Commonly Used Medical Root Words General Roots an: angi: arter: cec: celio: chole: cholecyst: choledoch: col: crani: cyst: duoden (duodenum): enter: esophag: gastr: hem, hemat: hepat: ile (ileum): jejun (jejunum): lapar: lith: lysis: mast pancreat: phleb: proct: rect: splen: vas: ven: anal canal vessel (not necessarily a blood vessel) artery cecum body cavity gall, bile (gall: old English term for "bile") gallbladder common bile duct colon skull, cranium sac the first part of small intestine small intestine esophagus stomach blood liver third part (most distal) of small intestine second part of small intestine (distal to the duodenum but proximal to ileum) abdomen, flank calculus, stone breakdown, destruction breast, mammary gland. Occasionally mamm is used as a combining form; i.e., mammogram, mammography pancreas small vein rectum rectum, structures related to the rectum spleen vessel, duct or canal. Refers to any fluid-conveying structure vein Thoracic Anatomy bronch: card (ium): pneumon: pulmon: phren: thorac: trache: bronchus heart lung lung, structures related to the lung respiratory diaphragm chest trachea Gynecology Anatomy colp: hyster: metrium: oophor: salping: vagina uterus uterus ovary Fallopian tube, uterine tube Genitourinary Anatomy cyst: nephr: pyel: ren: ureter: urethr: vesic: bladder, sac (usually refers to the urinary bladder) kidney pelvis of the kidney kidney ureter urethra urinary bladder Using Root Words to Write Anastomoses Anastomose the esophagus to the stomach: Anastomose the stomach to the duodenum: Anastomose the jejunum to the jejunum: Anastomose the gallbladder to the jejunum: esophag-o-gastr-ostomy gastr-o-duoden-ostomy jejun-o-jejun-ostomy cholecyst-o-jejun-ostomy Medical Terminology: Prefixes contraextra-, exo-, exhemiinfrainterintra-, endoparaperipostretrosubsupra- against, opposite outside half inferior, below between within/inside beside/alongside/parallel to surrounding/around posterior, behind posterior, behind less than total/under superior, above Medical Terminology: Suffixes -ectomy: ocentesis: -itis: -ogram: -ology: (-o)lysis: -omegaly: -opexy: -oplasty: -orrhaphy: (-o)scope: -oscopy: -osis: (-o)stasis: -ostomy: -otomy: removal, excision, extraction, extirpation a puncture (needle) aspiration infection, inflammation examination of study of break down/destruction enlargement fixation or immobilization surgical reshaping surgical repair instrument examination by visualization of the inside of an organ through an optical instrument such as bronchoscopy (examination of a bronchus), esophagoscopy (esophagus), laparoscopy (abdomen), gastroscopy (stomach), sigmoidoscopy (sigmoid colon), proctoscopy (rectum), cystoscopy (urinary bladder) state of/many control/stop new opening or drainage incision/cutting into Anatomical Position Anatomical Position Supine or dorsal recumbent Lateral recumbent or lateral decubitus Prone Lithotomy Trendelenburg When a body is placed in the anatomical position, it is standing, the eyes are open and level, the head is in midposition, the arms are down at the sides, the palms face forward, the feet are parallel, and the heels are close together. lying on the back lying on the side lying on the abdomen (face down) lying on the back, thighs and knees apart and flexed, perineum exposed lying supine (face up) with the head of the table tilted down about 40 degrees Positions, Planes and Body Cavities: Directional Terms Anterior and Posterior Anterior (ventral) means toward the front, or in front of. Posterior (dorsal) means toward the back, or behind. Medial and Lateral For example, the abdomen is anterior to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is posterior to the abdomen. Medial means toward the midline. Lateral means away from the midline. Internal and External For example, the nose is medial to the eyes. The ears are lateral to the eyes. Internal (deep) means toward the inside or on the inside. External (superficial) means toward the outside or on the outside. Proximal and Distal For example, the hair is superficial to the skull. The brain is internal to the skull. Proximal means closer to the origin. Distal means further from the origin. Peripheral and Central For example, the shoulder is the most proximal joint of the arm. The wrist is the most distal joint. Peripheral means away from the center. Central means toward the center. For example, the nerves in your arms and legs are part of the peripheral nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are part of the central nervous system. Parietal and Visceral Parietal means pertaining to the walls. This usually refers to the peritoneum lining of the walls of the body cavities. Superior and Inferior Visceral means pertaining to the organs. This usually refers to the covering of the viscera (internal organs). Superior means above. For example, the nose is superior to the mouth. Cephalad and Caudad Inferior means below. For example, the chin is inferior to the mouth. Cephalad means toward the head. For example, the rib cage is cephalad to the pelvis. Caudad means toward the feet (tail). For example, the knees are caudad to the pelvis.