medical terminology CHAPTER 5 EMT

In general, which of the following does a prefix describe?

Generally speaking, a prefix will refer to location and intensity.

What should you do when trying to define the term dysuria?

If the term contains a prefix, you should define the suffix, then the prefix, and then the word root.

How would you identify a patient who does not have any apparent allergies?

NKA stands for "no known allergies."

Lateral and medial

Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline are called lateral (outer) structures. The parts that lie closer to the midline are called medial (inner) structures. In general terms, lateral means side. Something that occurs on both sides is referred to as bilateral. When describing the location of an injury, the terms medial and lateral help pinpoint an exact location. For example, the patient has a 2-inch (5-cm) laceration on the medial aspect of the thigh (toward the inside).

The abdominal cavity is divided into quadrants

Right upper quadrant Left upper quadrant Right lower quadrant Left lower quadrant

Superficial and deep

Superficial means closer to or on the skin. Deep means farther inside the body or tissue and away from the skin. For example: A superficial burn involves only the top layer of skin, similar to sunburn. An abrasion is a superficial wound, similar to scraping your knee. A deep laceration involves a cut deeper into the tissue such as with a knife.

Palmar and plantar

The front region of the hand is referred to as the palm or palmar surface. The bottom of the foot is referred to as the plantar surface.

You are dispatched to a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Upon your arrival, you find a 17-year-old male patient lying face down on the ground. What is the term for the position in which you found the patient?

The patient is lying face down so he is in the prone position.

Right and left

The terms right and left refer to the patient's right and left sides, not to your right and left sides.

What term describes when only one lung is expanding with inhalation?

Unilateral refers to something confined to one side only.

Ventral and dorsal

Ventral refers to the belly side of the body, or the anterior surface of the body. Dorsal refers to the spinal side of the body, or the posterior surface of the body, including the back of the hand. These terms are used less frequently than the terms anterior (the front surface of the body) and posterior (the back surface of the body). An easy way to remember dorsal is to think of the dorsal fin on a dolphin, which is on its back (posterior) side.

analgesic

an/alges/ic -ic (suffix meaning "pertaining to") an- (prefix meaning "without" or "absence of") alges (word root meaning "pain") analgesic = pertaining to no pain

Flexion

bending of a joint

bilateral

both sides. body part on two sides.

dysuria

dys/ur/ia -ia (suffix meaning "condition of") dys- (prefix meaning "difficult, painful, or abnormal") ur (word root meaning "urine") dysuria = painful urination (pain when urinating) or difficulty urinating

extension

extending of a joint

Prone and supine

face down/face up

Proximal describes structures that are farther away from the trunk.

false

The root word eryth/o denotes the color white.

false

hyperemesis

hyper/emesis hyper- (prefix meaning "excessive") emesis (word root meaning "vomiting") hyperemesis = excessive vomiting

Abbduction

move appendage away from midline

Nephropathy

nephr/o/pathy -pathy (suffix meaning "disease") o (combining form) nephr (word root meaning "kidney") nephropathy = disease of the kidney

Fowler position

semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees

Dorsal and posterior are synonyms for spinal side of the body.

true

The body is in the supine position when lying face up.

true

The elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand.

true

Your partner makes the following symbol in a PCR: Δ What does this mean?

Δ is the symbol for change

What is the medical term for coughing up blood?

Hemoptysis is the coughing up of blood; -ptysis is the suffix for spitting or coughing.

Apex

The apex (plural: apices) is the tip of a structure. For example, the apex of the heart is the bottom (inferior portion) of the ventricles in the left side of the chest.

What is the root word for pain?

The root word for pain is alges.

What does asthenia mean?

The suffix-astheni means weakness.

Superior and inferior

The superior part of the body, or any body part, is the portion nearer to the head from a specific reference point. The part nearer to the feet is the inferior portion. These terms are also used to describe the relationship of one structure to another. For example, the knee is superior to the foot and inferior to the pelvis.

Proximal and distal

The terms proximal and distal are used to describe the relationship of any two structures on an extremity. Proximal describes structures that are closer to the trunk. Distal describes structures that are farther from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity. For example, the elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand.

What is adduction?

movement toward the midline

adduction

moving toward the midline