Medical Terminology and Body Systems Comprehensive Review

Flashcards covering medical root words, suffixes, prefixes, anatomical terminology, and pathology across all primary body systems as detailed in the lecture transcript.

Medical Terminology

The language of the medical profession.

Root Word: Albin/o

White

Root Word: Bi/o

Life

Root Word: Cry/o

Cold

Root Word: Cyan/o

Blue

Root Word: Cutane/o, Derm/o, Dermat/o

Skin

Root Word: Lip/o

Fat

Root Word: Melan/o

Black

Root Word: Myc/o

Fungus

Root Word: Necr/o

Death

Medical Suffix

Attaches at the end of a root word.

Suffix: -algia / -dynia

Pain

Suffix: -cele

Hernia, protrusion

Suffix: -cyte

Cell

Suffix: -gen

That which produces

Suffix: -itis

Inflammation

Suffix: -malacia

Abnormal softening

Suffix: -megaly

Enlargement, large

Suffix: -osis / -iasis

Abnormal condition

Suffix: -pathy

Disease

Suffix: -rrhage

Excessive, abnormal flow

Suffix: -rrhexis

Rupture

Medical Prefix

Makes the root word more specific by expanding on location, frequency, number, color, or negation.

Prefix: A- / An-

Without, away from

Prefix: Anti-

Against

Prefix: Brady-

Slow

Prefix: Dys-

Painful, difficult

Prefix: Hyper-

Over, above

Prefix: Hypo- / Sub- / Infra-

Under, below, beneath

Prefix: Tachy-

Rapid, fast

Anatomical Position

Standing erect facing forward, palms of hands facing forward, thumbs outward.

Frontal Plane (Coronal Plane)

Divides the body vertically into anterior and posterior portions.

Sagittal Plane (Lateral Plane)

Divides the body into left and right sides.

Transverse Plane (Cross Section)

Creates upper and lower sections of the body.

Proximal

Near the point of attachment to the trunk.

Dorsal Cavity

Subdivided into the cranial cavity (protects brain) and spinal cavity (protects spinal cord).

Ventral Cavity

Lined by a serous membrane to reduce friction; contains thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Mediastinum

Contains the esophagus, trachea, thymus gland, aorta, and inferior vena cavae.

RUQ (Right Upper Quadrant)

Contains most of the liver, the gallbladder, portion of the pancreas, right kidney, and small intestines/colon.

Integumentary System

Includes skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and nerve receptors.

Melanin

Pigment that contributes to skin color.

Gangrene

Death of tissue caused by loss of circulation to an area.

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Persistent or reoccurring dermatitis resulting in redness, itching, and dryness; can blister or crack.

Decubitus (Pressure Sore)

An open ulcerated wound caused by prolonged pressure on an area of skin.

Fascia

Tough connective tissue that groups and binds muscle fibers together.

Myasthenia Gravis

Chronic autoimmune disease affecting the neuromuscular junction; causes weakness in voluntary muscles.

Axial Skeletal System

Composed of $80$ bones including the skull, spinal column, hyoid bone, ossicles, and rib cage.

Synovial Joints

Joints where two bones connect to allow a wide range of motion; contains a synovial capsule, membrane, and fluid.

Osteoporosis

A loss of bone density resulting in increased porosity of the bone, often associated with aging.

Glands

Organs in the endocrine system that secrete hormones.

Hormones

Chemical messengers in the body.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

Autoimmune insulin deficiency disorder caused by destruction of pancreatic islet beta cells.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Insulin resistance disorder where the body does not effectively use produced insulin; often related to obesity.

Cushing’s Syndrome

Hypercortisolism caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol.

Arteries

Large blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart; thick-walled and elastic.

Veins

Large blood vessels that carry blood to the heart; includes superior and inferior vena cava.

Erythrocytes (RBC)

Cells produced in red bone marrow whose job is to transport oxygen to tissues via hemoglobin.

Leukocytes (WBC)

Components of the body’s immune system defending against pathogens.

Systolic Pressure

The highest pressure of blood on the artery wall occurring when the heart's ventricles contract.

Diastolic Pressure

The lowest pressure of blood on the artery wall occurring when the ventricles relax.

Myocardial Infarction

A heart attack caused by occlusion or blockage of one or more coronary arteries due to plaque buildup.

Alveoli

Structures where oxygen and carbon dioxide are transferred between the respiratory system and blood.

Eupnea

Normal breathing.

Anoxia

The absence of oxygen from body tissues and organs even if sufficient blood flow exists.

Lymphatic Circulation

Depends on muscle pumping action and flows only in one direction, returning to the circulatory system at the neck base.

Immune System

Main function is to protect the body from harmful substances like pathogens, allergens, toxins, and malignant cells.

Antigen

Any substance the body regards as foreign, such as a virus, bacteria, toxin, or transplanted tissue.

Mastication

Technical term for chewing.

Peristalsis

Wave-like contractions of smooth muscles moving food forward through the digestive system.

Nephron

Microscopic cells in the renal cortex; there are over $1 \times 10^6$ in each kidney.

ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease)

Final stage of chronic kidney disease; fatal unless dialysis or transplant replaces kidney function.

Zygote

A single cell formed by the union of sperm and ovum.

Gestation

Development period of the baby in the uterus lasting about $280$ days or $40$ weeks.

Neuron

Functional unit of the nervous system made of a cell body, dendrites, and an axon.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Made up of the brain and spinal cord, protected by the meninges.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical substances that transmit messages from one neuron to another and to target receptors.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Medical term for a stroke; damage to the brain when blood flow is disrupted by blockage or rupture.

Adnexa

Outside structures of the eyeball, including the orbit, eye muscles, eyelids, conjunctiva, and lacrimal apparatus.

Glaucoma

Group of diseases with increased intraocular pressure causing damage to the retinal nerve fibers and optic nerve.

Cochlea

Inner ear structure where sound vibration is converted into nerve impulses.