medical terms

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition

-ectomy

to cut out (remove)

-otomy

to cut into

-ostomy

to make a permeant opening

a/an

without, none

micro

small

macro

large

mega/-megaly

enlarged

-scopy/-scopic

to look, observe

-graphy/-graph

recording an image

-gram

the image

-ology/-ologist

study, specialize in

stomato

mouth

dento

teeth

glosso/linguo

tongue

gingivo

gums

encephalo

brain

gastro

stomach

entero

intestine

colo

large intestine

procto

anus/rectum

hepato

liver

nephro/rene

kidney

orchido

testis

oophoro

ovary

hystero/metro

uterus

salpingo/ -salpinx

uterine tubes

dermo

skin

masto/mammo

breast

osteo

bones

cardi/o

heart

cysto

bladder

rhino

nose

phlebo/veno

veins

pneumo/pulmo

lung

hemo/ -emia

blood

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

cyan/o

blue

xanth/o

yellow

aden/o

gland

lip/o

fat

my/o

muscle

lymph/o

lymph tissue

carcin/o

malignant

osteo/o

bone

endo

within, inside of

peri

around

circum

around

retro

behind

epi

upon, on top

trans

through

intra

within

sub

below

brady

slow (rate <60)

tachy

fast (rate >100)

angi/o

vessel

veno/phlebo

vein

-stasis

to stop

-cyte

cell

myocardial infarction (MI)

“heart attack” blockage of blood flow to the heart

prolapse

falling forward

regurgitation

backward flow, results in leakage

stenosis

a narrowing

angina pectoris

pain in the chest

arrhythmia/dysrhythmia

no rhythm, abnormal rhythm

ischemia

not quite enough blood

cephal/o

head

encephal/o

inside the head (brain)

mening/o

membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord

myel/o

spinal cord

neur/o

nerve

dys

difficult, painful, abnormal

-cele

hernia, abnormal protrusion of structure out of normal position

-pathy

disease, abnormality

-plasia

development, formation, growth

-plegia

paralysis

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

stroke

aphasia

loss of speech

gastr/o

stomach

hepat/o

liver

chol/e

gall, bile

cyst/o

bladder, sac

emes/o

vomit

lith/o

stone

lapar/o

abdominal wall

-centesis

to puncture

-tripsy

to crush

-rrhea

flow, discharge

-iasis (-osis)

abnormal condition

gastroesophageal reflex disease (GERD)

severe heartburn

diverticulosis/diverticulitis

small pouches along the walls of large intestine

cirrhosis

orange-yellow; degenerative disease of the liver

portal hypertension

liver damage and obstruction of venous blood flow through the liver

esophageal varices

bulging, engorged veins in walls of the esophagus

dysphagia

difficulty swallowing

chrons disease

chronic inflammatory disease primarily of the bowel

peritonitis

inflammation of the lining of abdominal cavity

guaiac test (hemoccult, fecult)

chemical test to identify blood in the stool