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Med Term HOSA
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Caus/o | burning sensation |
Cephal/o | head |
Concuss/o | shaken together |
Contus/o | bruise |
Electr/o | electrical |
Encephal/o or Cerebr/o | brain |
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) | fluid that cushions and nourishes the brain and spinal cord |
Hydr/o | water |
Esthet/o | feeling |
Klept/o | to steal |
Mening/o | meninges (brain covering) |
Myel/o | spinal cord |
Neur/o | nerve |
Myelin Sheath | protective covering of the neuron |
Neurotransmitter | a chemical substance that transmits messages between nerve cells |
Psych/o | mind |
-algia | pain |
-cele | hernia |
-esthesia | sensation/feeling |
-graphy | process of recording an image |
-itis | inflammation |
-mania | madness |
-phobia | abnormal fear |
A or An- | without |
Par- | abnormal |
Carotid Ultrasonography | process of using sound to take a 3D picture of the carotid arteries to determine blood flow and plaque build-up |
Echoencephalography | process of using sound to take a 2D picture of the brain structures |
Electroencephalography | process of recording electrical activity within the brain (through the use of electrodes on the scalp) |
Myelography | process of taking a picture of the spinal cord |
Anesthesia | the absence of sensation/feeling (especially pain) |
General Anesthesia | affects the brain and entire body |
Regional Anesthesia | affects the area around major nerves (larger |
Local Anesthesia | directly affects the surgical site |
Anesthetic | the medication used to induce anesthesia |
Epidural Anesthesia | regional anesthetic that is injected into the epidural space of the spine (Ex: child delivery) |
Anesthesiologist | physician who specializes in administering anesthetics before surgery |
Anesthetist | specialist (a RN; not a physician) in administering anesthetics |
Neurologist | physician who specializes in the diagnosing/treating diseases of the nervous system |
Neurosurgeon | physician who specializes in surgery of the nervous system |
Stroke | damage that occurs to the brain when blood flow is disrupted |
Hemorrhagic Stroke | a type of stroke that occurs from a bleed |
Ischemic Stroke | a type of stroke that occurs when the blood flow is blocked |
Concussion | the violent shaking up of the brain (that may result in a temporary loss of awareness and function) |
Cerebral Contusion | bruising of the brain tissue |
Cerebral Hematoma | a collection of blood trapped in the tissues of the brain |
Syncope | fainting |
Lethargy | lowered level of consciousness (drowsiness/apathy/reduced activity) |
Coma | a deep state of unconsciousness with the absence of spontaneous eye movement/speech/response to pain |
Epilepsy | seizure disorder (sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain) |
Dementia | progressive decline in mental abilities (memory/thinking/judgment) |
Alzheimer’s Disease | progressive deterioration of the brain structures that affect thought/memory |
Parkinson’s Disease | progressive loss of control over muscle movements (tremors/bradykinesia/shuffling gait) |
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) | nerve cells deteriorate and cannot send impulses to the muscles which results in progressive muscle weakness and eventual paralysis (also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease) |
Bell’s Palsy | temporary paralysis of one of the 7th cranial nerves (affects one side of the face) |
Guillain-Barre Syndrome | inflammation of the myelin sheath of peripheral nerves that can lead to temporary paralysis (autoimmune reaction to viral infection) |
Multiple Sclerosis | autoimmune disorder characterized by demyelination which disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses |
Sciatica | inflammation of the nerve that results in pain in the thigh/leg |
Trigeminal Neuralgia | lightning-like pain from inflammation of one of the 5th cranial nerves (affects one side of the face) |
Causalgia | burning pain (usually a result of injury to a sensory nerve) |
Hyperesthesia | condition of excessive sensation (sensitivity to touch/pain) |
Paresthesia | abnormal sensation (burning/prickling) |
Psychiatrist | physician who specializes in diagnosing/treating chemical dependency/emotional problems/mental illness |
Psychologist | specialist (not a physician) who evaluates and treats emotional problems |
Autism | spectrum of disorders in which an individual cannot develop normal social relationships |
Dyslexia | learning disability in which the brain cannot process symbols (reading disorder) |
Insomnia | prolonged or abnormal inability to sleep |
Narcolepsy | disorder with sudden/uncontrollable brief episodes of falling asleep during the day |
Acrophobia | abnormal fear of (being on) top (high places) |
Claustrophobia | abnormal fear of barriers (enclosed spaces) |
Panic Attack | intense emotional feelings (fear/terror) with physical symptoms |
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | characterized by recurrent/unwanted obsessions and compulsions (impulses to act) |
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | symptoms of anxiety/sleep disorders/difficulty concentrating/emotional disturbances that may develop after a traumatic event |
Anxiolytic | medication that relieves anxiety and reduces tension (also known as an antianxiety or tranquilizer) |
Kleptomania | madness to steal |
Pyromania | madness with (setting) fires |
Trichotillomania | madness related to hair (pulling) |
Factitious disorder | condition in which an individual acts as if he/she has a physical illness when he/she is not really sick. This may include self-inflicted symptoms |
Hypochondriasis | fear that one has a serious illness despite appropriate medical evaluation |
Delusion | a false personal belief |
Hallucination | sensory perception (sight/touch/sound/smell/taste) experienced without actual stimulation |
Schizophrenia | characterized by withdrawal from reality and disorganized thinking (with delusions and hallucinations) |
Antipsychotics | medication that works against the mind |
AD | Alzheimer's Diesease |
ALS | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis |
ADHA | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder |
CP | Cerebral Palsy |
CSF | Cerebrospinal Fluid |
ECG | Electroencephalgraphy |
EPAN | Epidural anesthesia |
ICP | Intercranial Pressure |
LOC | Level of Consciousness |
MS | Multiple Sclerosis |
OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder |
Cyst/o | bladder (Function: stores urine) |
Glomerul/o | glomeruli (Function: filtering unit of the kidneys) |
Hemat/o (Hem/o) | blood |
Lith/o | stone or calculus |
Nephr/o | kidney (Function: filter waste products from the blood and control blood volume) |
Olig/o | scanty |
Py/o | pus |
Pyel/o | renal pelvis (Function: collects urine that is filtered from the glomeruli) |
Ureter/o | ureter (Function: transports urine from the kidney to the bladder) |
Urethr/o | urethra (Function: transports urine from the bladder to be excreted out of the body) |
Ur/o or Urin/o | urine (Function: liquid waste product that contains urea) |
-cele | hernia or protrusion |
-ectasis | stretching |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-emia | blood condition |
-gram | record /picture |
-graphy | process of recording/producing a picture/record |
-itis | inflammation |
-lysis | freeing/loosening |
-ostomy | surgical creation of an opening |
-otomy | surgical incision |
-pathy | disease |
-pexy | surgical fixation |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-ptosis | droop or prolapsed |
-rrhagia | excessive or sudden flow (bleeding) |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing |
-scopy | visual examination |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
-tripsy | to crush |
-uria | urination |
A- or An- | without/absence |
Dys- | bad/difficult/painful |
Hyper- | excessive |
Hypo- | below/deficient/decreased |
Poly- | many |
Nephrologist | specialist in diseases/disorders of the kidneys |
Urologist | specialist in diseases/disorders of the urinary system in females and the genitourinary system in males |
Cystoscopy | visual examination of the bladder |
Catheterization | the insertion of a tube into the bladder through the urethra to remove urine |
Intravenous Pyelogram | picture or record of the kidney(s) and ureter(s) using IV contrast |
Voiding Cystourethrography | process of recording or producing a picture/record of the flow of urine from the bladder to the urethra |
Diuresis | increased output of urination |
Enuresis | involuntary urination |
Incontinence | inability to control the excretion of urine/feces |
Urethropexy | surgical fixation of the urethra (to correct stress incontinence) |
Nocturia | nighttime urination |
Dysuria | difficult/bad/painful urination |
without urination | Anuria |
Oliguria | scanty urination |
Polyuria | many (frequent) urination |
Hematuria | blood in urine |
Pyuria | pus in urine |
Hyperproteinuria | urination of excessive protein |
Hypoproteinemia | blood condition of decreased/deficient protein |
Nephrolith | kidney stone |
Ureterolith | ureter stone |
Cystolith | bladder stone |
Lithotomy | surgical incision (into the bladder for the removal of a) stone |
Lithotripsy | to crush a stone (using external shockwaves) |
Nephropathy | any disease of the kidneys |
Nephrectasis | stretching of the kidney (distention) |
Nephritis | inflammation of the kidney |
Glomerulonephritis | inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidney |
Nephroptosis | prolapsed of a kidney |
Nephropyosis | abnormal condition of kidney pus (suppuration) |
Kidney Failure | inability of the kidneys to function/filter; may be the result of other kidney diseases |
Dialysis | procedure to remove waste products from the blood of a patient whose kidneys no longer function |
Hemodialysis | process by which waste products are directly filtered from blood |
Peritoneal Dialysis | process by which waste products are filtered out and drained from the peritoneal cavity |
Nephrolysis | freeing/loosening of a kidney (from adhesions) |
Nephropexy | surgical fixation of a (floating) kidney |
Nephrostomy | surgical creation of an opening from the kidney (to the exterior of the body) |
Pyeloplasty | surgical repair of the renal pelvis |
Pyelotomy | surgical incision into the renal pelvis (to correct a blockage) |
Ureterectasis | stretching (or distention) of a ureter |
Ureterorrhagia | excessive/sudden flow (bleeding) of the ureter |
Ureterectomy | surgical removal of a ureter |
Ureteroplasty | surgical repair of a ureter |
Ureterorrhaphy | surgical suturing of a ureter |
Cystis | inflammation of the bladder |
Cystocele | hernia/protrusion of the bladder (through the vaginal wall) |
Cystectomy | surgical removal of (all or part of) the bladder |
