Med Term Unit 1

Abdominocentesis A medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the abdominal cavity to remove fluid.

Abnormal acronym An acronym that represents something not typical or usual, often used in medical contexts to describe irregularities.

Acute Refers to a condition that comes on suddenly and is severe in nature but usually short-lived.

Angiography(ies) A medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside of blood vessels and organs of the body.

Appendectomy(ies)/APPY Surgical removal of the appendix.

Arteriosclerosis(es) A condition in which the walls of arteries become thickened and stiff, often leading to restricted blood flow.

Arthralgia(s) Pain in one or more joints.

Chronic A condition that persists over a long period or is constantly recurring.

Colostomy A surgical procedure that creates an opening from the colon to the outside of the body, allowing waste to leave the body through a stoma.

Combining form/CF A root word combined with a vowel to connect it with other word parts (e.g., "cardi/o" in cardiology).

Combining vowel/CV The vowel (usually 'o') used in a combining form to link a root to another root or suffix (e.g., "o" in "cardiology").

Cyanosis A bluish discoloration of the skin due to poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood.

Dermatologist A medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders.

Diagnosis(es)/Dx The identification of a disease or condition based on signs, symptoms, and tests.

Diarrhea(ae) Frequent, loose, or watery bowel movements.

Differential diagnosis(es)/DDx A process of distinguishing a disease or condition from others that present with similar symptoms.

Disease A pathological condition of a bodily part, an animal, or plant resulting from various causes such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress.

Edema Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body's tissues.

Endarterial Pertaining to the inside of an artery.

Eponym A disease, procedure, or anatomical structure named after a person.

Erythrocyte A red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body and brings carbon dioxide back to the lungs.

Exudate Fluid, cells, or other substances that are discharged from blood vessels due to inflammation.

Fissure A narrow opening or crack in the skin or other tissue.

Fistula(ae) An abnormal connection between two body parts or organs.

Gastralgia Pain in the stomach.

Gastritis(ides) Inflammation of the stomach lining.

Gastroenteritis(ides) Inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically caused by infection.

Gastrosis(es) Any disease of the stomach.

Hemorrhage Excessive bleeding.

Hepatomegaly Enlargement of the liver.

Hypertension High blood pressure.

Hypotension Low blood pressure.

Ileum(a) The final part of the small intestine.

Ilium(a) The uppermost and largest part of the hip bone.

Infection The invasion of microorganisms that cause disease.

Inflammation A response of body tissues to injury or infection characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.

Interstitial Pertaining to or occurring in the spaces between tissues or structures.

Intramuscular/IM Administered or occurring within a muscle.

Laceration A tear or cut in the skin or flesh.

Lesion A region in an organ or tissue that has been damaged through injury or disease.

Malaise A general feeling of discomfort or unease, often indicative of illness.

Melanosis A condition characterized by excessive deposits of melanin in the tissues.

Mycosis(es) Fungal infection or disease affecting the body.

Myelopathy Disease or damage to the spinal cord.

Myopathy Muscle disease causing weakness or dysfunction.

Myorrhexis Rupture of a muscle.

Myorrhaphy Surgical suturing or repair of a muscle.

Natal Relating to birth or occurring at the time of birth.

Neonatology The branch of medicine that focuses on the care and treatment of newborns.

Neurorrhaphy Surgical suturing of a nerve.

Neuroplasty Surgical repair or reconstruction of a nerve.

Otorhinolaryngology The branch of medicine concerned with the ear, nose, and throat.

Palpation The examination technique of feeling with the hands to detect abnormalities.

Palpitation A noticeably rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Pathology/Path The study of disease, including its causes, processes, and effects.

Phalanx (Phalanges) The bones of the fingers and toes.

Poliomyelitis(ides)/Polio A viral disease that can cause paralysis and affects the spinal cord.

Prefix(es) A syllable or group of syllables added at the beginning of a word to alter its meaning.

Prognosis(es)/Prog A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease.

Pyoderma(ae) Skin infection with pus formation.

Pyrosis(es) A burning sensation in the chest, commonly known as heartburn.

Remission A decrease or disappearance of the signs and symptoms of a disease.

Sign Objective evidence of a disease that can be observed or measured.

Suffix(es) A syllable or group of syllables added at the end of a word to alter its meaning.

Supination Movement that turns the palm up or the body part facing upward.

Suppuration The process of forming or discharging pus.

Supracostal Located above or pertaining to the ribs.

Symptom Subjective evidence of a disease or condition experienced by the patient.

Syndrome A group of symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality.

Tenorrhaphy Surgical repair or suturing of a tendon.

Tonsillitis(ides) Inflammation of the tonsils.

Trauma A physical injury or wound caused by external force.

Triage The process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their conditions.

Viral Relating to or caused by a virus.

Virile Having qualities traditionally associated with masculinity or strength.

Word root/WR The main part of a word that provides its fundamental meaning.

-algia, -dynia Suffixes indicating pain (e.g., neuralgia for nerve pain, arthrodynia for joint pain).

