Comprehensive Medical Terminology for Health Professions chapter 1

-algia

pain, suffering

-dynia

pain

-ectomy

surgical removal, cutting out

-gram

picture or record

-hyper

excessive, increased

-hypo

deficient, decreased

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition, disease

-ostomy

the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface

pre-

before, in front of

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhage

bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

abdominocentesis

the surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid

acronym

a word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound word

acute

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

angiography

process of producing an x-ray of blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make these blood vessels visible

appendectomy

surgical removal of the appendix

arteriosclerosis

abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries

arthralgia

pain in a joint or joints

colostomy

a surgical operation that creates an opening from the colon to the surface of the body to function as an anus

cyanosis

a bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood.

dermatologist

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

diagnosis

the identification of a disease

diarrhea

the frequent flow of loose or watery stools

edema

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

endarterial

pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery

eponym

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

erythrocyte

a mature red blood cell

fissure

a groove or crack-like sore of the skin; also normal folds in the contours of the brain

fistula

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

gastralgia

pain in the stomach

gastritis

inflammation of the stomach

gastroenteritis

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

gastrosis

any disease of the stomach

hemorrhage

the loss of a large amount of blood in a short time

hepatomegaly

abnormal enlargement of the liver

hypertension

higher than normal blood pressure

hypotension

lower than normal blood pressure

infection

invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism

inflammation

a localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues

interstitial

between, but not within, the parts of a tissue

intramuscular

within the muscle

laceration

a torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut

lesion

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

malaise

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

mycosis

any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus

myelopathy

any injury, degeneration or disease in the spinal cord

myopathy

any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue

natal

pertaining to birth

neonatology

the study of disorders of the newborn

neurorrhaphy

suturing together the ends of a severed nerve

otorhinolaryngology

the study of the ears, nose, and throat

palpation

an examination technique in which the examiner's hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts

palpitation

pounding or racing heart

pathology

the study of all aspects of diseases

phalanges

bones of the fingers and toes

poliomyelitis

a viral infection of the gray nerve tissue of the spinal cord

prognosis

a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease

pyoderma

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

pyrosis

also known as heartburn, is discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus

remission

the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure

sign

objective evidence of disease such as a fever

supination

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

suppuration

formation of pus

supracostal

above or outside the ribs

symptom

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

syndrome

a set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process

tenorraphy

surgical suturing of a tendon

tonsillitis

inflammation of the tonsils

trauma

wound or injury

triage

the medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment

viral

pertaining to a virus

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

poli/o

gray

-cyte

cell

-oma

tumor