Cystopexy | surgical fixation of the bladder (to the abdominal wall) |
Cystorrhaphy | surgical suturing of the bladder |
Urethritis | inflammation of the urethra |
Urethrorrhagia | excessive/sudden flow (bleeding) of the urethra |
Urethrostenosis | abnormal narrowing of the urethra |
BPH | benign prostatic hypertrophy |
cath | catherization |
CRF | chronic renal failure |
cysto | cystoscopy |
IVP | intravenous pyelogram |
PKD | polycystic kidney disease |
-algia | pain and suffering |
dys- | difficult, painful or bad |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
hyper- | over, above or increased |
hypo- | below, under or decreased |
-itis | inflammation |
-osis | a disease or abnormal condition |
-otomy | a surgical incision |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhage/-rrhagia | sudden abnormal or excessive flow |
-rrhaphy | to suture or stitch |
-rrhea | flow or discharge |
-rrhexis | rupture |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
appendic/o | appendix |
arteri/o | artery |
arthr/o | joint |
ather/o | plaque or fatty substance |
gastr/o | stomach |
col/o | colon |
-graphy | process of recording a picture |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
-megaly | large or enlargement |
myc/o | fungus |
myel/o | spinal cord or bone marrow |
my/o | muscle |
-necrosis | tissue death |
neur/o | nerve |
-ologist | specialist |
-ology | study of |
-pathy | disease |
peri- | surrounding |
pre- | before |
post- | after |
py/o | pus |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
angi/o | blood vessel |
cardi/o | heart |
erythr/o | red |
cyan/o | blue |
leuk/o | white |
melan/o | black |
poli/o | gray |
hepat/o | liver |
pyr/o | heat, fever, fire |
-dynia | pain, suffering |
-centesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
-gram | picture or record |
-ostomy | creation of an artificial opening to the body surface |
-scopy | visual examination |
ab- | away from |
ad- | toward |
eu- | good, normal, well, or easy |
inter- | between, among |
intra- | within, inside |
sub- | under, less, below |
super-/supra | above, excessive |
nat/o | birth |
Neo- | new |
AP | Appendicitis or Appendectomy |
CFS | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
diff Dx | differential diagnosis |
Dx | diagnosis |
He | Hemorrhage |
Inflam | Inflammation |
IM | Intramuscular |
Path | pathology |
PN | Post Natal |
prog | prognosis |
Albin/o | white |
Alopec/o | baldness |
Blephar/o | eye lid |
Carcin/o | cancerous |
Contus/o | bruise |
Cutane/o or Derm/o or Dermat/o | skin |
Crypt/o | hidden |
Erythem/o | redness/flushed |
Follicul/o | hair follicle |
Hidr/o | sweat |
Kerat/o | horny/hard |
Melan/o | black/dark |
Myc/o | fungus |
Onych/o | nail |
Pedicul/o | lice |
Rhytid/o | wrinkle |
Scler/o (-sclerosis) | abnormal hardening |
Seb/o | sebum/wax/oil |
Xer/o | dry |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-ichthy | dry or scaly |
-oma | tumor |
-osis | abnormal condition |
-phagia | eating/swallowing |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhea | abnormal flow/discharge |
An- | without |
Hyper- | excessive |
Dermatologist | physician who specializes in diagnosing/treating disorders of the skin |
Cosmetic Surgeon | physician who specializes in the surgical restoration/reconstruction of body structures (plastic surgeon) |
Miliaria | inflammation caused by trapped sweat (heat/prickly rash) |
Comedo | buildup of sebum in a hair follicle (blackhead/open or a whitehead/closed) |
Seborrhea | abnormal flow of sebum (overproduction) |
Diaphoresis | sweating |
Anhidrosis | abnormal condition lacking/without sweat |
Hyperhidrosis | abnormal condition of excessive sweat |
Sleep Hyperhidrosis | night sweats |
Folliculitis | inflammation of the follicle |
Alopecia | partial of complete lack of hair |
Hirsutism | abnormal hairiness (in women) |
Onychcryptosis | abnormal condition of hidden nail (ingrown toenail) |
Onychomycosis | abnormal condition of nail fungus |
Onychophagia | condition of nail eating (nail biting) |
Albinism | genetic condition characterized by the absence/deficiency of pigmentation |
Chloasma | mask of pregnancy |
Melanosis | abnormal condition of black (pigmentation on different parts of the body) |
Vitiligo | loss of pigment in areas of the skin resulting in milk-white patches |
Contusion | bruise |
Purpura | skin hemorrhage |
Petechiae | small pinpoint hemorrhages |
Lesion | pathologic tissue change due to disease or injury |
Crust | scab |
Macule | discolored flat spot that is less than 1cm in diameter (freckles or flat moles) |
Papule | small/solid raised skin lesion less than 0.5mm in diameter with no visible fluid (pimple) |
Wheal | red raised area of skin |
Abscess | closed pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection |
Cyst | closed pouch containing air/fluid/semi-fluid |
Pustule | small elevation of skin containing pus (pimple) |
Vesicle | small blister (contains a watery fluid) |
Bulla | large blister (contains watery fluid) |
Laceration | torn or jagged wound |
Puncture | deep hole made by a sharp object |
Ulcer | open lesion of the skin or mucous membrane resulting in tissue loss around the edges |
Port-wine stain | flat/dark red birthmark (require laser treatment) |
Strawberry hemangioma | soft/raised/purplish birthmark made by a mass of superficial blood and blood vessels (resolve by age 5) |
Dermatitis | inflammation of the skin |
Pruritis | itching |
Dermatosis | general term for any skin conditions not associated with inflammation |
Erythema | redness of the skin (sunburn |
Ichthyosis | hereditary disorders of dry/thickened/scaly skin (slowed skin shedding or over production of skin cells) |
Lupus Erythematosus | autoimmune disorder with a red-scaly rash on the face and upper trunk (also attacks other body tissues) |
Psoriasis | red papules covered with silvery scales that occur in flare-ups |
Scleroderma | autoimmune disorder in which the tissues become thick and hardened |
Urticaria | itchy wheals (hives) caused by an allergic reaction |
Xeroderma | dry skin |
Pediculosis | lice infestation |
Scabies | infestation with an itch mite that causes blisters from the burrowed eggs |
Impetigo | bacterial skin infection characterized by pustules (contagious) |
Tinea | fungal skin infection affecting different body areas (athlete’s foot; jock itch) |
Cellulitis | infection within the connective tissue |
Gangrene | tissue death caused by a loss of circulation with a following bacterial infection |
Necrotizing fasciitis | flesh-eating bacteria |
Callus | thickened skin on the hands/feet caused by repeat rubbing |
Cicatrix | normal scar |
Keloid | abnormally raised or thickened scar |
Keratosis | abnormal condition of hard (overgrowth/thickening of the skin) |
Nevi | moles (small dark growths from pigmented cells in the skin) |
Skin Tags | small flesh colored growths that hang from the body (benign and enlarge with age) |
Actinic Keratosis | precancerous skin lesion (red scaly patch) that occurs on sun damaged skin |
Squamous Cell Carcinoma | cancerous skin lesion derived from the shedding cells (started as AK) |
Malignant Melanoma | skin cancer derived from cells capable of forming melanin |
Biopsy | removal of a small piece of living tissue for examination |
Debridement | scraping of debris/dead tissue from a wound to promote healing |
Incision and Drainage | incision into a lesion (ex: abscess) and then draining the fluid |
Mohs Surgery | technique used to treat skin cancer in which individual layers of cancerous tissue are removed one at a time |
Blepharoplasty | surgical repair of the eye lid(s) (eye lift) |
Botox | injections to temporarily block nerve signals to the injected site |
Dermatoplasty | surgical repair of the skin (skin graft) |
Electrolysis | use of electric current to destroy a hair follicle |
Liposuction | removal of fat from beneath the skin with the aid of suction |
Rhytidectomy | surgical removal of wrinkles (face lift) |
BCCA | basal cell carcinoma |
caut | cauterization |
debm | debridement |
Ez | eczema |
LE | lupus erythematosus |
MM | malignant melanoma |
NF | narcotizing fasciitis |
Ps | psoriasis |
SCC | squamous cell carcinoma |
Abdomin/o | abdominal |
Adip/o | fat |
Aden/o | gland |
Anter/o | front or before |
Caud/o | tail or lower part of the body |
Carcin/o | cancerous |
Cephal/o | head |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
Cyt/o | cell |
Dem/o | population |
Dors/o | back of the body |
Gen/o | producing |
Hist/o | tissue |
Home/o | constant |
Idi/o | peculiar to the individual |
Ili/o | hip bone |
Lumb/o | lower back |
Path/o (-pathy) | disease |
Pelv/o | pelvis |
Physi/o | nature or physical |
Poster/o | back or toward the back |
Ventr/o | belly side of the body |
-crine | to secrete |
-oma | tumor |
-plasia | formation |
-plasm | formative material |
-stasis | control |
-trophy | development |
A- | without |
Ana- | excessive |
En-/ Endo- | within |
Epi- | above |
Eti/o | cause |
Exo- | out of |
Pan- | entire |
Genetic Disorders | pathologic conditions caused by absent or defective genes |
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) | condition in which the lungs and pancreas are clogged with abnormally thick mucus |
Down Syndrome | condition that is associated with characteristic facial appearance/learning disabilities/physical abnormalities such as heart valve disease |
Hemophilia (hemo) | bleeding disorder |
Huntington’s Disease | condition characterized by nerve degeneration |
Muscular Dystrophy | condition characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement |
Phenylketonuria (PKU) | condition characterized by a missing essential digestive enzyme that can lead to severe mental retardation if left undectected/untreated |
Tay-Sachs Disease | fatal condition in which harmful quantities of fatty substance build up in tissues and nerve cells in the brain |
Aplasia | the defective development or congenital absence of an organ/tissue |
Hypoplasia | incomplete development of an organ/tissue |
Anaplasia | change in the structure of cells and their orientation to each other |
Dysplasia | abnormal development of tissues/cells |
Hyperplasia | abnormal increase in the number of normal cells in normal arrangement in a tissue |
Hypertrophy | general increase in the bulk of a body part/organ due to an increase in size of cells in the tissues |
Indirect contact | spread of disease through contact with contaminated surface/object |
Bloodborne | spread of disease through contact with blood or body fluids containing blood |
Airborne | spread of disease through contact with respiratory droplets (cough/sneeze) |
Food-borne and water-borne | spread of disease by eating/drinking contaminated food/water that has not been properly treated/prepared |
Endemic | ongoing presence of a disease within a population (Ex: the common cold) |
