Medical terminology

Constructed medical terms:Many medical terms are ‘constructed’ from a combination of

word parts… prefixes, Greek or Roman root words, and suffixes. Determine the meaning of the whole word by first deciphering the meaning of the suffix, then the prefix, and

finally the root word. Then combine the 3 parts.

MICRO / SCOP / ICPrefix meaning ‘small’ / root word meaning ‘viewing instrument’ / suffix meaning ‘pertaining to’

When you start with a root word and add a suffix that starts with a consonant OR another root word, then you have to connect the two word parts with a vowel. This is called a ‘combining vowel’, and is usually an ‘o, i, or e’.

HEM / O / PHILIARoot word meaning ‘blood’ / combining vowel / suffix meaning ‘love of’

Nonconstructed medical terms:If a medical term is not constructed from a combination of word parts, then it is called ‘nonconstructed’. These are words derived from other languages, words derived from names of people, from initials that form acronyms,

or from abbreviations. To learn the meanings of nonconstructed terms, you must simply commit them to

memory.

The term ‘pasteurize’ refers to the process of

heating milk to a temperature that kills

harmful microorganisms. The term is derived from

the name of its inventor… Louis Pasteur

(1822-1895).

Medical root words of the urinary system…

ROOT WORD DEFINITION

GLYCOS SWEET, SUGAR

NEPHR KIDNEY

PYEL RENAL PELVIS

REN KIDNEY

URETER URETER

URETHR URETHRA

UR or URIN URINE

NOCT NIGHT

PY PUS

CYST or VESIC BLADDER

LITH STONE

AZOT UREA or NITROGEN

OLIG FEW IN NUMBER

KET or KETON KETONE

Medical prefixes for the urinary system…

PREFIX DEFINITION

AN- WITHOUT OR ABSENCE OF

DYS- BAD, ABNORMAL, PAINFUL, DIFFICULT

EN- WITHIN, UPON, ON, OVER

DIA- THROUGH

Medical suffixes for the urinary system…SUFFIX DEFINITION

-EMIA CONDITION OF BLOOD

-IA CONDITION OF

-IC PERTAINING TO

-AL PERTAINING TO

-URIA PERTAINING TO URINE OR URINATION

-GRAPHY RECORDING PROCESS

-OSIS CONDITION OF

-PATHY DISEASE

-IASIS CONDITION OF

-SCOPY PROCESS OF VIEWING

-CELE HERNIA, SWELLING, or PROTRUSION

-TRIPSY SURGICAL CRUSHING

-ITIS INFLAMMATION

-URESIS URINATION

-OLOGY STUDY OR SCIENCE OF

-GRAM A RECORD OR IMAGE

Urology (yoo RAHL oh jee)The general field of

medicine focusing on urinary tract disease.

A physician specializing in urology is called a urologist. (yoo RAHL oh jist)

Medical terms, signs, & symptoms of the urinary system…

Anuresis (an yoo REE siss)

The inability to pass urine (clinically less

than 100 mL per day). This is usually

a sign of urinary tract blockage or

kidney failure.


Azotemia (az oh TEE

mee ah)

Abnormally high levels of urea and

other nitrogen-containing

compounds in the blood.


High levels of nitrogen-containing compounds might be produced by high intake of protein supplements and may

cause kidney damage.

Excessive discharge of urine, and a common

sign of endocrine system disorders such as diabetes insipidus

and diabetes mellitus. The prefix ‘di’ is used

instead of ‘dia’.


Diuresis (DYE yoo REE siss)


Dysuria (diss YOO ree ah)

Difficulty or pain experienced during

urination.


The abnormal presence of glucose or sugar in

the urine. This is a sign of endocrine disease

such as diabetes millitus or other kidney

disorders.

Glycosuria (glye kohs YOO ree ah)


Hematuria (HEE mah TOO ree

ah)

The abnormal presence of blood in the urine,

often a sign of urinary disease.


Ketonuria (kee tohn YOO ree

ah)

The abnormal presence of ketone bodies in the

urine. This is a common sign of a

metabolic disorder, a high-protein or low-carbohydrate diet,

starvation, or diabetes mellitus.


Nocturia (nok TOO ree

ah)

This is the need to urinate frequently at night. It may be

due to aging of muscles around the bladder or drinking

to many fluids before bedtime.

It is a possible symptom of diabetes mellitus or a

prostate condition called ‘benign prostate hyperplasia’

(BPH)


Oliguria (all ig YOO ree ah)

Reduced urination, which becomes a

clinical problem when the volume of urine is

less than 500 mL within a 24 hour period.

Oliguria is a possible sign of kidney disorder, congestive heart failure, dehydration, or a

blockage in the urinary tract.


