CHAPTER 3 PRACTICE
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

electrocardiography
Process of recording the electrical impulses of the heart

Otoscopy
Examination of the outer ear

angiorrhaphy
Suture of a vessel

mammoplasty
Surgical repair of the breast

cardiomegaly
Enlargement of the heart

encephalotomy
Incision of the brain

colopexy
Surgical fixation of the colon

ophthalmalgia pain in the eye

blepharedema
Swelling of the eyelids

calcipenia
Deficiency of calcium

neurolysis
Destruction of a nerve

cryotherapy
Treatment by using cold

otodynia
Pain in the ear

otorrhea
Discharge from the ear

neuromuscular
Pertaining to the nerves and muscles

tracheotomy
Incision made into the trachea

colorraphy
Suture of the colon

chiroplasty
Plastic surgery of the hand

Colonoscopy/coloscopy
Examination of the lining of the colon with a special instrument

opthalmomalacia
Abnormal softness of the eye

neurolysis
Loosening of adhesions surrounding a nerve

symptom
Subjective evidence perceived by the patient

sign
Definite evidence of an illness

Palpitation, inspection, percussion, auscultation
Feel, see tap, listen

Fluoroscopy
Method of viewing images in real time so that motion can be seen.

calcipenia
Deficiency of calcium

endoscopy
Visual inspection of a cavity of the body by means of an ..

catheter
Hollow flexible tube that can be inserted into a cavity of the body to withdraw or instill fluids, perform tests, or visualize a vessel or cavity.

ambulent
A person who is able to walk

MRI stands for
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

therapeutic
Pertaining to therapy or treatment

chemotherapy
Treatment of disease by chemical agents

amniocentesis
Surgical puncture of the amnion, the thin membrane that surrounds the fetus during pregnancy.

adhesions
Fibrous structures that form when two structures abnormally attach to each other

echocardiogram
Record produced by an ultrasound of the heart

analgesic
Drug that relieves pain

neurectomy
Excision (surgical removal) of a nerve

ophthalmotomy
Incision of the eye

adenectomy
Excision of a gland

encephalotome
Instrument used for incision (cutting into) of the brain

tracheostomy
Create an opening into the trachea through which a tube may be inserted