Epidemic | sudden/widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area (Ex: measles) |
Pandemic | outbreak of disease occurring over a large geographic area or worldwide (Ex: AIDS) |
Functional disease | symptoms for which no physiological/anatomical cause can be identified (Ex: irritable bowel syndrome) |
Iatrogenic illness | unfavorable response to medical treatment (Ex: side effects from medication) |
Idiopathic disease | illness without known cause (Ex: Crohn’s disease) |
Infectious disease | caused by living pathogenic organisms (Ex: flu) |
Nosocomial Infection | infection acquired in a hospital or clinical setting |
Organic Disease | caused by detectable physical changes in the body (Ex: Diabetes) |
Congenital Disorder | abnormal condition that exists at the time of birth |
Exocrine | secrete substances into ducts that lead into organs or out of the body (Ex: sweat gland) |
Endocrine | produce hormones that a secreted into the bloodstream to be transported to other organs |
Epidemi/o | among people |
-ology | study of |
-ologist | specialist |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
Dys- | bad, difficult, painful |
-itis | inflammation |
Umbilic/o | umbilicus (belly button) |
A | anterior |
Abd | abdomen |
anat | anatomy |
CD | communicable disease |
CH | chromosome |
cyt | cytology or cytoplasm |
D | dorsal |
epid | epidemic |
hemo | hemophilia |
Histo | histology |
P | physiology or posterior |
umb | umbilical |
ventr | ventral |
Midsagittal Plane | divides body along the midline into right and left |
Frontal Plane | divides body into anterior and posterior |
Transverse Plane | divides body into superior and inferior |
Histologist | specialist in the structure and composition of tissues |
Pathologist | specialist in the analysis of tissue samples to establish a diagnosis |
Cytologyst | specialist in the study of cells |
Geneticist | specialist in genetics |
CF | Cystic Fibrosis |
PKU | Phenylketonuria |
Ankyl/o | crooked, stiff, bent |
Arthr/o | joint |
Burs/o | bursa (sac of fluid near the joint) |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
Cost/o | rib |
Crani/o | skull |
Hem/o | blood |
Kyph/o | hump |
Lamin/o | lamina (part of bone that surrounds the spinal canal; where the spinal cord passes) |
Lord/o | swayback curve/bent backward |
Myel/o | bone marrow or spinal cord |
Oste/o | bone |
Pod/o | foot |
Por/o | pore (small opening) |
Scoli/o | curved |
Spondyl/o | vertebrae (backbone) |
Synovi/o; Synov/o | synovial membrane (membrane that lubricates the joints) |
-listhesis | slipping |
-lysis | loosening / setting free (therapeutic) or breaking down/destruction (diseased condition) |
-penia | deficiency |
-poietic | forming |
Prosthesis | substitute for a disease/missing body part |
Orthotic | mechanical appliance designed to control/correct/compensate for impaired limb function |
Bone Marrow Transplant | used to treat certain types of cancers (leukemia |
Allogenic BMT | uses healthy bone marrow from a compatible donor |
Autologous BMT | the patient receives his own marrow cells that have been previously harvested |
Hallux valgus | abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the great toe (bunion) |
Luxation | total dislocation of a bone from its joint |
Subluxation | partial displacement of a bone from its joint |
Rheumatoid Arthritis | joint inflammation caused by the body’s immune system attacking its own joint tissues |
Ankylosing Spondylitis | stiffening of the vertebrae with inflammation (another form of Rheumatoid Arthritis) |
Osteoarthritis | bone/joint inflammation caused by “wear-and-tear” of cartilage at the joints |
Spondylosis | “wear-and-tear” of the cartilage of the vertebrae |
Lumbago | pain in the lumbar region of the spine (may be caused by anything) |
Spondylolisthesis | vertebra slipping forward on the spinal column |
Spina Bifida | congenital defect where the spinal canal fails to close around the spinal cord |
Kyphosis | abnormal increase of the outward curvature of the spine (humpback) |
Lordosis | abnormal increase of the forward curvature (swayback) |
Scoliosis | abnormal lateral curvature of the spine (sideways) |
Compression fracture | collapse of a vertebra due to trauma or weakened state (osteoporosis) |
Comminuted fracture | bone is splintered/crushed into pieces |
Greenstick fracture | bone is bent/partially broken (usually in children) |
Open fracture | bone is broken out to the surface of the skin |
Spiral fracture | bone is broken by a twisting motion (usually in sports injuries) |
Stress fracture | small crack in the bone from overuse or chronic/excessive impact |
Arthrodesis | surgical fixation (fusion) of a joint (to stiffen the joint due to severe deformities) |
Percutaneous Vetebroplasty | surgical repair of the vertebrae where bone cement is injected to stabilize compression fractures |
Arthrolysis | surgical loosening of a (stiffened) joint |
Arthroplasty | surgical repair of a joint (may also be an artificial joint replacement) |
Bursectomy | surgical removal of bursa |
Chondroplasty | surgical repair of (damaged) cartilage |
Synovectomy | surgical removal of synovial membrane from a joint |
Laminectomy | surgical removal of lamina |
Craniotomy | surgical incision into the skull to gain access to the brain |
Craniectomy | surgical removal of a portion of the skull to relieve pressure from swelling of the brain |
Cranioplasty | surgical repair of the skull |
Osteoclasis | surgical fracture of a bone to correct a deformity |
Ostectomy | surgical removal of bone |
Osteoplasty | surgical repair of bone/bones |
Osteorrhaphy | surgical suturing (wiring together) of bones |
Osteotomy | surgical incision or sectioning of bone |
External fixation | fracture treatment where pins are placed in bone/soft tissues so an external appliance can hold the bone in place during healing |
Internal fixation | fracture treatment where pins or a plate directly hold the bone/broken pieces in place (this is not usually removed after healing) |
Bursitis | inflammation of a bursa |
Chondromalacia | abnormal softening of cartilage |
Chondroma | benign tumor in cartilage |
Costochondritis | inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the sternum |
Hemarthrosis | abnormal condition of blood within a joint |
Synovitis | inflammation of the synovial membrane |
Craniostenosis | abnormal narrowing of the skull (a malformation of the premature closure of the skull) |
Ostealgia | bone pain |
Osteitis | inflammation of bone |
Osteomalacia | abnormal softening of bones in adults (caused by Vitamin D deficiency) |
Osteomyelitis | inflammation of the bone and bone marrow |
Osteonecrosis | death of bone tissue (due to insufficient blood supply) |
Myeloma | cancer found in bone marrow |
Osteochondroma | benign bony projection covered with cartilage |
Osteoporosis | abnormal condition of porous bone (loss of bone density) |
Osteopenia | bone deficiency (thinner than average bone that is a risk factor for osteoporosis) |
Chiropractor | specializes in spinal manipulation to treat various disorders |
Orthopedic surgeon | specializes in diseases/disorders involving the bones |
Osteopath | uses traditional forms of medical treatment in addition to spinal manipulation |
Podiatrist | specializes in disorders of the foot |
Hemopoietic | pertaining to the formation of blood (from bone marrow) |
Arthrosclerosis | abnormal hardening of a joint |
Ankylosis | stiff; abnormal condition (loss of joint mobility) |
Hemopoietic | pertaining to the formation of blood (from bone marrow) |
Myeloma | tumor found in bone marrow |
Osteochondroma | benign tumor of bone and cartilage (cartilage-capped bony growth) |
BMT | Bone Marrow Transplant |
BDT | Bone Density Testing |
CR | Closed Reduction |
Fx | Fracture |
OA | Osteoarthritis |
OP | Osteoporosis |
TMJ | Temporomandibular Joint |
THA | Total Hip Ahtroplasty |
TJA | Total Joint Arhtroplasty |
TKA | Total Knee Arthroplasty |
-algia/-dynia | pain |
-cele | hernia/swelling |
-lysis | destruction/breakdown/loosening/setting free |
-clonus | violent action |
-desis | surgical fixation or to bind/tie together |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-ia | condition |
-ion | action/process/state/condition |
-itis | inflammation |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
-otomy | surgical incision |
-paresis | partial or incomplete paralysis |
A- | without |
Ab- | away |
Ad- | toward |
Brady- | slow |
Ex- | away from |
Dys- | bad/difficult/painful/abnormal |
Hemi- | half |
Hyper- | excessive |
Hypo- | deficient |
Poly- | many |
-penia | deficiency |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-plegia | paralysis |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing |
-rrhexis | rupture |
Cardi/o | heart |
Duct/o | to lead or carry |
Electr/o | electricity or electric |
Fasci/o | fascia |
Fibr/o | fibrous tissue |
Flex/o | bend |
Kines/o | movement |
Sarc/o | flesh |
Tax/o | coordination/order |
Tens/o | stretch out/extend/strain |
Muscul/o or My/o or Myos/o | muscle |
Quadr/o or Quadr/i | four |
Ten/o or Tend/o or Tendin/o | tendon |
Exercise Physiologist | specialist who promotes physical fitness |
Neurologist | specialist in diseases related to nerves (diagnoses/treats the causes of paralysis and similar muscular disorders related to loss of nerve function) |
Physiatrist | specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation (restoring function) |
Rheumatologist | specialist in diseases characterized by inflammation |
Sports Medicine Physician | doctor who treats sports-related injuries of bones/joints/muscles |
Fasciitis | inflammation of the fascia |
Fibromyalgia Syndrome | fibrous tissue muscle pain (widespread pain) |
Tenodynia | pain of a tendon |
Tendinitis | inflammation of a tendon |
Atrophy | lack of development (wearing away from muscle) |
Muscular Dystrophy | bad/abnormal development of muscles (genetic progressive weakness and degeneration of muscles that control movement) |
Myalgia | muscle pain |
Myocele | muscle hernia |
Myolysis | muscle destruction or breakdown |
Myomalacia | abnormal softening of muscle |
Myorrhexis | rupture (or tearing) of a muscle |
Polymyositis | inflammation of many muscles |
Sarcopenia | deficiency of flesh (loss of muscle mass/strength/function) |
Atonic | lacking (normal) muscle tone |
Dystonia | condition of abnormal (muscle) tone |
Hypertonia | condition of excessive (muscle) tone |
Hypotonia | condition of deficient (muscle) tone |
Myotonia | muscle tone condition (of slow relaxation after a contraction) |
Ataxia | condition without coordination |
Dystaxia | condition of abnormal coordination (mild ataxia) |
Contracture | permanent tightening of muscle tissues |
Bradykinesia | condition of slowness in (muscle) movement |
Dyskinesia | condition of abnormal (involuntary muscle) movement |
Hyperkinesia | condition of excessive (muscle) movement |
