Medical Terminology Chapter 1

Introduction to Medical Terminology

\-algia

pain, suffering

dys-

bad, difficult, or painful

-ectomy

surgical removal, cutting out

hyper-

excessive, increased

hypo-

deficient, decreased

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition, disease

-ostomy

the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface

-otomy

cutting, surgical incision

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhage

bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-rrhea

flow, discharge

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

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

the surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes.

acronym

a word formed from the initial letters of the major parts of a compound term

acute

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

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

The process of producing a radiographic study of the blood vessels after the injection of a contrast medium to make the blood vessels visible.

appendectomy

surgical removal of the appendix

arteriosclerosis (ar-**tee**-ree-oh-skleh-**ROH**-sis)

abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries

arthralgia (ar-THRAL-jee-ah)

pain in a joint or joints

colostomy

the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface

cyanosis

a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by a lack of adequate oxygen in 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

excessive accumulation of fluid in cells and tissues

endarterial (end-ar-TEE-ree-al)

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 (eh-**RITH**-roh-**sight**)

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 (gas-TRAL-jee-ah)

pain in the stomach

gastritis

inflammation of the stomach

gastroenteritis

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

gastrosis

any abnormal condition or disease of the stomach

hemorrhage

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

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

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 destruction of tissues that is characterized by heat, redness, swelling, and pain.

interstitial

between, but not within, the parts of a tissue

intramuscular

within the muscle

laceration

a torn, jagged wound or an accidental cut wound

lesion

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

malaise (mah-LAYZ)

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 (my-eh-LOP-ah-thee) 🩻

any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord

myopathy 💪🏼

any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue

myorrhexis (my-oh-RECK-sis)

the rupture of a muscle

natal

pertaining to birth

neonatology

study of disorders of the newborn

neurorrhaphy (new-ROR-ah-fee)

suturing together the ends of a severed nerve

otorhinolaryngology (**oh**-toh-**rye**-noh-**lar**-in-**GOL**-oh-jee)

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 🫀

a pounding or racing heart

pathology

the study of all aspects of diseases

phalanges (fah-**LAN**-jeez)

the bones of the fingers and toes

poliomyelitis (**poh**-lee-oh-**my**-eh-**LYE**-tis)

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

prognosis

a prediction of the probable outcome and course of a disease

pyoderma

any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection

pyrosis 🤮

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

the formation or discharge 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

tonsillitis

inflammation of the tonsils

trauma

wound or injury

triage (tree-**AHZH**)

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

viral

pertaining to a virus

cyan

blue

cyanosis

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

erythro

red

erythrocyte

mature red blood cell

leuko

white

leukocyte

white blood cell

melano

black

melanosis

any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs

polio

grey

poliomyelitis

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

\-malacia

abnormal softening

\-necrosis

tissue death

\-stenosis

abnormal narrowing

\-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes

\-graphy

the process of taking a picture or record

\-gram

picture or record

angio-

blood vessel

\-scopy

visual examination

ab-

away from, negative, absent

ad-

toward, to, in the direction of

dextro-

right side

sinistro-

left side

ex-

out of, outside, away from

in-

in, into, not, without

macro-

large, abnormal size, or long