Medical Terminology Ch. 1-4 – Flashcards
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medical words consist of some or all of the following
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word root; combining form; suffix; prefix
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ex of word root
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aqua, Hydra, Geo
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ex of combining form
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O or I
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ex of suffix
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-able, -ade, -cycle
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ex of prefix
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un-, pre/post-, anti-
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how you combine these determines:
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meaning of a word
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word roots
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contain primary meaning of word; may have 1+ word roots; derived from Greek & Latin
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ex of Greek, Latin, English derivations for same word
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Greek: dermatos Latin: cutane English: skin
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General rule of Greek roots
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used to describe a disease, condition, treatment, or diagnosis
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General rule of Latin roots
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used to describe anatomical structures
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Dermatitis
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Dermatos (Gr); inflammation of skin
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Cutaneous
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Cutis (L); pertaining to the skin
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Nephroma
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Nephros (Gr); tumor of the kidney
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Renal
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Renes (L); pertains to the kidney
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Combining forms
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combining word root w/ vowel, usually "o" but sometimes "i"; enables word elements to be conected
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hepat/o
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liver
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immun/o
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immune/immunity
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oste/o
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bone
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suffix
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word element placed at end of word->changes meaning of word
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suffix usually describes:
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pathology (disease or abnormality); symptom; surgical or diagnostic
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-itis
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inflammation
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-megaly
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enlargement
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-oma
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tumor
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hepatitis
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inflammation of liver
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hepatomegaly
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enlargement of liver
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hepatoma
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tumor of liver
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prefix
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word element attached to beginning of word or word root->changes meaning of word --NOT ALL medical terms have prefix
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prefix usually indicates:
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#, time, position, direction
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an-
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without, not
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hyper-
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above normal
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intra-
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in, within
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poly-
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many, much
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-ia
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condition
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-ar
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pertaining to
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esthes
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feeling
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anesthesia
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condition of not feeling
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hyperthermia
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condition of excessive heat
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intramuscular
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pertaining to within muscle
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polyuria
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condition of much urine
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3 steps for defining medical words
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1. Define the suffix 2. Define the 1st part of the word (may be a word root, combining form, or prefix) 3. Define the middle parts of the word
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gastroenteritis
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-itis: inflammation; gastr/o: stomach; enter/o: intestine
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rules for building medical words
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1. word root links a suffix that begins w/ vowel 2. combining form (root/o) links a suffix that begins w/ consonant 3. combining form links a root to another root to form a compound word (even if next root begins w/ vowel)
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ex of rule 1: hepatitis
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liver inflammation
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ex of rule 2: hepatocyte
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liver cell
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ex of rule 3: osteoarthritis
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bone, joint inflammation
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osteoclasis
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break a bone
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compound words
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contain more than one word root
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encephal/o
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brain
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mening
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meninges
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encephalomeningitis
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inflammation of brain meninges
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surgical suffixes
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describe a type of invasive procedure on a body part
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-centesis
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surgical puncture
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arthr/o/centesis
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puncture of joint
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-clasis
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to break/surgical fracture
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oste/o/clasis
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break a bone
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-desis
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binding, fixation (of a joint or bone)
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arthr/o/desis
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binding of joint
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-ectomy
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excision, removal
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append/ectomy
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removal of appendix
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-lysis
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separation; destruction; loosening
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thromb/o/lysis
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loosening of blood
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-plasty
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surgical repair
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rhin/o/plasty
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surgical repair of nose
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-rrhaphy
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suture
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my/o/rrhaphy
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muscle suture
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-stomy
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forming an opening
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trache/o/stomy
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forming an opening of trachea
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-tomy
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incision
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trache/o/tomy
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incision of trachea
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-tripsy
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crushing
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lith/o/tripsy
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crushing of stone, calculus
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diagnostic suffixes
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denote a procedure or test performed to identify the cause & nature of an illness
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-gram
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record, writing
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electr/o/cardio/gram
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electric record of heart
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-graph
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instrument for recording
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cardi/o/graph
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instrument for recording heart
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-graphy
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process of recording
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angi/o/graphy
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process of recording blood vessels
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-meter
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instrument for measuring
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pelv/i/meter
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instrument for measuring pelvis
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-metry
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act of measuring
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pelv/i/metry
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act of measuring pelvis
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-scope
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instrument for examining
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endo/scope
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examining inside
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-scopy
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visual examination
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endo/scopy
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visual examination of insides
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pathological & related suffixes
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describe an abnormal condition or disease
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-algia
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pain
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neur/algia
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nerve pain
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-dynia
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pain
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ot/o/dynia
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ear pain
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-cele
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hernia, swelling
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hepat/o/cele
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hernia, swelling of liver
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-edema
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swelling
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lymph/edema