Hypokinesia | condition of decreased/deficient (muscle) movement |
Nocturnal Myoclonus | (sudden and involuntary) violent action of muscle at night (jerking of the limbs prior to falling asleep) |
Singultus | myoclonus of the diaphragm (hiccup) |
Myoparesis | partial paralysis of muscle |
Hemiparesis | partial paralysis of half (of the body) |
Hemiplegia | paralysis of half (of the body) |
Paraplegia | paralysis of both legs of the lower part of the body |
Quadriplegia | paralysis of (all) four (extremities) |
Electromyography | process of producing a record of muscular electricity (measures strength of contractions) |
Electromyogram | a record of muscular electricity |
Electroneuromyography | process of producing a record of neuromuscular electricity (measures nerve impulse) |
Fasciotomy | surgical incision into fascia (to relieve tension/pressure) |
Fascioplasty | surgical repair of fascia |
Tenodesis | binding together a tendon (to a bone) |
Tenolysis | to set free a tendon (from adhesions) |
Tenectomy | surgical removal of part of a tendon |
Tenoplasty | surgical repair of a tendon |
Tenorrhaphy | surgical suturing of a tendon |
Tenotomy | surgical incision into a tendon (to correct a deformity caused by abnormal shortening of a muscle) |
Myectomy | surgical removal of part of a muscle |
Myoplasty | surgical repair of a muscle |
Myotomy | surgical incision into a muscle |
Ergonomics | pertaining to human factors that affect the design/operation of tools and the work environment |
Adhesion | band of fibrous tissue that holds structures together abnormally |
Myofascial Release | specialized tissue manipulation to relieve pain (from fibromyalgia) |
CTS | Carpal Tunnel Syndrome |
EMG | Electromyogram |
FMS | Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
hemi | hemiplegia |
IC | Intermittent Claudication |
IS | Impingement Syndrome |
MG | Myasthenia Gravis |
MD | Muscular Dystrophy |
PM | polymyositis |
quad | quadriplegia or quadriplegic |
RSD | Repetitive Stress Disorder |
Angi/o or Vascul/o | blood vessel |
Arteri/o | artery |
Ather/o | fatty plaque or substance |
Cardi/o or Card/o | heart |
Cyt/o or -cyte | cell |
Electr/o | electric |
Embol/o | something inserted |
Erythr/o | red |
Hem/o or Hemat/o | blood |
Leuk/o | white |
My/o | muscle |
Phleb/o | vein |
Thromb/o | clot |
Valvul/o | valve |
-crasia | mixture or blending |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-emia | blood condition |
-gram | picture or record |
-graphy | process of recording |
-itis | inflammation |
-lytic | to destroy |
-megaly or mega- or megal/o | abnormal enlargement |
-ologist | specialist |
-oma | tumor |
-pathy | disease |
-penia | deficiency |
-plastic | pertaining to formation |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
-stasis | control |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
Brady- | slow |
Endo- | within |
Epi- | above/upon |
Dys- | abnormal, bad, difficult, painful |
Hyper- | excessive |
Peri- | surrounding |
Tachy- | rapid |
Erythrocytes | Red (blood) cell- carry oxygen |
Leukocytes | White (blood) cell- fight infection |
Thrombocytes | Clotting cell (Platelet)- clot blood |
Cardiomegaly | Abnormal enlargement of the heart |
Carditis | Inflammation of the heart |
Pericarditis | Inflammation of the surrounding heart layer |
Myocarditis | Inflammation of the muscle heart layer |
Myocarditis | Inflammation of the muscle heart layer |
Endocarditis | Inflammation of the inner heart layer |
Valvulitis | Inflammation of a (heart) valve |
Angiitis or Vasculitis | Inflammation of a blood vessel |
Angiostenosis | Abnormal narrowing of a blood vessel |
Hemangioma | Benign tumor of blood and blood vessels |
Phlebitis | Inflammation of the veins |
Atherosclerosis | Abnormal hardening (of the arteries caused by) fatty plaques |
Arteriosclerosis | Abnormal hardening of the arteries |
Arteriostenosis | Abnormal narrowing of the arteries |
Blood Dyscrasia | Abnormal mixture (of blood) |
Thrombocytopenia | Deficiency of clotting cells (platelets) |
Leukopenia | Deficiency of white (blood cells) |
Myelodysplastic Syndrome | Bad, difficult formation of bone marrow (Also called pre-leukemia |
Leukemia | Blood condition of white (blood cells)/(A type of cancer that affects the white blood cells) |
Bradycardia | (Abnormally) slow heart(beat) |
Tachycardia | (Abnormally) rapid heart(beat |
Hypotension | deficient/low blood pressure |
Hypertension | excessive/high blood pressure |
Electrocardiography | The process of recording the electrical activity of the heart |
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) | The record of electrical activity of the heart |
Angiography | The process of recording or taking a picture of blood vessels |
Phlebography or Venography | The process of recording or taking a picture of the veins |
Valvuloplasty | Surgical repair (or replacement) of a valve (of the heart) |
Aneurysmectomy | Surgical removal of an aneurysm |
Aneurysmorrhaphy | Surgical suturing of an aneurysm |
Atherectomy | Surgical removal of a fatty plaque (from an artery) |
Angioplasty | Surgical repair of a blood vessel |
Cardiologist | specialist in diagnosing/treating diseases of the heart |
Hematologist | specialist in diagnosing/treating diseases/disorders of the blood |
Vascular Surgeon | physician who specializes in the surgical treatment of disorders of the blood vessels |
Hemoglobin | Iron-containing protein of red blood cells |
Angina | episode of severe chest pain due to inadequate blood flow to the myocardium |
Myocardial Infarction | episode where there is a total blockage of blood flow to the myocardium |
Thrombus | blood clot attached to the wall of a blood vessel (stationary) |
Thrombotic Occlusion | the blockage of a blood vessel by a thrombus |
Embolus | foreign object (blood clot/air/tissue/fat/tumor) that circulates in the blood vessels (traveling) |
Embolism | the blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus |
Septicemia | blood condition caused by the spread of pathogens and their toxins in the blood (blood poisoning) |
Aplastic Anemia | blood condition characterized by the absence of all formed blood elements caused by the hemopoeitic failure of bone marrow |
Hemolytic Anemia | blood condition characterized by the premature destruction/breakdown of red blood cells by the spleen |
Megaloblastic Anemia | blood condition characterized by larger than normal (yet still immature) red blood cells; usually from a deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B12 |
Pernicious Anemia | blood condition characterized by the lack of the protein that helps the body absorb Vitamin B12 |
Sickle Cell Anemia | genetic blood condition characterized by abnormal hemoglobin that causes the red blood cells to form a crescent shape |
Cardiac Arrest | when the heart abruptly stops or develops an abnormal rhythm that prevents it from pumping blood |
Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) | rapid/irregular/uncontrolled heartbeat originating from the atria |
Atrial Tachycardia | rapid heartbeats originating from the atria |
Ventricular Fibrillation (V-fib) | rapid/irregular/uncontrolled heartbeat originating from the ventricles |
Ventricular Tachycardia | rapid heartbeats originating from the ventricles |
Coronary Thrombosis | abnormal condition of having a blood clot blocking a coronary artery |
Arrhythmia | abnormality or loss of normal rhythm in the heartbeat |
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) | portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias |
Defibrillation | shock that stops fibrillation, allowing the heart to reestablish a normal rhythm |
Atheroma | tumor (actually a deposit) of a fatty plaque |
Orthostatic Hypotension | low blood pressure upon standing |
any disease of the heart muscle | Cardiomyopathy |
A-Fib | atrial fibrillation |
chol | cholesterol |
CAD | coronary artery disease |
EKG or ECG | electrocardiogram |
MI | myocardial infarction |
PAD | peripheral artery disease |
PVD | peripheral vascular disease |
V-fiv | ventricular vibrillation |
Allergist | specialist in allergic reactions |
Antigen | any substance that the body sees as being foreign |
Allergen | any substance that produces an allergic reaction |
Allergy | overreaction by the body to a particular antigen |
Antihistamines | type of medication that works against histamine |
Anaphylaxis | a severe response to an allergen |
Immunologist | specialist in the immune system |
Autoimmune Disorder | condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues |
Immunodeficiency Disorder | condition in which the immune response in compromised |
HIV | Human Immunodeficiency Virus; bloodborne infection in which the virus damages/kills cells of the immune system |
AIDS | Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; most advanced/fatal stage of HIV |
Immunotherapy | treatment of the immune system (involves stimulating the immune response) |
Immunosuppressant | type of medication that prevents/reduces the body’s normal immune response |
Oncologist | specialist in the prevention/causes/ treatments of tumors and cancer |
Tumor | abnormal mass of tissue with uncontrolled cell multiplication |
Neoplasm | new or strange formation (tumor) |
Benign | not life-threatening |
Malginant | potentially life-threatening |
Myoma | tumor of muscle |
Myosarcoma | tumor of muscle flesh |
Angiogenesis | blood vessel creation (process by which a tumor supports its own growth by creating its own blood supply) |
Cancer | class of diseases with uncontrolled cell multiplication and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues |
Metastasize | process by which cancer spreads |
Metastasis | change beyond control (new cancer site that results from the spreading process) |
Carcinoma | cancerous tumor (that occurs in the cells that line the internal/external surfaces of the body/organs/glands) |
Adenocarcinoma | cancerous tumor from a gland |
Sarcoma | tumor of flesh (that occurs in connective tissue like bone/fat/muscle/ vessels) |
Osteosarcoma | tumor of bone flesh |
Chondrosarcoma | tumor of cartilage flesh |
Angiosarcoma | tumor of blood vessel flesh |
Lymphangiosarcoma | tumor of lymph vessel flesh |
Lymphoma | tumor of lymph (or any lymph tissue) |
Leukemia | blood condition of white (blood cancer that usually affects the white blood cells) |
Chemotherapy | drug of chemical treatment (that kills fast growing cells) |
Antiangiogenesis | against blood vessel creation (type of medication that disrupts the blood supply to a tumor) |
Antineoplastic | pertaining to being against the new or strange formation (type of medication that blocks the growth of malignant cells) |
Cytotoxic | pertaining to cell poisoning (type of medication that kills to damages cells) |
Brachytherapy | treatment that is a short (distance; administered internally with implanted devices) |