Pyuria (pye YOO ree ah)

This is the appearance of pus in the urine, indicating a urinary

tract infection. Pus is a mixture of cell waste,

bacteria, and white blood cells that form during an infection.

Diseases and disorders of the urinary system…

Cystocele (SISS toh

seel)

This is a herniation of the urinary bladder. In females, this herniation (protrusion or

swelling) pushed into the adjacent vagina.


Cystolith (SISS toh lith)

A cystolith is a calcium deposit, commonly

called a ‘stone’, found in the urinary bladder. If

it is too large to pass through the urethra, it may require some sort of medical intervention

to eliminate it. (bladder stone)


Enuresis (ehn yoo REE siss)

This term refers to an involuntary release of

urine, usually occurring in children or the

elderly due to a lack of bladder control.

Nocturnal enuresis is commonly called

‘bedwetting’.

Diseases and disorders of the urinary system…Incontinence

(in KOH tih nens)

This is the inability to control urination or voiding

(emptying). When it occurs during a cough, sneeze, exercise or any strained

movement it is referred to as ‘stress incontinence’. It may

become a problem for women just after childbirth, as pelvic muscles may be weakened.

Aging muscles may also lose elasticity, and

result in incontinence.


Nephritis (neh FRYE

tiss)

Inflammation of a kidney, usually

caused by a bacterial infection.

Nephritis in a guinea pig shown here is characterized by smaller-than-normal, pitted, tan-colored kidneys.


Nephrolithiasis (NEFF roh lith EYE ah siss)

While a cystolith is a calcium deposit or

‘stone’ in the bladder, the nephrolithiasis is

the ‘stone’ in the kidney. It may dislodge from

this location and travel to the ureter, urinary bladder, or urethra.


Pyelitis (PYE eh LYE

tiss)

This is an inflammation of the

renal pelvis. The renal pelvis is a

membrane enclosed area that collects

urine on the interior of the kidney.

Treatments and Procedures of the urinary system…

Cystogram (SISS toh gram)

A cystogram is the X-ray image of the urinary

bladder. It is accomplished by injecting a dye or similar contrast medium and undergoing

an X-ray procedure. This is called a cystography.


Fulguration (full guh RAY shun)

This is a nonconstructed term derived from the Latin

word for ‘flash of lightening’. It is a surgical procedure that destroys living tissue

with an electric current. It is a procedure commonly used

to remove tumors and polyps from the interior wall

of the urinary bladder.


It is a procedure that artificially replaces the

function of the kidneys to filter the blood. It removes

nitrogen wastes and excess ions that normally

accumulate during metabolism.

It pushes the patient’s blood through a permeable membrane in a machine to clean it.

Hemodialysis (HEE moh dye AL ih siss)


Lithotripsy (LITH oh trip see)

An invasive or non-invasive procedure of using ultrasound or

shock waves to pulverize/crush/ dissolve calcium

deposits or stones that are too large to pass through the urethra.


Renography (ree NOG rah fee)

In nuclear medicine, this procedure introduces a

radioactive material into the bloodstream

and patient’s kidneys. The exam is called the

renography; the recording of the

image(s) is called the renogram.


Urinary Endoscopy (Yoo rih nair ee ehn DOSS oh pee)

Specialized scopes are used to observe internal structures of the urinary

system. Example… a urethrascope (yoo REE throh skope) is used for

viewing the urethra.


This is a surgical

procedure performed to stabilize the

position of the urinary bladder and treat stress incontinence.

Vesicourethral (vess ih koh yoo REE thral)

Abbreviations associated with the urinary system…

UA UrinalysisA combination of diagnostic clinical lab tests performed

on a urine specimen, including information on the quality and composition. It includes specific gravity,

creatinine (kree ATT ih neen; a byproduct of muscle

metabolism), glucose and protein levels, the presence of red and white blood cells,

or pus.


UTI Urinary Tract InfectionA complete blood count is a common laboratory test that evaluates a sample of

blood and provides diagnostic information

about a patient’s general health. It always includes

a RBC, or count of red blood cells, and a WBC, the count of white blood

cells.


CathCatheterization (KATH eh ter ih ZAY shun)

A urinary catherterization is the process of inserting a plastic tubing into the

urethra and urinary bladder to drain the

urine from the bladder and collect it in a

plastic bag.


SG Specific Gravity

The measurement of

the density of substances in a liquid,

compared to water. This is done using an

instrument called a urinometer. (yoo rih NOM eh ter)


RP Retrograde Pyelogram or IVP Intravenous

PyelogramA pyelogram is an X-ray image of the renal

pelvis, highlighting the internal features of the kidney. The contrast medium, such as iodine, is

introduced intravenously.

http://www.radiology.wisc.edu/COW/imageVault/COW19-1.jpg

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Medical terminology