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swelling of lymph node
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-emia
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blood condition
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an/emia
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without/not blood condition
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-gen
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forming, producing, origin
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carcin/o/gen
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forming cancer
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-genesis
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forming, producing, origin
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carcin/o/genesis
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forming cancer
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-iasis
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abnormal condition
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chol/e/lith/iasis
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abnormal condition of bile calculus
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-malacia
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softening
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chrondr/o/malacia
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softening of cartilage
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-osis
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abnormal condition
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cyan/osis
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abnormal condition of turning blue
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-pathy
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diesase
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my/o/pathy
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blood disease
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-penia
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decrease, deficiency
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erythr/o/penia
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red blood cell deficiency
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-phagia
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eating, swallowing
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dys/phagia
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painful eating
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-phobia
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fear
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hem/o/phobia
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fear of blood
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-plasia
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formation, growth
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dys/plasia
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formation of pain
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-plasm
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formation, growth
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neo/plasm
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new growth
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-plegia
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paralysis
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hemi/plegia
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half paralysis
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-ptosis
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prolapse, downward turn
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blephar/o/ptosis
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downward turn of eyelid
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blephar-
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eyelid
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-rrhage
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bursting forth
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hem/o/rrhage
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blood bursting forth
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-rrhea
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discharge, flow
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dia/rrhea
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flow passing through
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-rrhexis
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rupture
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arteri/o/rrhexis
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rupture of artery
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-sclerosis
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abnormal condition of hardening
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arteri/o/sclerosis
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hardening of artery
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-spasm
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involuntary contraction, twitching
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blephar/o/spasm
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involuntary contraction of eyelid
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-stenosis
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narrowing, stricture
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arteri/o/stenosis
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narrowing of artery
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-toxic
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poison
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hepat/o/toxic
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poison of liver
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-trophy
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nourishment, development
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dys/trophy
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painful development
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grammatical suffixes
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form parts of speech, such as adjectives or nouns, or singular/plural forms of medical words
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-ac
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pertaining to
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cardi/ac
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pertaining to heart
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-al
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pertaining to
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neur/al
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pertaining to nerves
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muscul/ar
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pertaining to muscles
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-ary
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pertaining to
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pulmon/ary
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pertaining to lungs
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-eal
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pertaining to
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esophag/eal
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pertaining to esophagus
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-ic
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pertaining to
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thorac/ic
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pertaining to chest
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thorac-
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chest
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-ical
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pertaining to
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path/o/log/ical
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pertaining to study of pathology
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log-
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study
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-ile
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pertaining to
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juven/ile
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pertaining to youth
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-ior
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pertaining to
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poster/ior
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pertaining to rear
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-ous
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pertaining to
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cutane/ous
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pertaining to skin
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-tic
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pertaining to
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acous/tic
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pertaining to hearing
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-esis
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condition
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di/ur/esis
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condition of lots of urine
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pneumon-
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lung
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-ism
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condition
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hyper/thryoid/ism
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condition excessive thyroid
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-iatry
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medicine, treatment
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podi/atry
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treatment of feet
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-ician
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specialist
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pediatr/ician
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children specialist
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-ist
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specialist
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hemat/o/log/ist
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specialist in the study of the liver
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-icle
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small, minute
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ventr/icle
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small part on stomach side of body
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-ole
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small, minute
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arteri/ole
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small artery
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-ule
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small, minute
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ven/ule
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small vein
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forming plural of -a
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retain a & add e
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pl of pleura
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pleurae
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forming plural of -ax
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drop x & add ces
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pl of thorax
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thoraces
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forming plural of -en
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drop en & add ina
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pl of lumen
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lumina
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forming plural of -is
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drop is & add es
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pl of diagnosis
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diagnoses
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forming plural of -ixx
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drop ix & add ices
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pl of appendix
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appendeces
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forming plural of -ex
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drop ex & add ices
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pl of apex
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apices
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forming plural of -ma
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retain ma & add ta
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pl of carcinoma
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carcinomata
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forming plural of -on
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drop on & add a
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pl of ganglion
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ganglia
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forming plural of -um
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drop um & add a
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pl of bacterium
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bacteria
