Chapter 1 - The Basics & The Body Terms

anter/o

front

arthr/o

joint(s)

bi/o

life

cardi/o

heart

caud/o

tail

cephal/o

head

cervic/o

neck; cervix (neck & uterus)

co/o, colon/o

large intestine; colon

cost/o

rib

cyt/o

cell

dist/o

away from point of origin

dors/o

back of the body

enter/o

intestines (usually small)

gastr/o

stomach

glyc/o

sugar; glucose

hepat/o

liver

hist/o

tissue

infer/o

below

later/o

side

lip/o

fat

log/o

study

medi/o

middle

my/o

muscle

neur/o

nerve

path/o

disease

poster/o

back (of the body); behind

proxim/o

near point of origin; close

sarc/o

flesh; connective tissue

super/o

above

thorac/o

chest

ventr/o

belly side of body; ventral

viscer/o

internal organs

a-, an-

not; without

ante-

before

anti-

against

bi-

two; both

brady-

slow

endo-

in; within

hyper-

above; above normal; excess

hypo-

below; below normal

inter-

between

intra-

within; into

peri-

around; surrounding

sub-

below; under

supra-

above

tachy-

fast

trans-

across

\-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -iac, -ial

pertaining to

\-algia

pain

\-cyte

cell

\-ectomy

surgical removal; excision

\-emia

blood condition

\-gen

substance that produces

\-ia

condition

\-ine

a substance (noun); pertaining to (adj.)

\-itis

inflammation

\-logist

specialist (one who studies)

\-logy

study of

\-megaly

enlargement

\-oma

tumor; mass

\-osis

abnormal condition

\-pathy

disease

\-plasty

surgical repair

\-stomy

surgical opening

\-tomy

process of cutting; incision

\-um

structure; tissue; thing

AAF

African-American female

abd

abdomen; abdominal

CBC

complete blood (cell) count

c/o

complaining of

consult

consultation

CT

computerized tomography

CXR

chest x-ray

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

ER

emergency room

hs

half strength; bedtime

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

OB/GYN

obstetrician/gynecologist

OR

operating room

postop

postoperative

preop

preoperative

Pro. time

prothrombin time

Pt, pt.

patient

PTT

partial thromboplastin time

SOB

shortness of breath

stat, STAT

immediately

T&C

type and cross-match

UA

urinalysis

VS, V/S

vital signs

WNL

within normal limits

wt

weight

y/o

year(s) old

erect

fowler’s position

knee-chest

lateral

prone

sims’ position

supine