Body Structure, Word Elements, Diagnostic Procedures, and Abbreviations

Diagnostic and Surgical Procedures

  • laser surgery (LA-zer SUR-jĕr-e):
    • Definition: Use of a high-intensity laser light beam to remove diseased tissues, to stop bleeding, or for cosmetic purposes.
    • Applications: Laser surgery is utilized in a wide variety of noninvasive and minimally invasive procedures, including the removal of lesions, scars, tattoos, wrinkles, sunspots, or birthmarks.
  • revision:
    • Definition: Surgical procedure used to replace or compensate for a previously implanted device or correct an undesirable result or effect of a previous surgery.

Body Structure Abbreviations

  • AP: Anteroposterior
  • Bx, bx: Biopsy
  • CBC: Complete blood count
  • CT: Computed tomography
  • DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid
  • Dx: Diagnosis
  • I&D: Incision and drainage
  • LAT, lat: Lateral
  • LLQ: Left lower quadrant
  • LUQ: Left upper quadrant
  • MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging
  • PET: Positron emission tomography
  • RF: Rheumatoid factor; radio frequency
  • RLQ: Right lower quadrant
  • RUQ: Right upper quadrant
  • SPECT: Single-photon emission computed tomography
  • Sx: Symptom
  • Tx: Treatment
  • U&L, U/L: Upper and lower
  • US: Ultrasound, ultrasonography

Anatomical and Directional Terminology (Learning Activity 4-1)

  • Matching Terms and Definitions:
    • Abdominopelvic: Ventral cavity that contains digestive, reproductive, and excretory structures.
    • Adduction: Movement toward the median plane.
    • Cervical: Part of the spine known as the neck.
    • Coccyx: Tailbone.
    • Deep: Away from the surface of the body (internal).
    • Eversion: Turning outward.
    • Inferior (caudal): Away from the head; toward the tail or lower part of a structure.
    • Inversion: Turning inward or inside out.
    • Lumbar: Part of the spine known as the loin.
    • Plantar: Pertaining to the sole of the foot.
    • Posterior (dorsal): Near the back of the body.
    • Prone: Lying horizontal with face downward.
    • Proximal: Nearer to the center (trunk of the body).
    • Superficial: Toward the surface of the body (external).
    • Thoracic: Ventral cavity that contains the heart, lungs, and associated structures.
  • Evaluation and Self-Study Instructions:
    • Scoring calculation for Activity 4-1: Correct Answers×6.67=% Score\text{Correct Answers} \times 6.67 = \text{\% Score}
    • Medical Language Lab resource: Visit medicallanguagelab.com to enhance study and reinforcement of chapter content with flash-card activities prior to starting Learning Activities 4-2 and 4-3.

Basic Word Elements (Learning Activity 4-2)

  • Word Elements and Definitions:
    • melan/o: Black
    • dist/o: Far, farthest
    • cyt/o: Cell
    • anter/o: Anterior, front
    • leuk/o: White
    • cyan/o: Blue
    • xanth/o: Yellow
    • dors/o: Back (of body)
    • -ar: Pertaining to
    • peri-: Around
    • later/o: Side, to one side
    • caud/o: Tail
    • -ia: Condition
    • ultra-: Excess, beyond
    • ventr/o: Belly, belly side
    • super-: Upper, above
    • hist/o: Tissue
    • proxim/o: Near, nearest
    • medi/o: Middle
    • erythr/o: Red
  • Scoring Calculation:
    • Formula: Correct Answers×5=% Score\text{Correct Answers} \times 5 = \text{\% Score}

Building Basic Terms (Learning Activity 4-3)

  • Element Categories Available:
    • Combining Forms: anter/o, cephal/o, cirrh/o, dors/o, erythr/o, gastr/o (or gastric), melan/o (or melanic), radi/o, ventr/o
    • Suffixes: -ad, -al, -cyte, -ic, -ior, -logist, -oma, -osis
    • Prefixes: epi-, hypo-
  • Constructed Medical Terms:
    1. Pertaining to the front (of the body): anterior
    2. Toward the head: cephalad
    3. Pertaining to the back (of the body): dorsal
    4. Pertaining to the belly side (front of the body): ventral
    5. Abnormal condition of yellow(ing): cirrhosis
    6. Cell that is red: erythrocyte
    7. Tumor that is black: melanoma
    8. Specialist in the study of radiation or x-rays: radiologist
    9. Pertaining to above the (area of the) stomach: epigastric
    10. Pertaining to under or below the (area of the) stomach: hypogastric
  • Scoring Calculation:
    • Formula: Correct Answers×10=% Score\text{Correct Answers} \times 10 = \text{\% Score}

Medical Word Building (Learning Activity 4-4)

  • Word Construction using Combining Form cyt/o:
    • Specialist in the study of cells: cytologist
    • Study of cells: cytology
  • Word Construction using Suffix -cyte (cells):
    • Red cell: erythrocyte
    • White cell: leukocyte
    • Black cell: melanocyte
  • Word Construction using Suffix -al (pertaining to):
    • Pertaining to the belly or belly side: ventral
    • Pertaining to the nearest (point of attachment): proximal
    • Pertaining to the middle: medial
    • Pertaining to the farthest (point of attachment): distal
    • Pertaining to the side, to one side: lateral
  • Scoring Calculation:
    • Formula: Correct Answers×10=% Score\text{Correct Answers} \times 10 = \text{\% Score}