Medical Terminology Chapter 15

Hyperthermia

an extremely high fever

Hypothermia

an abnormally low body temperature

Sphygmomanometer

measures the force of the blood against the walls of an artery

Auscultation

means listening for sounds within the body and is usually preformed through a stethoscope

Rales

crackles, the abnormal crackle-like lung sounds heard through a stethoscope during inspiration

Rhonchi

coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring

Stridor

an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx

Bruit

an abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery

Percussion

a diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers

Ophthalmoscope

an instrument used to examine the interior of the eye

Otoscope

an instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane

Speculum

an instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity

Stethoscope

an instrument used to listen to sounds within the body

Recumbent

describes any position in which the patient is lying down

Prone Position

the patient is lying on the abdomen face down

Sim's Position

the patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the back

Phlebotomy

the puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood

Hematocrit

describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells

Urinalysis

the examination of the physical and chemical properties of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements

Albuminuria

the presence of the protein albumin in the urine

Bacteriuria

the presence of bacteria in the urine

Calciuria

the presence of calcium in the urine

Glycosuria

the presence of glucose in the urine

Hematuria

the presence of blood in the urine

Ketonuria

the presence of ketones in the urine

Proteinuria

the presence of an abnormal amount of protein in the urine

Pyuria

the presence of pus in the urine

Endoscope

a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end

Laparoscopy

the visual examination of the interior of the abdomen with the use of a laparoscope that is passed through a small incision in the abdominal wall

Arthrocentesis

a surgical puncture of the joint space to remove synovial fluid for analysis to determine the cause of pain or swelling in a joint

Pericardiocentesis

the puncture of the pericardial sac for the purpose of removing fluid

Radiopaque

means that the substance does not allow x-rays to pass through and appears white or light gray on the resulting film

Radiolucent

means that the substance, such as air or nitrogen gas, allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film

Interventional Radiology

the use of radiographic imaging to guide a procedure such as a biopsy

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer and converted into images of any plane through the body

Fluoroscopy

the visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen

Ultrasonography

imaging of deep body structures by recording the echoes of sound wave pulses that are above the range of human hearing

Echocardiography

an ultrasonic diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the structures and motion of the heart

Transesophageal Echocardiography

an ultrasonic imaging technique used to evaluate heart structures, preformed inside the esophagus and typically offers clearer images of the heart

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

a type of nuclear imaging test that produces 3D computer-reconstructed images showing perfusion through tissues and organs

Perfusion

means the flow of blood through an organ

Positron Emission Tomography

combines tomography with radionuclide tracers, usually inserted into a vein, to produce enhanced images of selected body organs or areas

Adherence

the patient’s consistency and accuracy in following the regimen prescribed by a physician or other health care professional

Contraindication

a factor in the patient's condition that makes the use of medication or specific treatment dangerous or ill advised

Idiosyncratic Reaction

an unexpected reaction to a drug that is peculiar to the individual

Palliative

a substance that eases the pain or severity of the symptoms of a disease but does not cure it

Placebo

an inactive substance, such as a sugar pill or liquid, that is administered only for is suggestive effects

Antipyretic

a medication administered to prevent or reduce fever

Analgesic

the class of drugs that relieves pain without affecting consciousness

Acetaminophen

an analgesic that reduces pain and fever but does not relieve inflammation

Transdermal

medication administered from a patch that is applied to unbroken skin

Parenteral

means taken into the body or administered in a manner other than through the digestive tract

Subcutaneous Injection

made into the fatty layer just below the skin

Intradermal Injection

made into the middle layers of the skin

Intramuscular Injection

made directly into muscle tissue

Intravenous Injection

made directly into a vein

Acupuncture

a traditional Chinese medical practice using very thin acupuncture needles inserted into specific points of the body to restore the flow of qi

Myofascial Release

a specialized soft-tissue manipulation technique used to ease the pain of condition

Neuromuscular Therapy

a form of massage that uses soft-tissue manipulation focusing on applying pressure to trigger points to treat injuries and alleviate pai

computed tomography

a diagnostic imaging test that uses X-rays and computer technology to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.