Medical Terminology: Respiratory System and Pulmonology

Medical Terminology: Respiratory System and Pulmonology

Key Root Words and Their Meanings

  • Pne/o (-pnea)

    • Definition: Breathing

  • Pneum/o

    • Definition: Air, lung

  • Pneumon/o

    • Definition: Lung

Anatomical Components

  • Nose and Mouth

  • Trachea

  • Alveoli

  • Bronchial Tubes

  • Diaphragm

Breathing Terminology

  • A/pnea

    • Definition: Absence of breathing

  • Dys/pnea

    • Definition: Difficult breathing

  • Tachy/pnea

    • Definition: Rapid breathing

  • Brady/pnea

    • Definition: Slow breathing

  • Ortho/pnea

    • Definition: Able to breathe only when sitting or standing

Lung Terminology

  • Pneumon/o

    • Terms:

    • Pneumon/ectomy

      • Definition: Excision of part or all of a lung

    • Pneumon/o/tomy

      • Definition: Incision of a lung

    • Pneumon/o/pathy

      • Definition: Any disease of the lungs

    • Pneumon/o/rrhagia

      • Definition: Hemorrhage of a lung

    • Pneumon/ia

      • Definition: Acute inflammation of the lungs caused by various organisms and viruses

    • Pneumon/itis

      • Definition: Inflammation of the lungs

  • Pneumon/o

    • Procedures:

    • Pneumon/o/centesis

      • Definition: Surgical puncture of a lung to remove fluid

    • Thorac/o/centesis

      • Definition: Surgical puncture of the chest to remove fluid

    • Pneumon/o/pexy

      • Definition: Surgical fixation of lung tissue

Atelectasis

  • Definition:

    • Atel/ectasis: Imperfect expansion of the lungs, commonly referred to as a collapsed lung.

    • Etymology:

    • Ateles: Means imperfect in Greek

    • Ektasis: Means expand or dilate in Greek

Mycological Terminology

  • Myc/o = Fungus

    • Terms:

    • Dermat/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease of the skin

    • Pneumon/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease of the lungs

    • Pharyng/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease of the pharynx (throat)

    • Rhin/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease of the nose

Air-Related Conditions

  • Pneum/o

    • Common Terms:

    • Pneum/o/thorax: Collection of air in the chest cavity (collapsed lung)

    • Pneum/o/meter: Instrument that measures air volume in respiration

    • Pneum/o/ser/o/thorax: Collection of air and serum in the chest cavity

    • Pneum/o/hem/o/thorax: Collection of air and blood in the chest cavity

    • Pneum/o/py/o/thorax: Collection of air and pus in the chest cavity

Pulmonology Terminology

  • Pulmon/o = Lung

    • Terms:

    • Pulmon/ary / Pulmon/ic: Pertaining to the lungs

    • Pulmon/ary valve: Heart valve through which blood travels to the lungs

    • Pulmon/ary artery: Blood flows from the heart to the lungs via this artery

    • Pulmonary embolus: A blood clot in the lung

Symptoms of Respiratory Issues

  • A/pnea: Absence of breathing

  • Dys/pnea: Difficult breathing

  • Hyper/pnea: Excessive movement of air in and out of lungs

  • Tachy/pnea: Rapid breathing

  • Brady/pnea: Slow breathing

  • Ortho/pnea: Able to breathe only when sitting or standing

  • Hem/o/pty/sis: Expectoration (coughing up) of blood

  • Hyper/ventil/ation: Excessive movement of air in and out of lungs

  • Hyp/oxia: Low oxygen in organs and tissues

  • Cyan/osis: Bluish color due to hypoxia

Air Route in the Respiratory System

  1. Nas/o: Nose, nasal cavity

  2. Pharng/o: Pharynx

  3. Laryng/o: Larynx

  4. Trache/o: Trachea

  5. Bronch/o: Bronchi

  6. Alveol/o: Alveoli

Lungs and Related Structures

  • Covered by the pleura

  • Diaphragm

    • Phren/o: Muscle that assists with inhalation and exhalation

    • Innervated by the phrenic nerve

Jaw Terminology

  • Mandibul/o = Jaw

    • Terms:

    • Mandibul/ar: Pertaining to the jaw

    • Micro/mandible: Small jaw

Nasal Cavity Terminology

  • Nas/o = Nasal cavity

    • Terms:

