Medical Terminology Study Guide
The "A" in the abbreviation "TAH" refers to
Abdominal
The abbreviation that means a nonmalignant excessive development of the prostate gland is
BPH
The "B" in the abbreviation "SOB" refers to
Breath
To correct the patient's prolonged bleeding, the physician scheduled a surgery that involves widening of the cervix and scraping of the endometrial lining of the uterus or a(an)
D&C
A physical examination in which the physician palpates the prostate gland to screen for BPH and prostate cancer is called
DRE
The abbreviation for the term that refers to "state of complete knowledge" is
Dx
The "D" in the abbreviation "ED" refers to
Dysfunction
The abbreviation that refers to the term for the study of women is
GYN
The "H" in the abbreviation "PMH" refers to
History
The "H" in the abbreviation "HRT" refers to
Hormone
The "I" in the abbreviation "HIV" refers to
Immunodeficiency
The "I" in the abbreviation "URI" refers to
Infection
The "I" in the abbreviation "UTI" refers to
Infection
The abbreviation for the post-operative unit in a hospital is
PACU
The abbreviation for the medical term meaning inflammation of the female pelvic organs is
PID
Which of the following is the abbreviation for a blood test in which an elevated result may indicate prostate cancer?
PSA
A diagnostic study of cervical and vaginal secretions that is most commonly used to detect cancers of the cervix is a
Pap smear
The abbreviation for the body quadrant that contains the gallbladder is the
RUQ
The "S" in the abbreviation "STD" stands for
Sexually
The "S" in the abbreviation "OSA" refers to
Sleep
The "S" in the abbreviation "MRSA" refers to
Staphlococcus
The "S" in the abbreviation "CST" stands for
Surgical
The abbreviation for the surgical removal of pieces of prostate gland tissue by using a resectoscope inserted through the urethra is
TURP
Multiple routine tests done a urine specimen is a
UA
The "U" in the abbreviation "KUB" refers to
Ureters
The term for the skin condition characterized by wheals and itching that can result from allergic reactions to certain foods, medications, and other agents is
Urticaria
The abbreviation that refers to the treatment of cancer with a radioactive substance, x-rays, or radiation is
XRT
The term paronychia is defined as
a diseased state around a nail
Dysplasia is defined as cell development that is
abnormal
The patient had all of the symptoms of being pregnant including absence of menstrual flow or
amenorrhea
The abbreviation BCC indicates
an epithelial tumor arising from the epidermis
The term thoracotomy is defined as
an incision into the chest cavity
Because of the near drowning, the young man experienced a temporary absence of oxygen, or
anoxia
The frontal or coronal plane is a vertical field running from side to side that divides the body into
anterior and posterior portions
The term that means absence of voice is
aphonia
The body structure that is located in the RLQ is the
appendix
The umbilical region is the area located
around the navel
The condition of absence of sperm is
aspermia
The term that means incomplete expansion or dilation of the lung is
atelectasis
The term distal means
away from the point of attachment
In the physician's order for a "PA and lat chest x-rays," the images will be taken from
back to front and side
The term for an epithelial tumor (arising from the epidermis) that seldom metastasizes is
basal cell carcinoma
A patient diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor could be described as having a condition that is
benign
A patient having both ovaries removed would be scheduled for a
bilateral oophorectomy
Viewing a specimen of tissue through a microscope is a
biopsy
The term hematuria is defined as
blood in the urine
The term mastitis means inflammation of the
breast
The term carcinoma is defined as a
cancerous tumor
A substance that produces cancer is said to be a
carcinogen
The term for producing cancer is
carcinogenic
The correct spelling for the term that means pertaining to the tail is
caudal
An inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, usually caused by an infection, is termed
cellulitis
The term that means pertaining to towards the head is
cephalic
The term that means inflammation of the vagina is
colpitis
A patient who undergoes an A&P repair is having which procedure performed?