Teletherapy | treatment that is a far (distance; administered externally using 3D computer imaging machines) |
Lymphadenitis | inflammation of a lymph node |
Lymphadenopathy | any disease of a lymph node |
Lymphangioma | benign tumor of a lymph vessel |
Splenomegaly | abnormal enlargement of the spleen |
Splenorrhagia | excessive bleeding of the spleen |
Lymphedema | swelling of the lymph (node) |
Lymphangiography | process of taking a picture of a lymph vesel |
Anti- | against |
Brachy- | short |
Meta- | change beyond |
Aden/o | gland |
Angi/o | blood vessel |
Carcin/o | cancer |
Chem/o | drug or chemical |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
Cyt/o or –cyte | cell |
Immun/o | protected or safe (the immune system) |
Lymphaden/o | lymph node |
Lymphangi/o | lymph vessel |
Lymph/o | lymph |
Lymphocyt/o | white blood cell |
My/o | muscle |
Neo- | new or strange |
Onc/o | tumor |
Oste/o | bone |
Phag/o | eat or swallow |
Sarc/o | flesh |
Splen/o | spleen |
Tele- | far |
-edema | swelling |
-genesis | creation or reproduction |
-itis | inflammation |
-lytic | to reduce or destroy |
-megaly | abnormal enlargement |
-ologist | specialist |
-oma | tumor |
-plasm | formation |
-plastic | pertaining to formation |
-rrhagia | abnormal excessive fluid discharge (usually blood) |
-stasis | control |
-therapy | treatment |
-toxic or tox/o | poison |
T-Lymphocytes | produced in the Thymus; phagocytes (cells that eat) |
B-Lymphocytes | antibodies (immunoglobulins) |
-emia | blood condition |
Ab | Antiobody |
Ag | antigen |
CA | Carcinoma |
HL | Hodgkin's Lymphoma |
IG | immunoglobulin |
LE | lymphedema |
MET | Metastasis |
met | metastasize |
NHL | non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma |
Anthrac/o | coal or coal dust |
Asbest/o | asbestos |
Atel/o | incomplete or imperfect |
Bronch/o | bronchi |
Capn/o | carbon dioxide |
Coni/o | dust |
Cyan/o | blue |
Hem/o | blood |
Laryng/o | larynx |
Ot/o | ear |
Ox/i | oxygen |
Pharyng/o | pharynx |
Phon/o | voice or sound |
Pneum/o or Pneumon/o | lung |
Pulmon/o | lung |
Py/o | pus |
Rhin/o | nose |
Sept/o | septum |
Sinus/o | sinus |
Spir/o | to breathe |
Thorac/o and –thorax | chest |
Trache/o | trachea |
Turbercul/o | little knot |
-centesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
-ectasis | stretching |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-emia | abnormal blood condition |
-ia | abnormal condition |
-itis | inflammation |
-meter | means to measure |
-ologist | specialist |
-osis | abnormal condition |
-otomy | surgical incision |
-ostomy | surgical creation of an opening |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-plegia | paralysis |
-pnea | breathing |
-ptysis | spitting |
-rrhagia | excessive bleeding |
-rrhea | abnormal flow or discharge |
-scopy | visual examination |
-spasm | involuntary contraction |
A or An- | without |
Brady- | abnormally slow |
Dys- | bad/difficult/painful/abnormal |
Hyper- | excessive |
Hypo- | deficient/decreased |
Tachy- | abnormally rapid |
Otorhinolaryngologist | specialist in the ear/nose/throat |
Pulmonologist | specialist in the lungs |
Sinusitis | inflammation of the sinuses |
Rhinitis | inflammation of the nose (due to allergies) |
Rhinorrhea | abnormal discharge of the nose (runny nose) |
Pharyngitis | inflammation of the pharynx |
Laryngitis | inflammation of the larynx |
Laryngoplegia | paralysis of the larynx |
Laryngospasm | contraction (tightening) of the larynx |
Aphonia | abnormal condition without voice |
Dysphonia | abnormal condition of a bad voice |
Bronchitis | inflammation of the bronchi |
Bronchorrhea | abnormal discharge (of mucus) from the bronchi |
Asthma | chronic allergic disease characterized by episodes of breathing difficulty/coughing/wheezing |
Bronchospasm | contraction (tightening) of the bronchi |
Pneumonia | Abnormal condition of the lung (serious lung infection and/or inflammation) |
Aspiration Pneumonia | type of pneumonia that occurs when a foreign substance is inhaled into the lungs |
Hemoptysis | spitting (up) blood |
Pneumothorax | “lung chest” (a condition where an accumulation of air or gas in the chest causes the lung to collapse) |
Hemothorax | “blood chest” (a condition in which there is blood in the chest cavity) |
Pyothorax | “pus chest” (a condition in which there is pus in the chest cavity) |
Atelectasis | incomplete stretching (of the lung due to shallow breathing) |
Anthracosis | Abnormal condition of coal or coal dust (in the lungs; also called black lung disease) |
Asbestosis | Abnormal condition of asbestos (in the lungs) |
Pneumoconiosis | Abnormal condition of lung dust (lung tissues become fibrous after prolonged exposure) |
Tuberculosis | Abnormal condition of knots (in the lungs; caused by the an infectious disease that mainly affects individuals who also have an immunodeficiency disorder) |
Cystic Fibrosis | genetic disorder in which the lungs and pancreas are clogged with mucus |
Eupnea | good or normal breathing |
Apnea | without (spontaneous) breathing |
Bradypnea | (abnormally) slow breathing |
Tachypnea | (abnormally) rapid breathing |
Dyspnea | bad or difficult breathing |
Hyperpnea | excessive breathing (faster and deeper) |
Hypopnea | decreased breathing (slower and shallower) |
Hypercapnia | abnormal condition of excessive carbon dioxide |
Anoxia | abnormal condition without oxygen |
Cyanosis | abnormal condition of blue (from lack of oxygen) |
Hypoxia | abnormal condition of decreased oxygen (in the tissues) |
Hypoxemia | abnormal blood condition of decreased oxygen |
Bronchoscopy | visual examination of the bronchi |
Laryngoscopy | visual examination of the larynx |
Oximeter | means to measure oxygen |
Spirometer | means to measure breathing (air volume) |
Septoplasty | surgical repair of the septum |
Pharyngoplasty | surgical repair of the pharynx |
Tracheotomy | surgical incision into the trachea |
Tracheostomy | surgical creation of an opening into the trachea |
Laryngectomy | surgical removal of the larynx |
Laryngoplasty | surgical repair of the larynx |
Pneumonectomy | surgical removal of the lung |
Thoracentesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid from the chest |
Br | Bronchitis |
bronch | bronchoscopy |
CSB | Cheyne-Stokes breathing |
CF | Cystic Fibrosis |
diph | diphtheria |
PCP | Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia |
Pno | pneumothorax |
PPV | Positive Pressure Ventilation |
SAS | Sleep Apnea Syndrome |
URI | Upper Respiratory Infection |
Aer/o | air |
An/o | anus |
Cholangi/o | bile duct or vessel |
Chole/o | bile or gall |
Cholecyst/o | gallbladder |
Col/o or Colon/o | colon |
Duoden/o | duodenum |
Enter/o | small intestine |
Esophag/o | esophagus |
Gastr/o | stomach |
Gingiv/o | gums |
Hemat/o | blood |
Hepat/o | liver |
Ile/o | illeum |
Myc/o | fungus |
Odont/o | teeth |
Orth/o | straight/normal/correct |
Palat/o | palate |
Proct/o | rectum |
Pyr/o | fire/fever |
Stomat/o | mouth or oral cavity |
Xer/o | dry |
-algia | pain |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-itis | inflammation |
-graphy | process of recording or producing a picture |
-lithiasis | presence of stones |
-ologist | specialist |
-osis | abnormal condition |
-ostomy | surgical creation of an opening |
-pepsia | digestion |
-phagia | swallowing condition |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhagia | excessive/sudden flow (usually of blood) |
-rrhaphy | surgical suturing |
-rrhea | flow/discharge |
-scopy | visual examination |
Dys- | bad/difficult/painful/abnormal |
Hyper- | excessive |
Peri- | surrounding |
Bariatrics | branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and control of obesity/weightloss |
Dentist | specialist in diagnosing/treating disorders of teeth and tissues of the oral cavity |
Gastroenterologist | specialist in diagnosing/treating disorders of the stomach and intestines |
Orthodonist | specialist in the correct alignment of teeth and related facial structures |
Periodontist | specialist in the prevention/treatment of the tissues surrounding the teeth (gums) |
Proctologist | specialist in diagnosing/treating disorders of the colon/rectum/anus |
Anorexia nervosa | eating disorder of voluntary starvation and excessive excercise related to false perception of body appearance |
Bulemia nervosa | eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting |
Obesity | excessive accumulation of fat in the body |
Morbid Obesity | the condition of weighing 2-3 times more than the ideal body weight |
Aerophagia | (excessive) air swallowing (while eating or drinking that is a common cause of gas in the stomach) |
Dyspepsia | bad/difficult/painful digestion; (indigestion) |
Emesis | vomiting |
Eructation | the act of belching/burping |
Hematemesis | vomiting of blood |
Hyperemesis | excessive vomiting (that can lead to dehydration) |
Regurgitation | the return of swallowed food into the mouth |
Stomatomycosis | abnormal condition of mouth fungus (any disease related to fungus in the mouth) |
Stomatorrhagia | excessive/sudden flow (of blood) from the mouth |
Xerostomia | condition pertaining to dry mouth |
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate | a birth defect in which the lip and/or palate fail to close during fetal development |
Gingivitis | inflammation of the gums |
Dysphagia | difficult swallowing |
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) | acid reflux |
Pyrosis | abnormal condition of fire/burning (heartburn) |
Gastritis | inflammation of the stomach |
Gastroenteritis | inflammation of the stomach and small intestines |
Gastrorrhea | abnormal flow/discharge (of secretions/mucus) from the stomach |
Diverticulosis | abnormal condition of diverticula (small pouches/sacs in the lining of the intestine) |
Diverticulitis | inflammation of the diverticula |
Enteritis | inflammation of the small intestines |
Ulcerative Colitis | chronic (unknown) condition of repeat inflammation/irritation and ulcers in the colon that follow a continuous pattern |
Crohn’s Disease | chronic autoimmune disorder of the digestive tract (most often occurs in the colon) and occur in sporadic patches |
Volvulus | the twisting of the intestine on itself |
Intussusception | the telescoping of the intestine in itself |
Anal fissure | groove/crack-like sore in the skin of the anus |
Melena | passage of black and foul smelling stools (usually indicates a bleed from the upper GI tract) |
Hepatitis | inflammation of the liver |
Jaundice | yellow discoloration of the skin caused by an excess of bilirubin in the blood |
Cirrhosis | progressive deterioration of the liver caused by excessive alcohol use or hepatitis |
Cholangitis | inflammation of the bile duct or vessel |
Cholecystalgia | pain in the gallbladder |
Cholecystitis | inflammation of the gallbladder |
Cholelithiasis | presence of gallstones |
