Chapter 1 - Intro to Medical Terminology

Cell – basic unit of all living things

Cytoplasm – gel-like fluid inside a cell

Tissue – group of cells that work together to perform a specific function

Organ - two or more types of tissues that together perform special body functions

Cytology – study of cells

Cytologist – someone who studies cells

Dysplasia – abnormal development

Epithelial – pertaining to epithelium

Erythrocyte (RBC) – red blood cell

Erythrocytosis – increase in red blood cells

Histology – study of tissue

Histologist – someone who studies tissues

Hyperplasia – excessive development (number of cells)

Hypoplasia – incomplete development (of organ or tissue)

Leukocyte (WBC) – white blood cell

Leukocytosis – increase in number of WBCs

Lipoid – resembling fat

Myopathy – disease of muscle

Necrosis – condition of cell death

Neuroid – resembling a nerve or nerve tissue

Organomegaly – enlargement of an organ

Somatic – pertaining to the body

Somatogenic – originating in the body

Somatopathy – disease of the body

Systemic – pertaining to a body system or body as a whole

Visceral – pertaining to internal organs

Adenocarcinoma – cancerous tumor of glandular tissue

Adenoma – tumor composed of x

Carcinoma (CA) – cancerous tumor (malignant)

Epithelioma – tumor composed of epithelium (benign or malignant)

Fibroma - tumor composed of fiber (fibrous tissue) (benign)

Fibrosarcoma - malignant tumor composed of fiber (fibrous tissue)

Leiomyoma - tumor composed of smooth muscle (benign)

Leiomyosarcoma - malignant tumor of smooth muscle

Lipoma - tumor composed of fat (benign tumor)

Liposarcoma - malignant tumor of fat

Melanoma - black tumor (primarily of the skin)

Melanocarcinoma - cancerous black tumor (malignant)

Metastasis (metastases) - beyond control (transfer of cells from one organ to another

Myoma - tumor composed of muscle (benign)

Neoplasm - new growth (of abnormal tissue, benign or malignant)

Neuroma - tumor composed of nerve (benign)

Sarcoma - tumor of connective tissue (such as bone or cartilage; highly malignant)

Benign – not malignant, nonrecurrent, favorable for recovery

Carcinoma in situ – cancer in early stage before invading surrounding tissue

Malignant – tend to become progressively worse and to cause death

Palliative – providing relief but not cure; symptom management

Remission – improvement or absence of signs of disease

Cyanosis - abnormal condition of blue; usually causes by inadequate supply of oxygen in blood

Symptom – experience that patient feels or experiences that may indicate disease or condition

Xanthosis – abnormal condition of yellow

Xanthochromic – medical condition that refers to yellow or pink discoloration of CSF

Oncologist – physician who studies and treats malignant tumors

Oncology – study of tumors

Pathologist – physician who studies diseases

Pathology Cancerous – study of cancerous tissue

Carcinogen – substance that causes cancer

Carcinogenic – producing cancer

Diagnosis (Dx) - state of complete knowledge

Etiology  - study of causes of disease

Iatrogenic – produced by a physician

*Nosocomial – infection acquired during hospitalization (Chapter 5, page 172)

Oncogenic – causing tumors

Pathogenic – producing disease

Prognosis (Px) – state before knowledge

Afebrile – without fever

Febrile  - having a fever

Inflammation – localized protective response to injury or tissue destruction characterized by redness, swelling, heat and pain

Idiopathic – pertaining to disease of unknown origin

·       Bx or bx - biopsy

·       CA – cancer, carcinoma

·       Chemo - chemotherapy

·       Dx - diagnosis

·       Px - prognosis

·       RBC – red blood cell

WBC - white blood cell