Medical Terminology Extra

anterior (ventral)

toward the front of the body

posterior (dorsal)

toward the back of the body

medial

toward the midline

lateral

toward the side of body

proximal

nearer to the point of attachement

distal

farther away from the point of attachment

superior

above, in a higher position

inferior

below, in a lower position

cranial

toward the head

caudal

toward the lower end of the spine

superficial (external)

closer to the surface of the body

deep (internal)

closer to the center of the body

anatomic position

standing erect, facing forward, palms forward

decubitus position

lying down, specifically according to the part of the body resting on a flat surface

dorsal recumbent position

on back, with legs bent and separated, feet flat; used for gynecology

fowler position

on back, head of bed raised about 18 inches, knees elevated; used for drainage

jackknife position

on back with shoulders elevated, legs flexed and thighs at right angles to the abdomen

knee-chest position

on knees, head and upper chest on table, arms crossed above head; used in gynecology

lateral recumbent position

on the side with one leg flexed, arm position may vary

lithotomy position

on back, legs flexed on abdomen thighs apart; used for gynecology

prone

lying face down

supine

lying face up

trendelenburg position

on back with head lowered by tilting bed at 45 degree angle; used for pelvic and abdominal surgery

computed tomography (CT scan)

use of a computer to generate an image from a large number of x-rays passed at different angles throughout the body

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

production of images through the use of a magnetic field and radio waves; eliminates the need for x-rays

radiography

use of x-rays passed through the body to make a visual record of internal structures either on specially sensitized film or digitally

ultrasonography

generation of visual image from the echoes of high-frequency sound waves traveling back from different tissues

curet (curette)

spoon-shaped instrument for removing material from the wall of a cavity

forceps

instrument for holding or extracting

hemostat

small clamp for stopping blood from a vessel

retractor

instrument used to maintain exposure by separating a wound and holding back organs or tissues

closed fracture

simple fracture with no open wound

colles fracture

fracture of the distal end of the radius with backward displacement of the hand

comminuted fracture

fracture in which the bone is splintered or crushed

compression fracture

fracture caused by force from both ends, as to a vertebra

greenstick fracture

one side of the bone is fractured, and the other side is bent

impacted fracture

one fragment is driven into the other

oblique fracture

break occurs at an angle across the bone

open fracture

fracture is associated with an open wound, or broken bone protrudes through the skin

spiral fracture

fracture in a spiral or S shape

transverse fracture

a break at right angles to the long axis of a bone

flexion

closing the angle at a joint

extension

opening the angle at a joint

abduction

movement away from midline (ex. arm outward)

adduction

movement toward the midline (ex. arm inward)

rotation

turning of a body part on its own axis (ex. turning the forearm from the elbow)

circumduction

circular movement from a central point (ex. describing a cricle with an outstretched aarm)

pronation

turning downward (ex. plam of hand down)

supination

turning upward (ex. palm of hand upward)

eversion

turning outward (ex. turning sole of foot outward)

inversion

turning inward (ex. turning sole of foot inward)

dorsiflexion

bending backward (ex. moving the foot so toes point upward)

plantar flexion

bending the sole of the foot down (ex. pointing the toes downward)

bulla

raised, fluid filled lesion larger than a vesicle

fissure

crack or break in the skin

macule

flat, colored spot

nodule

solid, raised lesion larger than a papule

plaque/patch

superficial, flat or slightly raised differentiated patch more than 1cm in diameter

papule

small, circular, raised lesion at the surface of the skin

pustule

raised lesion containing pus; often hair follicle

ulcer

lesion resulting from the destruction of the skin and pehraps subcutaneous tissue

wheal

smooth, rounded, slightly raised area often associated with itching; seen in urticaria

vescile

small, fluid-filled, raised lesion; a blister or bleb

condyle

smooth, rounded protuberance at a joint

crest

raised, narrow ridge

epicondyle

projection above a condyle

facet

small, flattened surface

foramen

rounded opening

fossa

hollow cavity

meatus

passage or channel, such as a long channel within a bone; also the external opening of a canal (ex. urinary)

process

projection (ex. mastoid; styloid)

sinus

a space or channel, such as the air-filled spaces in certain skull bones

trochanter

large, blunt projection as at the top of the femur

tubercle

small, rounded projection

tuberosity

large, rounded projection

spine

sharp projection (ex. ischial)