Cholangiography | process of recording or taking a picture of the bile duct |
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy | visual examination of the esophagus/stomach/duodenum |
Colonoscopy | visual examination of the colon |
Sigmoidoscopy | visual examination of the sigmoid (colon) |
Anoscopy | visual examination of anus |
Antiemetic | (medication that works) against emesis |
surgical removal of the (diseased) gums | Gingivectomy |
Palatoplasty | surgical repair of the palate (cleft lip and palate) |
Stomatoplasty | surgical repair of the mouth |
Gastrectomy | surgical removal (of all or part) of the stomach |
Gastrostomy Tube | surgical creation of an opening into the stomach (feeding tube from the abdomen into the stomach) |
Colectomy | surgical removal (of all or part) of the colon |
Diverticulectomy | surgical removal of diverticula |
Gastroduodenostomy | surgical creation of an opening (between the) stomach (and) duodenum |
Ileostomy | surgical creation of an opening from the ileum (to outside the abdomen) |
Colostomy | surgical creation of an opening from the colon (to outside the abdomen) |
Proctectomy | surgical removal of the rectum |
Proctopexy | surgical fixation of a (prolapsed) rectum |
Proctoplasty | surgical repair of the rectum |
Hepatectomy | surgical removal (of all or part) of the liver |
Hepatorrhaphy | surgical suturing of the liver |
Choledocholithotomy | surgical incision into the common bile duct (to remove) stones |
Cholecystectomy | surgical removal of the gall bladder |
Choledoct/o | common bile duct |
Lith/o | stones |
-pexy | surgical fixation |
bili | bilirubin |
chole | cholescystectomy |
CIR | cirrhosis |
COL | colonoscopy |
CRC | Colorectal carcinoma |
EGD | esophagogastroduodenoscopy |
EV | esophageal varices |
GE | gastroentreritis |
ICS | ileocecal sphincter |
IH | inguinal hernia |
IO | intestinal obstruction |
jaund | jaundice |
MO | morbid obesity |
PU | pepetic ulcers |
TMD | temporomandibular disorders |
TPN | total parenteral nutrition |
UC | ulcerative colitis |
Angi/o | blood vessel |
Ankyl/o | bent/crooked/stiff |
Arthr/o | joint |
Capn/o | carbon dioxide |
Cardi/o | heart |
Cholangi/o | bile duct (vessel) |
Chole/o | gall (bile) |
Cholecyst/o | gallbladder |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
Cost/o | rib |
Crani/o | skull |
Cyt/o | cell |
Embol/o | something inserted/foreign |
Erythr/o | red |
Hem/o | blood |
Hist/o | tissue |
Kinesi/o | movement |
Kyph/o | hump |
Leuk/o | white |
Lord/o | bent backward |
Mening/o | brain/spinal coverings (meninges) |
My/o | muscle |
Myel/o | spinal cord or bone marrow |
Onc/o | tumor |
Oste/o | bone |
Ox/I | oxygen |
Path/o | disease |
Phleb/o | vein |
Por/o | pore |
Pyel/o | renal pelvis |
Quadr/I | four |
Sarc/o | flesh |
Scoli/o | curved |
Splen/o | spleen |
Spondyl/o | vertebrae/backbone |
Synovi/o or synov/o | synovial membranes |
Thromb/o | clot |
Tox/o | poison |
Ur/o | urine |
Ureter/o | ureter |
Urethr/o | urethra |
Ven/o | vein |
-algia | pain |
-cele | hernia/protrusion |
-cyte | cell |
-desis | surgical fusion/fixation |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
-edema | swelling |
-emia | blood condition |
-ia | condition |
-ic or –tic | pertaining to |
-itis | inflammation |
-lithiasis | presence of stones |
-lysis | surgical loosening/breaking or destruction |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
-ologist | specialist |
-ology | study of |
-osis | abnormal condition |
-paresis | partial paralysis or weakness |
-penia | deficieny |
-plegia | paralysis |
-ptysis | spitting |
-thorax | chest |
-tripsy | to crush |
-um | noun ending |
Brady- | slow |
Hemi- | half |
Hyper- | excessive |
Hypo- | deficient or decreased |
Inter- | between |
Intra- | within |
Tachy- | fast |
Anesthetic | medication used to induce anesthesia |
Anesthetist | RN who can administer anesthetic agents |
Angina | chest pain associated with narrowed coronary arteries |
Arrhythmia | heart beat without a rhythm |
Cardiac arrest | cessation of the heart beat |
Diagnosis | the identification of a disease |
Embolism | blockage of a blood vessel from a circulating substance |
Embolus | any substance (fat |
Fissure | crack or groove-like sore |
Fistula | abnormal passage |
Paraplegia | paralysis of the lower half of the body |
Prognosis | the prediction of the probable course or outcome of a disease |
Supination | turning the hand so the palm is facing up |
Suppuration | formation or discharge of pus |
Thrombotic occlusion | blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot attached to the wall |
Thrombus | blood clot attached to the wall of a blood vessel |
Triage | screening patients based on priority of medical need |
Trauma | any bodily injury from an accident/disaster |
Pathology | study of disease |
Arthrodesis | surgical fusion of a joint |
Arthrolysis | surgical loosening (setting free) of a (stiff) joint |
Osteitis | inflammation of bone |
Osteomalacia | abnormal softening of bone |
Osteoporosis | abnormal condition of bone pores |
Hemiparesis | slight paralysis (weakness) of half (of the body) |
Hemiplegia | paralysis of half (of the body) |
Myoparesis | slight paralysis (weakness) of muscle |
Quadriplegia | paralysis of four (limbs) |
Erythrocyte | red (blood) cell |
Thrombocytopenia | deficiency of clotting cell |
Leukemia | blood condition of white |
Leukocyte | white (blood) cell |
Leukopenia | deficiency of white (blood cells) |
Bradycardia | condition of slow heart |
Tachycardia | condition of fast heart |
Hemoptysis | spitting (up) blood |
Hemothorax | “blood chest” |
Hypercapnia | condition of excessive carbon dioxide |
Hypoxemia | blood condition of decreased oxygen |
Hypoxia | condition of decreased oxygen |
Cholangitis | inflammation of a bile duct/vessel |
Cholecystalgia | pain in the gallbladder |
Cholecystectomy | surgical removal of the gallbladder |
Cholecystitis | inflammation of the gallbladder |
Cholelithiasis | presence of gallstones |
Meningitis | inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord |
Meningocele | hernia/protrusion of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord |
Myelitis | inflammation of bone marrow or spinal cord |
-algia | pain and suffering |
dys- | difficult, painful or bad |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
hyper- | over, above or increased |
hypo- | below, under or decreased |
-itis | inflammation |
-osis | a disease or abnormal condition |
-otomy | a surgical incision |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhage/-rrhagia | sudden abnormal or excessive flow |
-rrhaphy | to suture or stitch |
-rrhexis | rupture |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
arteri/o | artery |
arthr/o | joint |
gastr/o | stomach |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
-megaly | large or enlargement |
myel/o | spinal cord or bone marrow |
my/o | muscle |
-necrosis | tissue death |
neur/o | nerve |
-ology | study of |
-pathy | disease |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
-ostomy | creation of an artificial opening to the body surface |
diff Dx | differential diagnosis |
Inflam | Inflammation |
Aden/o | gland |
Anter/o | front or before |
Caud/o | tail or lower part of the body |
Carcin/o | cancerous |
Cephal/o | head |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
Hist/o | tissue |
Path/o (-pathy) | disease |
Poster/o | back or toward the back |
Ventr/o | belly side of the body |
-oma | tumor |
-plasia | formation |
A- | without |
Ana- | excessive |
Epi- | above |
Genetic Disorders | pathologic conditions caused by absent or defective genes |
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) | condition in which the lungs and pancreas are clogged with abnormally thick mucus |
Hemophilia (hemo) | bleeding disorder |
Huntington’s Disease | condition characterized by nerve degeneration |
Muscular Dystrophy (MD) | condition characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement |
Phenylketonuria (PKU) | condition characterized by a missing essential digestive enzyme that can lead to severe mental retardation if left undectected/untreated |
Tay-Sachs Disease | fatal condition in which harmful quantities of fatty substance build up in tissues and nerve cells in the brain |
Aplasia | the defective development or congenital absence of an organ/tissue |
Hypoplasia | incomplete development of an organ/tissue |
Anaplasia | change in the structure of cells and their orientation to each other |
Dysplasia | abnormal development of tissues/cells |
Hyperplasia | abnormal increase in the number of normal cells in normal arrangement in a tissue |
Hypertrophy | general increase in the bulk of a body part/organ due to an increase in size of cells in the tissues |
Endemic | ongoing presence of a disease within a population (Ex: the common cold) |
Epidemic | sudden/widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area (Ex: measles) |
Pandemic | outbreak of disease occurring over a large geographic area or worldwide (Ex: AIDS) |
Functional disease | symptoms for which no physiological/anatomical cause can be identified (Ex: irritable bowel syndrome) |
Iatrogenic illness | unfavorable response to medical treatment (Ex: side effects from medication) |
Idiopathic disease | illness without known cause (Ex: Crohn’s disease) |
Infectious disease | caused by living pathogenic organisms (Ex: flu) |
Nosocomial Infection | infection acquired in a hospital or clinical setting |
Organic Disirder | caused by detectable physical changes in the body (Ex: Diabetes) |
Congenital Disorder | abnormal condition that exists at the time of birth |
-ologist | specialist |
Umbilic/o | umbilicus (belly button) |
CD | communicable disease |
P | physiology or posterior |
Midsagittal Plane | divides body along the midline into right and left |
Frontal Plane | divides body into anterior and posterior |
Transverse Plane | divides body into superior and inferior |
Histologist | specialist in the structure and composition of tissues |
Pathologist | specialist in the analysis of tissue samples to establish a diagnosis |
CF | Cystic Fibrosis |
PKU | Phenylketonuria |
Ankyl/o | crooked, stiff, bent |
Burs/o | bursa (sac of fluid near the joint) |
Cost/o | rib |
Kyph/o | hump |
Lord/o | swayback curve/bent backward |
Oste/o | bone |
Por/o | pore (small opening) |
Scoli/o | curved |
Spondyl/o | vertebrae (backbone) |
Synovi/o; Synov/o | synovial membrane (membrane that lubricates the joints) |
-lysis | loosening / setting free (therapeutic) or breaking down/destruction (diseased condition) |
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) | used to treat certain types of cancers (leukemia |
Allogenic BMT | uses healthy bone marrow from a compatible donor |
Autologous BMT | the patient receives his own marrow cells that have been previously harvested |
Hallux valgus | abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the great toe (bunion) |
