Medical Terminology - SUFFIXES/PREFIXES

Question 1

-ectomy

Answer 1

to cutout, to remove

Mastectomy: A general term for removal of the breast.
A MASTECTOMY is generally performed due to breast cancer.

Question 2

-stomy

Answer 2

to create a new permanent opening

Tracheostomy: Surgery to create an opening (stoma) into the windpipe.
A TRACHEOSTOMY may be made as an emergency measure if the airway is blocked.

Question 3

-tomy

Answer 3

cutting into

Hysterectomy: An operation to remove the uterus.
A HYSTERECTOMY is most commonly performed as a treatment for fibroids, cancer or severe dysplasia of the uterus, and for dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Question 4

-plasty

Answer 4

surgical repair

Rhinoplasty: Plastic surgery on the nose.
RHINOPLASTY may be performed to repair nasal fractures and other structural problems.

Question 5

-centesis

Answer 5

surgical puncture to remove fluid

Pneumocentesis: a procedure in which a lung is punctured to drain fluid contents.
Usually people with cirrhosis have ascitic fluid in their body and paracentesis or PNEUMOCENTESIS are performed to remove this ascitic fluid from body.

Question 6

-osis

Answer 6

a condition of

Neurosis: A chronic disorder featuring irritability of the nervous system (nervousness) and characterized by anxiety and/or extreme behavior dedicated to avoid anxiety situations.
NEUROSIS involves chronic distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations

Question 7

-itis

Answer 7

inflammation of

Otitis: Inflammation of the ear.
A symptom of OTITIS is ear pain.

Question 8

-pathy

Answer 8

any disease of

Neuropathy: Any disease or malfunction of the nerves.
Peripheral NEUROPATHY, a result of damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet.

Question 9

-algia

Answer 9

pain

Myalgia: Pain in the muscles or within muscle ‘tissue.
While the most common cause is the overuse of a muscle or group of muscles, acute MYALGIA may also be due to viral infections, especially in the absence of a traumatic history.

Question 10

-rrhea

Answer 10

flow or excessive discharge

Rhinorrhea: Medical term for a runny nose.
A cold can often cause RHINORRHEA.

Question 11

a-, an-, ar-

2 examples

Answer 11

without or not

Anaphia: The inability to feel touch.
A spinal cord injury could cause anaphia.

Anaerobic: Not requiring oxygen.
Anaerobic bacteria do not require oxygen to grow.

Question 12

ad-

2 examples

Answer 12

near, toward

Adduction: Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body. The opposite of adduction is abduction.
Jumping jacks involve ADDUCTION and abduction of the arms.

Adrenal: Toward the kidney
Two of the most important ADRENAL hormones are cortisol and aldosterone.

Question 13

ab-

2 examples

Answer 13

away from

Abduction: The movement of a limb away from the midline of the body. The opposite of abduction is adduction.
Jumping jacks involve adduction and ABDUCTION of the arms.

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.
The patient’s test results were abnormal indicating a possible infection.

Question 14

ante-

2 examples

Answer 14

before

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior.
The ANTERIOR surface of the heart is toward the breast bone (the sternum).

Antepartum: before giving birth
The women had high blood pressure and protein in her urine during her ANTEPARTUM doctor visit indicating she may have developed pre-eclampsia.

Question 15

anti-

2 examples

Answer 15

against

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat bacterial infections.
The ANTIBIOTIC helped treat her bacterial infection.

Anticoagulant: An agent that is used to prevent the formation of blood clots.
The patient was given an ANTICOAGULANT after he suffered from a stroke.

Question 16

de-

2 examples

Answer 16

take away, remove

Decongestant: A drug that shrinks the swollen membranes in the nose, making it easier for a person to breathe.
The doctor prescribed a DECONGESTANT in order to help their patient breathe easier during allergy season.

Decortication: Removal of part or all of the outer surface of an organ such as the lung, kidney, or brain.
During the DECORTICATION the surgeon removed the restrictive layer of fibrous tissue overlying the lung, chest wall, and diaphragm to allow the lung to reexpand.

Question 17

dia-

2 examples

Answer 17

through (as in running through)

Dialysis: The process of removing waste products and excess fluid from the body.
DIALYSIS is necessary when the kidneys are not able to adequately filter the blood.

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements.
The patient was advised to drink a lot of fluids so they would not get dehydrated during their bout with DIARRHEA.

Question 18

dis-

2 examples

Answer 18

from

Distention: The state of being distended, enlarged, swollen from internal pressure.
On inhalation there is DISTENTION of the lungs due to the increased air pressure within the lungs.

Dissect: To cut apart or separate tissue, as for anatomical study or in surgery. Also, an artery is said to dissect when its wall is torn, as in a dissecting aneurysm.
The students had to DISSECT the cadavers in their anatomy class to study different characteristics.

Question 19

hemi-

2 examples

Answer 19

half

Hemithorax: Half of the thorax or, more simply, one side of the chest.
A chest X-ray showed a mass in the right HEMITHORAX.

Hemiplegic: Pertaining to hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body.)
A stroke can often cause someone to become a hemiplegic.

Question 20

hyper-

2 examples

Answer 20

high, too much, excessive

Hyperthyroid: Having an excessive amount of thyroid hormone resulting from an overactive thyroid gland or from taking too much thyroid hormone.
Due to his HYPERTHYROID condition the patient experienced increased heart rate, weight loss, and depression.

Hypertensive: Having abnormally high blood pressure
The obese patient was HYPERTENSIVE due to many years of drinking and smoking.

Question 21

hypo-

2 examples

Answer 21

low, too little

Hypothyroid: Deficiency of thyroid hormone which is normally made by the thyroid gland which is located in the front of the neck.
Due to his HYPOTHYROID condition the patient experienced weight gain, depression, and extreme fatigue.

Hypotensive: Having abnormally low blood pressure
The patient was HYPOTENSIVE after severe blood loss.

Question 22

hydro-

2 examples

Answer 22

water

Hydrocephalus: Hydrocephalus is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain.
Due to a physical obstruction the baby was born with HYDROCEPHALUS.

Hydronephrosis: Distention of the kidney with urine.
The patient suffered from HYDRONEPHROSIS due to a kidney stone blocking his ureter.

Question 23

inter-

2 examples

Answer 23

between

Intercostal: situated between the ribs.
The internal INTERCOSTAL muscles are responsible for forced exhalation.

Intercurrent (disease): A disease that intervenes during the course of another disease.
A patient with AIDS may develop an intercurrent bout of pneumonia.

Question 24

intra-

2 examples

Answer 24

within

Intradermal: In the skin.
An INTRADERMAL injection is given into the skin.

Intracranial: Within the cranium, the bony dome that houses and protects the brain.
An INTRACRANIAL hemorrhage is bleeding within the cranium.