Med Term Ch.1

What is a “Sign”?

Objective data of disease. Objective means sign can be evaluated/measured by patients/others. (Ex: fever)

What is A Symptom

Subjective evidence of a disease. Subjective means it can be evaluated/measured only by patient. (Ex: pain)

What is A Syndrome

Set of signs and symptoms that occur together as part of specific disease process.

What is a Prognosis

Prediciton of probable course and outcome of a disease

What is a remission?

Temporary, partial, complete disappearance of symptoms of disease without having a cure.

What is a eponym?

A disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered/described it. (Ex: Alzheimer’s disease)

What is a acronym?

A word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term.

arteri/o, ather/o, and arthr/o

arteri/o = artery

ather/o = plaque/fatty substance

arthr/o = joint

-ectomy, -ostomy, and -otomy

-ectomy = surgical removal

-ostomy = surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface

-otomy = cutting'/surgical incision

Fissure and Fistula

Fissure: groove/crack like sore on skin

Fistula: abnormal passage, usually between 2 internal organs/leading from an organ to surface of body

Ileum and Ilium

Ileum: last & longest portion of small intestine

Ilium: part of hip bone

Laceration and Lesion

Laceration: torn/jagged wound

Lesion: change of tissues due to disease/injury

myc/o, myel/o, and my/o

Myc/o = fungus

Myel/o = bone marrow/spinal cord

My/o = muscle

Palpation and Palpitation

Palpation = touch

Palpitation = pounding/racing heart

pyel/o, py/o, and pyr/o

pyel/o = renal pelvis, part of kidney

py/o = pus

pyr/o = fever/fire

Supination and SuppurationS

Supination = act of rotating arm so palm is forward/upward

Suppuration = formation of pus

Viral and Virile

Viral = pertaining to virus

Virile = having nature, properties, qualities of an adult male

Cyan/o, erythr/o, leuk/o, melan/o, poli/o

Cyan/o = blue

Erythr/o = red

Leuk/o = white

Melan/o = black

Poli/o = gray

-enter, gastr/o

Small instestine, stomach

Suffixes

• always added at end of word

• usually, but not always indicate procedure, condition, disorder, or diease

• hyphen (-) before

Prefixes

• Sometimes added to beginning of word to influence meaning

• Usually but not always indiciate location, time, number