Med Term 1

  • -megaly = enlargement

  • -ectomy = removal

  • -tomy = incision

  • -malacia = abnormal softening

  • -sclerosis = abnormal hardening 

  • Pmhx- past medical history

  • DDX- differential diagnosis

  • Exacerbation (worsening of a condition)

  • Febrile vs. afebrile (fever vs no fever)

  • Unremarkable- a negative result

  • Marked- a problem has been detected

  • Etiology vs. idiopathic (cause vs no known cause)

  • FHx- family history

  • H&P- history & physical

  • HPI- history of present illness

  • CTA- clear to auscultation

  • PERRLA- pupils equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation

  • PO- per os (by mouth)

  • CVL- central venous line

  • IM- Intramuscular

  • PR- per rectum (anal)

  • NPO- nil per os (nothing by mouth)

  • PICC- Peripherally inserted central catheter

  • PRN- as needed

  • QID- 4 times daily

  • QD- once daily 

  • AC- before meals

  • TID- 3 times daily

  • BID- twice daily

  • PC- after meals

  • QHS- at bedtime

  • NAD- no acute distress

  • CTA- clear to auscultation

  • NOS- not otherwise specified

  • Epidermis- mostly made up of squamous cells (scaly)

  • Dermis- made up of a few cells and many thick fibers (collagen, elastin reticular)

  • Fat: adip/o, lip/o, steat/o

  • Skin: cutane/o, derm/o, dermat/o

  • Hair: pil/o, trich/o

  • Sweat: hidr/o

  • Nail: onych/o, ungu/o 

  • Scale: squam/o (scaly layer)

  • Oil: seb/o, sebace/o 

  • Scaly skin: ichthyo

  • Hardness/ horniness: Kerato

  • Thickness: pachyo-

  • Dryness: Xero-

  • Wrinkled: rhytido-

  • White: leuko- , alb/o

  • Redness: erythro

  • Yellowness: xantho

  • Black: melano 

  • Blue: cyan/o

  • Pruritus- an itch

  • Comedo- blocked hair follicle, white or black head

  • Urticaria- swollen, itchy areas of skin (Hives)

  • Macerate- to soften the skin, (with fluid)

  • Small bumps (<1cm): Papules

  • Bumps >1cm: Nodules

  • Bumps filled with fluid, <1 cm and filled with clear fluid (blister): Vesicles

  • Bumps filled with fluid, >1 cm and filled with clear fluid (blister): Bulla

  • Pustules- are filled with pus

  • Abscesses- are large pustules

  • Macules: freckles

  • Large macules: patches

  • Cherry angioma- raised blood vessel tumor (sometimes seen on the head of a baby)

  • Telangiectasia- the overexpansion of blood vessels, flat spider like vessels

  • Petechiae- small bruise

  • Ecchymosis- large bruise

  • Cicatrix: scar

  • Keloid- overgrowth of scar tissue

  • Mole: Nevus

  • Wart: Verruca

  • -lysis - loose

  • Mycosis- fungal infection

  • Discharge: -rrhe

  • Heterograft/ xenograft- graft from another species

  • Homograft- graft from same species

  • Autograft- graft from another part of the patient’s body

  • Epiphysis- ends of bones

  • Diaphysis- middle of bone (shaft)

  • Metaphysis- neck; connects the diaphysis with the epiphysis

  • -physis = growth

  • oste/o = bone

  • Peri = around

  • Crani/o = head/skull

  • cervic/o = neck

  • spondyl/o = vertebra

  • lumb/o = Lower back

  • brachi/o = upper arm

  • dactyl/o = finger or digit

  • carp/o = wrist

  • cost/o = rib

  • femor/o =femur

  • tibi/o = tibia, shin bone

  • tars/o = ankle

  • arthr/o- Joint

  • Ligaments- join bone to bone (deeper structures)

  • Tendons- join muscles to bone (tend to be superficial); ten/o, tend/o, tendin/o

  •  Cartilage- hyaline cartilage on the ends of bones at joints; chondr/o

  • Bursa- sacs of fluid found under tendons or muscles to reduce friction between structures; burs/o

  • muscul/o, my/o, myos/o- Muscle

  • Fascia- connective tissue (forms covering of muscles, can also be larger/ stronger structure); fasci/o- 

  • ton/o- , tension

  • tax/o- arrangement, order, coordination

  • ankyl/o- stiff, bent

  • algia- Pain

  • Genu varum- knee blowed out

  • Genu valgum- knee pointed in

  • -taxia = coordination

  • Lordosis- excessive lumbar curve

  • Syn= together

  • Dactyl = finger

  • -cele= hernia

  • -luxation = dislocation

  • -clasia = breaking

  • cerebr/o, encephal/o = brain

  • cerebell/o = cerebellum = little brain

  • lob/o = lobe

  • cephal/o = head (VS encephal/o = brain)

  • crani/o = head or skull

  • mening/o, meningi/o = meninges

  • dur/o = dura mater

  • neur/o = nerve

  • gangli/o = nerve bundle= collection of nerve cells

  • myel/o= spinal cord or bone marrow

  • esthesi/o = feelings or sensations

  • phas/o = speech

  • phren/o, psych/o = mind

  • somn/o, somn/i, hypn/o = sleep

  • gnosi/o = knowledge

  • -mania = excessive desire

  • -phobia = excessive fear

  • -paresis = slight, partial paralysis

  • Ton/o = muscle , tension, pressure

  • tax/o = order, arrangement, coordination

  • -plegia= paralysis

  • Delirium- acute state of confusion

  • Catatonia- reduced muscle 

  • Myoclonus- muscle twitching

  •  Somn- sleep

  • Syncope- fainting

  • Causalgia- burning pain

  • Acrophobia- fear of heights

  • Agoraphobia- fear of open spaces

  • Rrhag- = excessive bleeding

  • Anxiolytic- decreases anxiety

  • Analgesic- relieves pain

  • Anticonvulsant- opposes convulsions

  • Hypnotic- aids in producing sleep

  • Thrombolytic- destroys thrombus (blood clot)

  • -asthenia = weakness