colporrhaphy
Suturing of the vagina is called
colporrhaphy
The term that means visual examination of the vagina (and cervix) is
colposcopy
The term leioderma means
condition of smooth skin
The term that means undescended testes is
cryptorchidism
A term that means abnormal condition of bluish discoloration is
cyanosis
A closed sac containing fluid or semisolid material is a(an)
cyst
The radiographic image of the bladder is called a
cystogram
An instrument used for visual examination of the bladder is called a
cystoscope
To evaluate the lower urinary tract, a diagnostic visual examination of the bladder was performed, or a
cystoscopy
The study of cells is
cytology
The term hypoxemia is defined as
deficient oxygen in the blood
Removal of skin scars with an abrasive material such as sandpaper is
dermabrasion
The term that means surgical repair of the skin from another person for a skin graft is
dermatoheteroplasty
The study of skin (branch of medicine involved with diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin) is
dermatology
The term that means state of complete knowledge is
diagnosis
The term balanorrhea is defined as
discharge from the glans penis
The term seborrhea is defined as
discharge of oil
The term nephroptosis is defined as a(an)
drooping kidney
The term xeroderma means
dry skin
The term that means painful menstrual discharge is
dysmenorrhea
A patient admitted to the emergency department suddenly turned cyanotic and was having difficulty breathing or
dyspnea
The term that means abnormal condition of growth of endometrial tissue in various areas of the pelvic cavity is
endometriosis
The inability to achieve or maintain a penile erection sufficient to perform sexual intercourse is called
erectile dysfunction
The term that means a red blood cell is
erythrocyte
The term that means the study of causes (of disease) is
etiology
Hyperplasia is defined as cell development that is
excessive
The meaning of the medical term onychectomy is
excision of a nail
The study of women (branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the female reproductive system) is
gynecology
The term that means blood in the uterine tubes is
hematosalpinx
The procedure for removing impurities (wastes) from the blood due to the inability of the kidneys to do so is
hemodialysis
The accident victim received a blunt trauma to the chest, which caused blood in the chest cavity or a
hemothorax
The study of tissue is called
histology
Scrotal swelling caused by a collection of fluid is called
hydrocele
The term that means abnormal condition of (excessive) water in the kidney is
hydronephrosis
The term that means pertaining to under the skin is
hypodermic
A congenital defect in which the urinary meatus is located on the lower surface of the penis is known as
hypospadias
The term that means excision of the uterus is
hysterectomy
The term that means a disease caused by a physician's treatment is
iatrogenic
The term that indicates an inability to control the bladder and/or bowels is
incontinence
The term that means pertaining to below is
inferior
The term for the reduced or absent ability to produce offspring is
infertility
The term hidradenitis is defined as
inflammation of a sweat gland
The term balanitis is defined as
inflammation of the glans penis
The medical term cellulitis means
inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by infection
The term dyspareunia means difficult or painful
intercourse
A term that means surgical repair of the larynx is
laryngoplasty
The term that means an increase in the number of white blood cells is
leukocytosis
The term that means white discharge (from the vagina) is
leukorrhea
The pelvic examination required the patient to be lying on her back with her legs raised and feet in stirrups or in the
lithotomy position
An excision of a lobe (of the lung) is a
lobectomy
The patient was placed in the Trendelenburg position, meaning he was
lying on his back with his head lower than his feet
The term gonads refers to the
male and female sex glands
If a tumor is becoming progressively worse and is likely to cause death, it is
malignant
Because a cancerous lesion was revealed in a biopsy, the physician scheduled the surgical removal of the breast, or a(an)
mastectomy
The term that means sagging breasts is
mastoptosis
The term that means pertaining to the middle is
medial
The beginning of menstruation is called
menarche
A vertical field running through the body from front to back, dividing the body into equal right and left sides is called
midsagittal
A mucopurulent discharge contains
mucus and pus
The term ureterostenosis is defined as a(an)
narrowing of the ureter
