy

suffix: surgical incision

pyret/o

prefix: fever

radi/o

prefix: radiation, x-rays

-scope

suffix: visual examination tool

-scopy

suffix: visual examination

son/o

prefix: sound

ultra-

prefix: beyond

acetaminophen

common over the counter medication used to relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce fever, notably Tylenol

acupuncture

traditional medicine practice involving insertion of fine needles into specific body points

adherence

the extent to which a person follows a medical recommendation

albuminuria

presence of too much albumin in the urine, typical of kidney disease

analgesic

drugs that act to relieve pain

antipyretic

medications used to prevent or reduce fever

arthrocentesis

a procedure to remove fluid from a joint for diagnosis or treatment

auscultation

practice of listening to internal body sounds to assess primarily the heart and lungs

bacteriuria

abnormal presence of bacteria in the urine

bruit

a swishing or whooshing sound heard with a stethoscope over an artery, usually from a partially blocked artery

calciuria

abnormal presence of calcium in the urine

computed tomography

medical imaging technique that uses rotating x-rays and computer processing to create cross-sectional slices and 3D images of the body

contraindication

a specific symptom, condition, or factor that makes a treatment or procedure unsafe due to side effects or the possibility of harm

creatinuria

abnormal presence of creatine in the urine

echocardiography

an ultrasound test using sound waves to visualize the heart’s beating, showing structure, valves, and blood flow

endoscope

a thin, flexible tube with a light and lens used to view the inside of the body

fluoroscopy

medical imaging technique that uses continuous x-rays to show the inside of the body in real time

glycosuria

abnormal presence of sugar in the urine, occurring when blood sugar is too high

hematocrit

percentage of blood volume made up of red blood cells

hematuria

abnormal presence of blood in the urine

hyperthermia

above normal internal body temperature

hypothermia

condition in which internal body temperature is below 95 degrees F

idiosyncratic reaction

a rare, unpredictable drug response not caused by known effects of the drug or typical immune responses

interventional radiology

medical speciality using imaging to guide doctors in performing minimally invasive procedures

intradermal injection

a shallow injection of a substance into the layer of skin below the epidermis

intramuscular injection

an injection of a substance deep into a muscle

intravenous injection

injection of a substance directly into a vein

ketonuria

abnormal presence of ketone bodies in the urine

laparoscopy

minimally invasive surgical technique with a camera inserted through small incisions into the abdomen

lithotomy position

a supine position in which the hips and thighs are flexed and abducted, often with feet in stirrups

magnetic resonance imaging

imaging technique measuring the response of nuclei in the body to high-frequency radio waves when placed in a strong magnetic field

ophthalmoscope

an instrument used for inspecting the retina and other parts of the eye

otoscope

medical tool used to examine the ear canal and eardrum

palliative

specialized medical support focused on relieving symptoms, stress, and suffering for people with serious illnesses to improve their quality of life

parenteral

administered or occurring elsewhere in the body than the mouth, typically through injection or infusion

percussion

a diagnostic technique where a doctor taps body parts to listen for sounds indicating organ size, location, fluid, or air

perfusion

the vital process of fluid flowing through the body’s vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing waste

pericardiocentesis

a medical procedure to drain excess fluid from the pericardial sac

phlebotomy

process of drawing and testing blood by a vein or skin puncture

placebo

a fake treatment used in clinical trials to test real drugs

positron emission tomography

nuclear imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer injected into the body to create 3D color images showing metabolic activity

prone position

position in which a person is lying on their stomach

proteinuria

abnormal presence of protein in the urine

pyuria

abnormal presence of pus in the urine

radiolucent

materials that are easily penetrated by x-rays or other radiation, appearing dark or black on radiographic images

radiopaque

materials dense enough to block x-rays, appearing white or gray on radiographic images

rales

popping, crackling, or bubbling sounds heard in the lungs with a stethoscope, indicating air moving through fluid-filled alveoli or airways popping open

recumbent

a reclining or resting position with the legs extended forwards

rhonchi

low-pitched, rattling, or rumbling sounds heard in the lungs, caused by mucus or secretions obstructing larger airways

Sims’ position

a semi-prone position in which a patient is on their side, with the lower arms behind the back, the lower leg extended, and the upper knee sharply flexed

single photon emission computed tomography

nuclear medicine imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer and a camera to create detailed 3D pictures of blood flow and chemical activity in organs like the brain

speculum

a medical instrument used to gently open and hold apart the walls of a body cavity

sphygmomanometer

instrument for measuring blood pressure (blood pressure cuff)

stethoscope

a medical instrument used to listen to internal body sounds like heartbeats

stridor

a harsh vibrating noise when breathing caused by obstruction of the windpipe or larynx

subcutaneous injection

injection to deliver medicine into the fatty tissue just under the skin

transdermal

applying medication through the skin for absorption into the bloodstream, usually by an adhesive patch

transesophageal echocardiography

a detailed heart imaging test using ultrasound, where a flexible tube is guided down the esophagus to get pictures of the heart and major blood vessels

ultrasonography

use of high-frequency sound waves to create images of internal body structures

urinalysis

medical test analyzing urine’s physical appearance, concentration, and chemical content