-centesis Puncture or surgical procedure to remove fluid (e.g., abdominocentesis).

-ectomy Surgical removal of a part (e.g., appendectomy).

-gram/graph A record or picture (e.g., electrocardiogram).

-graph A device used for recording (e.g., cardiograph).

-graphy The process of recording or imaging (e.g., angiography).

-itis(ides) Infection or inflammation (e.g., tonsillitis).

-lysis Destruction or breakdown (e.g., hemolysis).

-malacia Softening of tissues (e.g., osteomalacia).

-megaly Enlargement (e.g., hepatomegaly).

-necrosis(es) Death of tissue (e.g., necrosis).

-ologist/-ology One who studies or the study of (e.g., cardiologist, cardiology).

-ostomy Creating an opening (e.g., colostomy).

-otomy Incision or cutting into (e.g., tracheotomy).

-pexy Surgical fixation (e.g., nephropexy).

-plasty Surgical repair or reconstruction (e.g., rhinoplasty).

-rrhage, -rrhagia Excessive bleeding or discharge (e.g., hemorrhage).

-rrhaphy Surgical suturing (e.g., herniorrhaphy).

-rrhea Flow or discharge (e.g., diarrhea).

-rrhexis Rupture (e.g., myorrhexis).

-sclerosis Hardening (e.g., arteriosclerosis).

-scope/scopy Instrument for viewing or the process of viewing (e.g., endoscope, endoscopy).

-stenosis Narrowing of a passage (e.g., spinal stenosis).

-ago, -esis, -ia, -iasis, -ion, -ism, -osis Condition or process (e.g., dermatosis, embolism).

-a, -e, -um, -us, -y Nouns and suffixes indicating singular forms (e.g., fascia, vertebra).

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ial, -ical, -ic, -ine, -ior, -ory, -ous, -tic Adjectives describing relating to or pertaining to (e.g., cardiac, muscular).

-ae, -i Plural forms of nouns (e.g., vertebrae, bacteria).

ab- From, away from (e.g., abduct).

ad- Toward, increase (e.g., adduct).

arteri/o Artery (e.g., arteriosclerosis).

arthr/o Joint (e.g., arthritis).

ather/o Yellowish plaque, fatty substance (e.g., atherosclerosis).

cost/o Rib (e.g., costochondritis).

cyan/o Blue (e.g., cyanosis).

dextro- Right side (e.g., dextrocardia).

dys- Difficult, painful, or abnormal (e.g., dysplasia).

erythr/o Red (e.g., erythrocyte).

eu- Normal, good (e.g., eupnea).

hyper- Excessive, above normal (e.g., hypertension).

hypo- Below normal, deficient (e.g., hypoglycemia).

inter- Between or among (e.g., intervertebral, between vertebrae).

intra- Within or inside (e.g., intravenous, within a vein).

leuk/o White (e.g., leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells).

melan/o Black or dark (e.g., melanoma, a type of skin cancer).

myel/o Spinal cord or bone marrow (e.g., myelopathy, a spinal cord disease).

my/o Muscle (e.g., myopathy, muscle disease).

olig/o Few or deficient (e.g., oliguria, reduced urine output).

peri- Surrounding or around (e.g., pericardium, the membrane around the heart).

poli/o Gray matter of the brain or spinal cord (e.g., poliomyelitis, inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord).

post- After or behind (e.g., postnatal, after birth).

pre- Before (e.g., prenatal, before birth).

py/o Pus (e.g., pyorrhea, pus discharge from the gums).

pyel/o Renal pelvis (e.g., pyelonephritis, inflammation of the renal pelvis).

pyr/o Fever or heat (e.g., pyrexia, fever).

sinistro- Left side (e.g., sinistrocardia, displacement of the heart to the left).

sub- Under or below (e.g., subcutaneous, under the skin).

supra-, super Above or over (e.g., suprarenal, above the kidney; superinfection, a secondary infection).

leuk/o White (e.g., leukocyte, white blood cell).

melan/o Black (e.g., melanocyte, cell that produces pigment).

myel/o Spinal cord or bone marrow (e.g., myeloma, tumor of the bone marrow).

my/o Muscle (e.g., myositis, inflammation of the muscle).

olig/o Few or scanty (e.g., oligodendrocyte, a type of glial cell in the central nervous system).

peri- Surrounding (e.g., peritoneum, lining of the abdominal cavity).

poli/o Gray matter (e.g., poliomyelitis, inflammation of gray matter in the spinal cord).

post- After (e.g., postpartum, after birth).

pre- Before (e.g., preoperative, before surgery).

py/o Pus (e.g., pyoderma, pus-filled skin infection).

pyel/o Renal pelvis (e.g., pyelogram, X-ray of the renal pelvis).

pyr/o Fever (e.g., pyretic, relating to fever).

sinistro- Left (e.g., sinistrorse, turning to the left).

sub- Under (e.g., subdural, under the dura mater).

supra-, super Above (e.g., suprapubic, above the pubic bone; supernormal, exceeding normal).