The physician observed that the patient's injury site had tissue death, or
necrosis
The term that means new growth (of abnormal tissue or tumor) is
neoplasm
Another term for renal calculus is
nephrolithiasis
The physician told the patient who had a drooping kidney that it was necessary to attach the kidney back in place by performing a
nephropexy
The creation of an artificial opening into the kidney is a
nephrostomy
Epistaxis is the medical term for
nosebleed
The couple's probable cause of infertility was a condition of scant sperm, or
oligospermia
The term that means a scant amount of urine is
oliguria
The term that means a physician who studies and treats tumors is
oncologist
The term unilateral means pertaining to
one side
The abnormal condition of a hidden (ingrown) nail is
onychocryptosis
An abnormal condition of a fungus in the nail is
onychomycosis
The surgical removal of a testicle is called a(an)
orchiectomy
The term hypoxia is defined as a defiency in
oxygen to the tissues
Mastalgia is defined as
pain in the breast
The study of disease is
pathology
The term that means inflammation of the throat is
pharyngitis
The factory worker was diagnosed with an abnormal condition of dust in the lungs or
pneumoconiosis
Air in the chest (pleural space) causing collapse of the lung is
pneumothorax
The physician first suspected diabetes when the patient complained of an excessive amount of urine, or
polyuria
The term that means state of before knowledge is
prognosis
The term that means excision of the prostate gland is
prostatectomy
The surgical incision of the prostate gland to remove a stone is a
prostatolithotomy
The term cystocele is defined as a(an)
protrusion of the bladder
The term that refers to the direction closest to the point of attachment is
proximal
The patient, who had recently been treated for a UTI, presented with fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and lumbar pain. She was diagnosed with an inflammation of the renal pelvis and kidneys, or
pyelonephritis
Pus in the chest (pleural space) is
pyothorax
The term menometrorrhagia refers to
rapid flow of blood from the uterus at menstruation (and between menstrual cycles)
One lying down in any position would be in the
recumbent
The term that means nasal discharge is
rhinorrhea
The term lateral describes movement toward the
side
The term for the mucous secretion from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea is
sputum
The term anorchism is defined as
state of absence of testis
The term pulmonology is defined as
study of the lungs
The physician ordered that the medication be administered under the skin, or
subcutaneous
Glycosuria indicates that the urine specimen contains
sugar
The term that means pertaining to above is
superior
The epigastric region is the area located
superior to the umbilical region
One lying on their back facing upward would be in this position
supine
The term lithotripsy is defined as
surgical crushing of a stone
The term orchidopexy is defined as
surgical fixation of a testicle
When a cystorrhaphy is performed, the bladder is
sutured
The plural form of the term "testis" is
testes
The oncology patient's pathology report stated that there is metastasis present, which would mean that
the cancer has spread (literally, beyond control)
The physician informed the patient that he did not have a heart attack and that was not the cause of his chest pain, or
thoracalgia
The term that means a surgical puncture of the chest cavity to aspirate fluid is
thoracentesis
The term percutaneous is defined as pertaining to
through the skin
An incision of the trachea is called
tracheotomy
A horizontal field that divides the body into superior and inferior portions is called
transverse
The medical term meaning abnormal condition of a fungus in a hair is
trichomycosis
Testicular torsion is the medical term that means
twisting of the spermatic cord
The medical term for an abnormal accumulation of urine in the bladder due to an inability to urine is
urinary retention
The study of the urinary tract is called
urology
The term that means enlarged veins of the spermatic cord is
varicocele
Male sterilization is performed by
vasectomy
After marrying a second time, the patient wanted to reverse the vasectomy he had several years before. The physician suggested the creation of artificial openings between ducts, or a
vasovasostomy
The correct plural form of the term "vertebra" is
vertebrae
An abnormal opening between the urinary bladder and the vagina is called
vesicovaginal fistula
The term that means pertaining to internal organs of the body is
visceral
The term for yellow skin (jaundice) is
xanthoderma