Medical Terminology 5&6

PA School

Muscular system

Makes movement possible

Skeletal system

Provides protection and support, allows body movements, produces blood cells, and stores minerals and fat. Consists of bones, associated cartilages, ligaments, and joints.

cardiovascular system

delivers oxygen, nutrients, and vital substances throughout the body; transports cellular waste products to the lungs and kidneys for excretion

Lymphatic system

helps maintain the internal fluid environment; produces some types of blood cells; regulates immunity

respiratory system

Brings oxygen into the body. Gets rid of carbon dioxide.

digestive system

provides the body with water, nutrients, and minerals; removes solid wastes

urinary system

filters blood to remove wastes of cellular metabolism; maintains the electrolyte and fluid balance

reproductive system

facilitates procreation (producing offspring)

integumentary system

provides external covering for protection; regulates the body temperature and water content

nervous system

coordinates the reception of stimuli; transmits messages to stimulate movement

endocrine system

Secretes hormones and helps regulate body activities

Homeostasis

a constant state of natural balance within the body

Ana-

upward, excessive, again

-plasia

development, formation, growth

aplasia

lack of development of an organ or tissue

Dysplasia

any abnormal development of tissues, recognized by cells that differ in size, shape, and appearance

hypoplasia

underdevelopment of a tissue, organ, or body; less severe than aplasia

Hyperplasia

An abornmal increase in the number of normal cells in tissue

hypertrophy

An increase in the size of an organ caused by an increase in the size of existing cells rather than the number of cells (as in hyperplasia)

anaplasia

a change in the structure of cells and in their orientation to each other

Anatomic position

The position a person is in while standing erect with the arms at the sides and the palms forward

Frontal (coronal) plane

divides body into front and back

Transverse Plane

line that divides the body into upper and lower sections

sagittal plane

divides body into left and right

midsagittal plane

divides the body into equal right and left sides

anter/o (anterior)

nearer to or toward the front; ventral

Poster/o, posterior

nearer to or toward the back; dorsal; situated behind

ventr/o (ventral)

belly side; same as anterior surface in humans

dors/o (dorsal)

directed toward or situated on the back side; same as posterior surface in humans

medi/o (medial, median)

middle or nearer the middle; the prefix mid- also means middle

later/o (lateral)

toward the side; denoting a position farther from the midline of the body or from a structure

super/o (superior)

uppermost or above

infer/o (inferior)

lowermost or below

proxim/o (proximal)

nearer the origin or point of attachment

dist/o (distal)

far or distant from the origin or point of attachment

cephal/o, cephalad

toward the head

caud/o (caudad)

toward the tail or in an inferior direction in humans

intern/o (internal)

inside, within

extern/o, external

outside

body cavities

two body cavities

*dorsal

*ventral

-body cavities provide varying degrees of protection to organs within them

Dorsal cavity is broken into..

The cranial and spinal cavities

cranial cavity

contains the brain

spinal cavity

contains the spinal cord

Viscera

large organs contained in the ventral cavity

Ventral cavity is subdivided into..

thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity

muscular diaphragm

divides the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities

peritoneum

Lines the abdominopelvic cavity and enfolds the internal organs

Adhesion

the sticking together of two structures that are normally separated

-eum

Membrane

torso

Contains the chest, abdomen and pelvis

Abdomin/o

abdomen

acr/o

extremities

blephar/o

eyelid

cyst/o

cyst, bladder, or sac

Dactyl/o

digit (finger or toe)

lapar/o

abdominal wall

omphal/o, umbilic/o

umbilicus

onych/o

nail

pelvi/o

pelvis

periton/o

peritoneum

Som/a, somat/o

body

Thorac/o

chest, thorax

Acral

pertaining to the extremities of the body

acrohypothermy

abnormal coldness of the extremities

acromegaly

enlargement of the extremities

acrodermatitis

inflammation of the skin of the extremities

Acrocyanosis

blueness of the extremities

thorax

chest

abdomen

Located between the chest and the pelvis

thoracentesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid from the pleural space

Thorac/o

chest, thorax

pelvis

lower part of the trunk of the body including the hip bone, tailbone, and sacrum

cephalopelvic

refers to the head of the fetus and the maternal pelvis

abdominothoracic

pertaining to the abdomen and thorax

abdominal paracentesis

surgical procedure that is performed to remove excess fluids from the abdominal cavity or to inject a therapeutic agent

ascites

abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen

peritonitis

Can result if infectious microorganisms gain access by way of surgical incisions or by the rupture of perforation of viscera or associated structures

omphalocele

congenital herniation of the navel

omphal/o

umbilicus

-cele

hernia

Palmar

pertaining to the palm of the hand

plantar

The sole or bottom of the feet

dactylography

the study of fingerprints

dactylospasm

cramp of a finger or toe

dactylitis

inflammation of the fingers and/or toes

chiropody

pertaining to the hands and feet

chiropodist

one who treats ailments of the human foot

chirospasm

spasm of the hand

chiroplasty

surgical repair of the hand

onychophagist

habitually bites the nails

onychopathy

any disease of the nails

onychomycosis

a disease of the nails caused by a fungus

onychectomy

removal of a nail

intracellular

within the cell

Extracellular

outside the cell

interstitial fluid

fluid between cells

edema

Abnormal accumulation of fluid in interstitial spaces of tissues.