Luxation | total dislocation of a bone from its joint |
Subluxation | partial displacement of a bone from its joint |
Rheumatoid Arthritis | joint inflammation caused by the body’s immune system attacking its own joint tissues |
Osteoarthritis (OA) | bone/joint inflammation caused by “wear-and-tear” of cartilage at the joints |
Spondylosis | “wear-and-tear” of the cartilage of the vertebrae |
Lumbago | pain in the lumbar region of the spine (may be caused by anything) |
Spina Bifida | congenital defect where the spinal canal fails to close around the spinal cord |
Kyphosis | abnormal increase of the outward curvature of the spine (humpback) |
Lordosis | abnormal increase of the forward curvature (swayback) |
Scoliosis | abnormal lateral curvature of the spine (sideways) |
Comminuted fracture (Fx) | bone is splintered/crushed into pieces |
Greenstick fracture (Fx) | bone is bent/partially broken (usually in children) |
Open fracture (Fx) | bone is broken out to the surface of the skin |
Spiral fracture (Fx) | bone is broken by a twisting motion (usually in sports injuries) |
Stress fracture (Fx) | small crack in the bone from overuse or chronic/excessive impact |
Arthrodesis | surgical fixation (fusion) of a joint (to stiffen the joint due to severe deformities) |
Arthrolysis | surgical loosening of a (stiffened) joint |
Arthroplasty | surgical repair of a joint (may also be an artificial joint replacement) |
Bursectomy | surgical removal of bursa |
Chondroplasty | surgical repair of (damaged) cartilage |
Synovectomy | surgical removal of synovial membrane from a joint |
Ostectomy | surgical removal of bone |
Osteoplasty | surgical repair of bone/bones |
Osteorrhaphy | surgical suturing (wiring together) of bones |
Osteotomy | surgical incision or sectioning of bone |
Bursitis | inflammation of a bursa |
Chondromalacia | abnormal softening of cartilage |
Chondroma | benign tumor in cartilage |
Costochondritis | inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the sternum |
Synovitis | inflammation of the synovial membrane |
Ostealgia | bone pain |
Osteitis | inflammation of bone |
Osteomalacia | abnormal softening of bones in adults (caused by Vitamin D deficiency) |
Osteomyelitis | inflammation of the bone and bone marrow |
Osteonecrosis | death of bone tissue (due to insufficient blood supply) |
Myeloma | cancer found in bone marrow |
Osteochondroma | benign bony projection covered with cartilage |
Osteoporosis (OP) | abnormal condition of porous bone (loss of bone density) |
Chiropractor | specializes in spinal manipulation to treat various disorders |
Orthopedic surgeon | specializes in diseases/disorders involving the bones |
Osteopath | uses traditional forms of medical treatment in addition to spinal manipulation |
Arthrosclerosis | abnormal hardening of a joint |
Ankylosis | stiff; abnormal condition (loss of joint mobility) |
Myeloma | tumor found in bone marrow |
Osteochondroma | benign tumor of bone and cartilage (cartilage-capped bony growth) |
BMT | Bone Marrow Transplant |
Fx | Fracture |
OA | Osteoarthritis |
OP | Osteoporosis |
Brady- | slow |
Tachy- | fast |
-cele | hernia |
-desis | bind/tie together; surgical suturing |
-emia | blood condition |
-ia | condition |
-ic | pertaining to |
-al | pertaining to |
CFS | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
prog | prognosis |
A | anterior |
ADL | Activities of Daily Living |
RT | Related To |
caudal | towards the lower part of the body |
cephalic | towards the head |
anterior | situated in the front (opposite of posterior) |
posterior | situated in the back (opposite of anterior) |
dorsal | refers to the back of the organ or body |
ventral | refers to the front, or belly side, of the organ or body |
cranial cavity | surrounds and protects the brain |
spinal cavity | surrounds and protects the spinal cord |
thoracic cavity | surrounds and protects the heart and lungs |
abdominal cavity | contains primarily the major organs of digestion |
pelvic cavity | contains primarily the organs of teh reproductive and excretory systems |
rt & lt hypochondriac region | on right and left side of body and covered by the ribs |
rt & lt lumbar region | located on the left and right sides near teh inward curve of the spine. The part between ribs and pelvis. |
rt & lt iliac region | right and left sides over the hip bones |
epigastric region | above the stomach |
umbilical | center; middle of the stomach (belly button) |
hypogastric region | below the stomach |
sign | objective evidence of a disease |
symptom | patient reported (subjective) evidence of diease |
laceration | torn/jagged wound |
lesion | change of the tissues due to disease or injury |
palpation | examination technique in which the examiner's hands are used to feel the texture, size and location of certain body parts |
palpitation | pounding or racing of the heart |
diagnosis (Dx) | the identification of disease |
prognosis (prog) | the prediction or probable course/outcome of a disease |
infection | invasion of the body by pathogens |
inflammation (inflam) | localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues |
chronic illness | illness that has a long duration and rarely cured |
acute illness | illness that has a quick onset and/or lasts for a short duration |
remission | temporary/partial or complete disappearance of the symptoms of disease without achieving a cure |
-algia | pain and suffering |
dys- | difficult, painful or bad |
-ectomy | surgical removal |
hyper- | over, above or increased |
hypo- | below, under or decreased |
-itis | inflammation |
-osis | a disease or abnormal condition |
-otomy | a surgical incision |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-rrhage/-rrhagia | sudden abnormal or excessive flow |
-rrhaphy | to suture or stitch |
-rrhexis | rupture |
-sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
arteri/o | artery |
arthr/o | joint |
gastr/o | stomach |
-malacia | abnormal softening |
-megaly | large or enlargement |
myel/o | spinal cord or bone marrow |
my/o | muscle |
-necrosis | tissue death |
neur/o | nerve |
-ology | study of |
-pathy | disease |
-stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
-ostomy | creation of an artificial opening to the body surface |
diff Dx | differential diagnosis |
Inflam | Inflammation |
Aden/o | gland |
Carcin/o | cancerous |
Chondr/o | cartilage |
-oma | tumor |
A- or An- | without |
Genetic Disorders | pathologic conditions caused by absent or defective genes |
Endemic | ongoing presence of a disease within a population (Ex: the common cold) |
Epidemic | sudden/widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area (Ex: measles) |
Pandemic | outbreak of disease occurring over a large geographic area or worldwide (Ex: AIDS) |
Functional disease | symptoms for which no physiological/anatomical cause can be identified (Ex: irritable bowel syndrome) |
Iatrogenic illness | unfavorable response to medical treatment (Ex: side effects from medication) |
Idiopathic disease | illness without known cause (Ex: Crohn’s disease) |
Infectious disease | caused by living pathogenic organisms (Ex: flu) |
Nosocomial Infection | infection acquired in a hospital or clinical setting |
Organic Disirder | caused by detectable physical changes in the body (Ex: Diabetes) |
Congenital Disorder | abnormal condition that exists at the time of birth |
-ologist | specialist |
CD | communicable disease |
P | physiology or posterior |
CF | Cystic Fibrosis |
PKU | Phenylketonuria |
Cost/o | rib |
Kyph/o | hump |
Lord/o | swayback curve/bent backward |
Oste/o | bone |
Spondyl/o | vertebrae (backbone) |
-lysis | loosening / setting free (therapeutic) or breaking down/destruction (diseased condition) |
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) | used to treat certain types of cancers (leukemia |
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) | joint inflammation caused by the body’s immune system attacking its own joint tissues |
Osteoarthritis (OA) | bone/joint inflammation caused by “wear-and-tear” of cartilage at the joints |
Kyphosis | abnormal increase of the outward curvature of the spine (humpback) |
Lordosis | abnormal increase of the forward curvature (swayback) |
Scoliosis | abnormal lateral curvature of the spine (sideways) |
Comminuted fracture (Fx) | bone is splintered/crushed into pieces |
Greenstick fracture (Fx) | bone is bent/partially broken (usually in children) |
Open fracture (Fx) | bone is broken out to the surface of the skin |
Spiral fracture (Fx) | bone is broken by a twisting motion (usually in sports injuries) |
Stress fracture (Fx) | small crack in the bone from overuse or chronic/excessive impact |
BMT | Bone Marrow Transplant |
Fx | Fracture |
OA | Osteoarthritis |
Brady- | slow |
Tachy- | fast |
-cele | hernia |
-desis | bind/tie together; surgical suturing |
-emia | blood condition |
-ia | condition |
-ic | pertaining to |
CFS | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
prog | prognosis |
A | anterior |
ADL | Activities of Daily Living |
RT | Related To |
sign | objective evidence of a disease |
symptom | patient reported (subjective) evidence of diease |
diagnosis (Dx) | the identification of disease |
prognosis (prog) | the prediction or probable course/outcome of a disease |
infection | invasion of the body by pathogens |
inflammation (inflam) | localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues |
remission | temporary/partial or complete disappearance of the symptoms of disease without achieving a cure |
Angi/o or Vascul/o | blood vessel |
Ather/o | fatty plaque or substance |
Cardi/o or Card/o | heart |
Cyt/o or -cyte | cell |
Erythr/o | red |
Hem/o or Hemat/o | blood |
Leuk/o | white |
Phleb/o | vein |
Thromb/o | clot |
-gram | picture or record |
-graphy | process of recording |
-lytic | to destroy |
-penia | deficiency |
Endo- | within |
Epi- | above/upon |
Peri- | surrounding |
Erythrocytes | Red (blood) cell- carry oxygen |
Leukocytes | White (blood) cell- fight infection |
Thrombocytes | Clotting cell (Platelet)- clot blood |
Angina | episode of severe chest pain due to inadequate blood flow to the myocardium |
Myocardial Infarction (MI) | episode where there is a total blockage of blood flow to the myocardium |
Thrombus | blood clot attached to the wall of a blood vessel (stationary) |
Embolus | foreign object (blood clot/air/tissue/fat/tumor) that circulates in the blood vessels (traveling) |
Cardiac Arrest | when the heart abruptly stops or develops an abnormal rhythm that prevents it from pumping blood |
Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) | rapid/irregular/uncontrolled heartbeat originating from the atria |
Ventricular Fibrillation (V-fib) | rapid/irregular/uncontrolled heartbeat originating from the ventricles |
Arrhythmia | abnormality or loss of normal rhythm in the heartbeat |
