Des Moines University’s Free Medical Terminology Course Flashcards

Medical terminology

A specialized language used by health care practitioners

Eponym

A medical term named after a person, often giving little information about location or function

Descriptive term

A medical term that describes shape, color, size, function, or location

Word root

The central meaning of a medical term

Prefix

A word part added to the beginning of a medical term

Suffix

A word part added to the end of a medical term

Combining form

A word root plus a vowel used to make pronunciation easier

-itis

Inflammation

-osis

Abnormal condition

-ectomy

To cut out or remove

-otomy

To cut into

-ostomy

To create a mouth-like opening

-an

Without or none

Micro-

Small

Macro-

Large

-megaly

Enlarged

-scopy

To look or observe

-graphy

Process of recording an image

-graph

Instrument used to record

-gram

The recorded image or tracing

-ology

Study of

-ologist

Specialist in the study or treatment of something

Cardi/o

Heart

My/o

Muscle

Myocarditis

Inflammation of the heart muscle

Endocarditis

Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart

Pericarditis

Inflammation of the outer layer around the heart

Cardiologist

Physician specializing in the heart

Cardiomyopathy

Disease of the heart muscle

Cardiomegaly

Enlargement of the heart

Stomat/o

Mouth

Dent/o

Teeth

Gloss/o or lingu/o

Tongue

Gingiv/o

Gums

Encephal/o

Brain

Gastr/o

Stomach

Enter/o

Small intestine

Col/o

Large intestine

Proct/o

Anus and rectum

Hepat/o

Liver

Nephr/o or ren/o

Kidney

Orchid/o

Testis

Oophor/o

Ovary

Hyster/o or metr/o

Uterus

Salping/o

Uterine tube

Derm/o

Skin

Mast/o or mamm/o

Breast

Oste/o

Bone

Cyst/o

Bladder or sac

Rhin/o

Nose

Phleb/o or ven/o

Vein

Pneum/o or pulm/o

Lung

Hem/o or -emia

Blood

Leuk/o

White

Melan/o

Black

Cyan/o

Blue

Xanth/o

Yellow

Aden/o

Gland

Lip/o

Fat

Lymph/o

Lymph tissue

Carcin/o

Malignant

Endo-

Within or inside of

Peri-

Around

Circum-

Around

Retro-

Behind or backward

Epi-

Upon or on top

Trans-

Through

Intra-

Within

Sub-

Below

Sign

Something the physician observes or measures

Symptom

Something the patient feels, observes, or complains about

Atherosclerosis

Hardening of fatty plaque in the arteries

Arteriosclerosis

Hardening of the arteries

Myocardial infarction

Heart attack caused by blocked blood flow and death of heart muscle tissue

Angina pectoris

Chest pain caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle

Arrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythm

Dysrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythm

Ischemia

Insufficient blood flow and oxygen to tissue

Stenosis

Narrowing of a passage or valve

Regurgitation

Backward flow

Prolapse

Falling or slipping forward/out of place

Electrocardiogram

Recording of the electrical activity of the heart

Echocardiography

Use of high-frequency sound waves to image the heart

Cardiac catheterization

Inserting a catheter into the heart/arteries to examine coronary circulation

Phlebotomist

Technician trained to draw blood

Venipuncture

Puncture of a vein, usually to draw blood or start an IV

Cephal/o

Head

Mening/o

Membranes around the brain and spinal cord

Myel/o

Spinal cord or bone marrow depending on context

Neur/o

Nerve

Dys-

Difficult, painful, or abnormal

-ole

Small

-pathy

Disease or abnormality

-plasia

Development or formation

-plegia

Paralysis

Multiple sclerosis

Disease involving multiple hard plaques and degeneration of nerve fiber insulation

Cerebrovascular accident

Stroke

CVA

Stroke caused by bleeding or blockage of blood supply in the brain

Thrombus

A clot that forms in a blood vessel

Embolus

A clot or material that travels and becomes lodged in a vessel