    • Nas/al: Pertaining to the nose (cavity)

    • Nas/itis: Inflammation of the nasal cavity

    • Nas/o/scope: Instrument to examine the nasal cavity

    • Nas/o/pharyng/itis: Inflammation of the nose and pharynx

Pharynx Terminology

  • Pharyng/o = Pharynx, Throat

    • Conditions:

    • Pharyng/o/lith: Calculus in the wall of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/o/myc/osis: A fungus disease of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/itis: Inflammation of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/o/cele: Herniation of the pharynx

    • Procedures:

    • Pharyng/o/tomy: Incision of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/o/pathy: Disease of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/o/plasty: Surgical repair of the pharynx

    • Pharyng/o/scope: Instrument to examine the pharynx

Larynx Terminology

  • Laryng/o = Larynx

    • Functions: Contains the vocal cords.

    • Conditions:

    • Laryng/itis: Inflammation of the larynx

    • Laryng/o/stomy: Creating a new opening in the larynx

    • Laryng/o/tomy: Incision into the larynx to create a temporary opening

    • Laryng/o/cele: Herniation of the larynx

    • Laryng/o/pathy: Any disease of the larynx

    • Laryng/o/scope: Instrument used to examine the larynx

    • Laryng/o/spasm: Spasm of the larynx

Trachea Terminology

  • Trache/o = Trachea

    • Definition: Trachea is also recognized as the windpipe.

    • Conditions:

    • Trache/o/rrhagia: Hemorrhage from the trachea

    • Trache/algia: Pain in the trachea

    • Trache/o/tomy: Incision into the trachea

    • Trache/o/cele: Herniation of the trachea

    • Procedures:

    • Trache/o/scopy: Examination of the trachea

    • Trache/al: Pertaining to the trachea

    • Trache/o/laryng/o/tomy: Incision of trachea and larynx

    • Trache/ostomy: Surgical creation of a new opening in the trachea

    • Endo/trache/al: Within the trachea

Bronchi Terminology

  • Bronch/o = Bronchi

    • Conditions:

    • Bronch/itis: Inflammation of the bronchi

    • Bronch/o/scope: An instrument to examine the bronchi

    • Bronch/o/scopy: Examination of a bronchus with an instrument

    • Bronch/o/fiber/o/scopy: Use of a flexible bronchofiberscope to examine the tracheobronchial tree

    • Bronch/o/rrhagia: Bronchial hemorrhage

    • Bronch/o/spasm: Spasm of a bronchus

    • Bronch/o/lith: calculus in a bronchus

Pleura Terminology

  • Pleur/o = Pleura

    • Conditions:

    • Pleur/al: Pertaining to the pleura (membrane around the lungs)

    • Pleur/itis / Pleur/isy: Inflammation of the pleura

    • Pleur/algia: Pain in the pleura

    • Pleur/o/centesis: Surgical puncturing of the pleura

    • Pleur/o/lith: Calculus in the pleura

    • Pleur/ectomy: Excision of part of the pleura

Diaphragm Terminology

  • Phren/o = Diaphragm

    • Functions:

    • Phrenic nerve: Controls the diaphragm.

    • Conditions:

    • Phren/o/plegia: Paralysis of the diaphragm

    • Phren/ectomy: Removal of a portion of the phrenic nerve

Left and Right Terminology

  • Sinistr/o = Left

    • Terms:

    • Sinistr/al: Pertaining to the left

    • Sinistr/o/cardi/a: Displacement of the heart to the left

    • Sinistr/o/cerebr/al: Pertaining to the left half of the cerebrum

    • Sinistr/o/man/ual: Left-handed

    • Sinistr/o/ped/al: Left-footed

  • Dextr/o = Right

    • Terms:

    • Dextr/al: Pertaining to the right

    • Dextr/o/card/ia: Displacement of the heart to the right

    • Dextr/o/gastr/ia: Displacement of the stomach to the right

    • Dextr/o/man/ual: Right-handed

    • Dextr/o/ped/al: Right-footed

Pediatric and Geriatric Terminology

  • Pedi/a = Child

    • Terms:

    • Pedi/a/trician: A physician specialist who treats children

    • Pedi/a/trics: The medical specialty for treatment of diseases of children

  • Ger/i = Old age

    • Terms:

    • Ger/ont/o/logy: The study of treatment of aging and the elderly

    • Ger/i/atrics: The medical specialty involving treating diseases related to old age