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) | portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias |
Defibrillation | shock that stops fibrillation, allowing the heart to reestablish a normal rhythm |
A-Fib | atrial fibrillation |
chol | cholesterol |
CAD | coronary artery disease |
EKG or ECG | electrocardiogram |
MI | myocardial infarction |
V-fib | ventricular vibrillation |
Allergist | specialist in allergic reactions |
Antigen | any substance that the body sees as being foreign |
Allergen | any substance that produces an allergic reaction |
Allergy | overreaction by the body to a particular antigen |
Anaphylaxis | a severe response to an allergen |
Immunologist | specialist in the immune system |
Autoimmune Disorder | condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues |
Immunodeficiency Disorder | condition in which the immune response in compromised |
Immunotherapy | treatment of the immune system (involves stimulating the immune response) |
Immunosuppressant | type of medication that prevents/reduces the body’s normal immune response |
Oncologist | specialist in the prevention/causes/ treatments of tumors and cancer |
Tumor | abnormal mass of tissue with uncontrolled cell multiplication |
Benign | not life-threatening |
Malginant | potentially life-threatening |
Cancer | class of diseases with uncontrolled cell multiplication and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues |
Metastasize | process by which cancer spreads |
Metastasis | change beyond control (new cancer site that results from the spreading process) |
Anti- | against |
Lymphaden/o | lymph node |
Lymphangi/o | lymph vessel |
Lymph/o | lymph |
Lymphocyt/o | white blood cell |
Sarc/o | flesh |
-genesis | creation or reproduction |
Tox/o or -toxic | poison |
T-Lymphocytes | produced in the Thymus; phagocytes (cells that eat) |
B-Lymphocytes | antibodies (immunoglobulins) |
Crani/o | skull |
Dors/o | back of body |
Kines/o | movement |
Laryng/o | throat |
Ot/o | ear |
Poster/o | behind, toward the back |
Rhin/o | nose |
Ten/Tendin/o | tendon |
Ton/o | tone, tension, stretching |
Ventr/o | |
in front, belly side of body | |
-clasis | break down |
-paresis | partial or incomplete paralysis |
-plegia | full paralysis |
-Hemi- | half |
aneurysm | localized weak spot or balloon-like enlargement of an arterial wall |
hypertension | high blood pressure |
hypotension | low blood pressure |
abd | abdomen |
ant | anterior |
D | dorsal |
FMS | fibromyalgia syndrome |
hemi | hemiplegia |
MD | Muscular Dystrophy |
MS | Multiple Sclerosis |
quad | quadraplegic |
ventr | ventral |
Asbest/o | asbestos (insulation particles) |
Aer/o | air |
Angi/o | blood vessel |
Anthrac/o | coal dust |
Atel/o | incomplete |
Bronch/o | bronchus |
Capn/o | carbon dioxide |
Carcin/o | cancer |
Caus/o | burning |
Chem/o | chemical |
Col/o | colon (large intestine) |
Coni/o | dust |
Cyan/o | blue |
Cyst/o | bladder |
Cyt/o | cell |
Duoden/o | duodenum (1st section of the small intestine) |
Electr/o | electric |
Encephal/o | brain |
Enter/o | small intestines |
Gastr/o | stomach |
Hem/o or Hemat/o | blood |
Ile/o | ileum (2nd section of the small intestines) |
Immun/o | protected/safe |
Klept/o | to steal |
Laryng/o | larynx (voicebox) |
Leuk/o | white |
Lith/o or –lith | stone |
Lymphaden/o | lymph node (gland) |
Lymphangi/o | lymph vessel |
Lymphocyt/o | lymph cell |
My/o | muscle |
Myc/o | fungus |
Nephr/o | kidney |
Olig/o | scanty |
Ot/o | ear |
Ox/i | oxygen |
Palat/o | palate |
Pneum/o or Pneumon/o | lung |
Phag/o | eat/swallow |
Pharyng/o | pharynx |
Phon/o | voice |
Proct/o | rectum |
Pulmon/o | lung |
Py/o | pus |
Pyel/o | renal pelvis |
Pyr/o | fire/burning |
Rhin/o | nose |
Sarc/o | flesh |
Spir/o | to breathe |
Stomat/o or –stomia | mouth |
Thromb/o | clot |
Trache/o | trachea (windpipe) |
Trichotill/o | hair pulling |
Ur/o or –uria | urine/urination |
Ureter/o | ureter (tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) |
Urethr/o | urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder to be excreted out of the body) |
Xer/o | dry |
-algia | pain |
-cele | hernia/protrusion |
-centesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
-cyte | cell |
-ectasis | stretching |
-edema | swelling |
-emesis | vomiting |
-emia | blood condition |
-esthesia | sensation/feeling |
-genesis | creation |
-gram | picture or record |
-graphy | process of producing a picture/record |
-ia | condition |
-itis | inflammation |
-lithiasis | presence of stones |
-mania | madness |
-meter | means to measure |
-ologist or –iatrist | specialist |
-oma | tumor |
-osis | abnormal condition |
-ostomy | surgical creation of an artificial opening |
-otomy | surgical incision |
-pepsia | digestion |
-phagia | swallowing |
-plasm | formative material |
-plastic | pertaining to formation |
-plasty | surgical repair |
-pnea | breathing |
-poetic | formation |
-ptosis | prolapse/drooping/sagging |
-pytsis | spitting |
-rrhagia | bleeding |
-rrhea | abnormal flow or discharge |
-scopy | visual examination |
-stasis | control |
-therapy | treatment |
-thorax | chest |
-toxic | pertaining to poison |
-tripsy | to crush |
A- | without/absence |
Anti- | against |
Brachy- | short |
Brady- | slow |
Dys- | bad/difficult/painful |
Hyper- | excessive/increased |
Hypo- | deficient/decreased |
Neo- | new or strange |
Tachy- | fast |
Tele- | far |
Aspiration Pneumonia | type of pneumonia that occurs when a foreign substance is inhaled into the lungs |
Asthma | chronic allergic disease characterized by episodes of bronchospasms and wheezing |
Cystic Fibrosis | genetic disorder in which there is an accumulation of mucus in the lungs and digestive tract |
Bariatrics | branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and treatment of obesity |
Bulemia | eating disorder characterized by binge eating and self-induced vomiting |
Anorexia | eating disorder characterized by starvation and excessive exercise |
Obesity | accumulation of excessive fat in the body |
Eructation | the act of burping/belching |
Regurgitation | the return of swallow contents into the esophagus/mouth |
Crohn’s Disease | chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation/irritation in the deep layers of the large intestines (sporadic; cobblestone appearance) |
Ulcerative Colitis | chronic disease with inflammation/irritation in the surface layers of the large intestines; continuous) |
Diverticulitis | inflammation of the small pouches (within the small intestines) |
Volvulus | twisting of the intestines on itself |
Intussusception | telescoping of the intestines on itself |
Melena | black and tarry stools containing digested blood |
Enuresis | involuntary urination |
Diuresis | increased output of urination |
Incontinence | involuntary excretion of urine/feces |
Catheterization | procedure in which a tube is inserted into the urethra to remove urine from the bladder |
Ultrasonography | process of producing a 3D picture using soundwaves |
Echoencephalography | process of producing a 2D picture of the brain using soundwaves |
Anesthesiologist | physician qualified to administer anesthetic agents |
Anesthetist | RN qualified to administer anesthetic agents |
Local Anesthetic | medication to induce anesthesia in a specific area |
Regional Anesthetic | medication to induce anesthesia in a large area |
General Anesthetic | medication to induce anesthesia that affects the entire brain and body |
Antipsychotic | medication that works against psychotic disorders |
Anxiolytic | medication that works against anxiety (sedative |
Anesthetic | medication to induce anesthesia |
Hemorrhagic Stroke | disruption of brain flow caused by a bleed |
Ischemic Stroke | disruption of brain flow caused by a blockage |
Syncope | fainting |
Lethargy | lowered level of consciousness (drowsiness/apathy/reduced activity) |
Coma | deep state of unconsciousness without spontaneous eye movement/response to pain |
Concussion | violent shaking (jarring) of the brain |
Contusion | bruising of brain tissue |
Hematoma | a collection of blood trapped in the tissues of the brain |
Dementia | general decline in mental abilities |
Alzheimer’s Disease | progressive deterioration of the brain structures that affect thought/memory |
Parkinson’s Disease | progressive loss of control over muscle movements (tremors/bradykinesia/shuffling gait) |
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | progressive deterioration of muscle related to the loss of nerve function |
Multiple Sclerosis | autoimmune disease caused by the deterioration or demyelination of the myelin sheath of nerves |
Guillain-Barre Syndrome | autoimmune illness that causes a temporary paralysis related to the inflammation of the myelin sheath of nerves |
Trigeminal Neuralgia | temporary lightning-like pain that occurs suddenly to one side of the face |
Bell’s Palsy | temporary paralysis on one side of the face |
Psychologist | specialist of the mind |
physician specialist of the min who CAN prescribe medications | Psychiatrist |
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | characterized by recurrent/unwanted obsessions and compulsions (impulses to act) |
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | symptoms of anxiety/sleep disorders/difficulty concentrating/emotional disturbances that may develop after a traumatic event |
Panic Attack | intense emotional feelings (fear/terror) with physical symptoms |
Hypochondriasis | fear that one has a serious illness despite appropriate medical evaluation |
Factitious Disorder | condition in which an individual acts as if he/she has a physical illness when he/she is not really sick. This may include self-inflicted symptoms |
Schizophrenia | characterized by withdrawal from reality and disorganized thinking (with delusions and hallucinations) |
Chol/e | bile, gall |
Bulla | large blister (contains watery fluid) |
Cicatrix | normal scar |
Keloid | abnormally raised or thickened scar |
Onychcryptosis | abnormal condition of hidden nail (ingrown toenail) |
Onychomycosis | abnormal condition of nail fungus |
Onychophagia | condition of nail eating (nail biting) |
Melanosis | abnormal condition of black (pigmentation on different parts of the body) |
Vitiligo | loss of pigment in areas of the skin resulting in milk-white patches (destruction of melanocytes) |
Macule | discolored flat spot that is less than 1cm in diameter (freckles or flat moles) |
Pustule | small elevation of skin containing pus (pimple) |
Vesicle | small blister (contains a watery fluid) |
Lupus Erythematosus | autoimmune disorder with a red-scaly rash on the face and upper trunk (also attacks other body tissues) |
Scleroderma | autoimmune disorder in which the tissues become thick and hardened |
Nevi | Moles |
Psoriasis | autoimmune disease where there are flare-ups with silvery plaques |