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forming plural of -us
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drop us & add i
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pl of bronchus
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bronchi
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forming plural of -y
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drop y & add ies
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pl of deformity
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deformities
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gonio-
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semen
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macro-
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large
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micro-
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smalle
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pre-
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before
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pre/nat/al
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pertaining to the time before birth
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peri-
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around
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peri/nat/al
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pertaining to time around birth
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post-
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after, behind
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post/nat/al
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pertaining to the time after birth
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position
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describe a place or location
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epi-
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above, upon
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epi/gastr/ic
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pertaining to area above stomach
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hypo-
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under, below, deficient
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hypo/derm/ic
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pertaining to area under skin
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sub-
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under, below
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sub/cost/al
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pertaining to areaunder ribs
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cost-
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ribs
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inter-
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between
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inter/cost/al
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pertaining to area between ribs
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number & measurements
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describe an amount, size, or degree of involvement
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bi-
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2
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later-
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side
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bi/later/al
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pertaining to both sides
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dipl-
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double
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dipl/opia
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double vision
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-opia
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vision
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hemi-
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one half
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mono-
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1
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mono/therapy
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1 therapy
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multi-
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many, much
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multi/nodul/ar
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pertaining to many nodules
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poly-primi-
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first
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primi/gravida
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first pregnancy
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gravida
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pregnant
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quadri-
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four
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quadri/plegia
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paralysis on all 4 limbs
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tri
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three
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tri/ceps
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3 muscles near head
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-ceps
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head
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direction
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indicate pathway or route
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ab-
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from, away from
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ab/duction
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bring away from body
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-duction
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act of leading, bringing, conduction
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ad-
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toward
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ad/duction
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bringing toward body
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circum-
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around
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circum/ren/al
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around liver
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peri/odont/al
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pertaining to area around the teeth
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dia-
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through, across
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trans-
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through, across
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trans/vagin/al
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pertaining to area across vagina
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ecto-
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outside, outward
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ecto/gen/ous
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forming outside
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exo-
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outside, outward
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exo/tropia
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turning outward
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-tropia
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turning
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extra-
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outside, outward
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extra/crani/al
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pertaining ot area outside of cranium
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endo-
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in, within
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enod/crine
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secretion within
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-crine
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secrete
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para-
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near, beside, beyond
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para/nas/al
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pertaining to the area near the nose
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supra-
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above, excessive, superior
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supra/ren/al
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pertaining to area above kidney
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ultra-
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excessive, beyond
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a-
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(usually used before consonant) w/o, not
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a/mast/ia
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pertaining to the absence of growth of breast or nipple
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anti-
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against
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anti/bacteri/al
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against bacteria
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contra-
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against
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contra/ception
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against conceiving
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-ception
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conceiving
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brady-
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slow
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brady/cardia
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slow heart rate
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dys-
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bad, painful, difficult
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dys/tocia
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painful childbirth
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tocia
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childbirth, labor
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eu-
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good, normal
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eu/pnea
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normal breathing
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pnea
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breathing
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hetero-
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different
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hetero/graft
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different transplant
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graft
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transplantation
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homo-
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same
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homo/graft
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same graft
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homeo-
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same
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homeo/plasia
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same formation/growth
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plasia
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formation, growth
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mal-
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bad
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mal/nutrition
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bad nutrition
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pan-
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all
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pan/arthr/itis
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inflammation of all joints
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pseudo-
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false
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pseudo/cyesis
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false pregnancy
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cyesis
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pregnancy
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syn-
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(use sym= before b, p, ph, or m) union, together, joined
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syn/dactyl/ism
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condition of joined fingers, toes
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tachy
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rapid
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tachy/pnea
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rapid breathing
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homeo/plasia
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same formation/growth
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Foundation for understanding the body systems
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structural & functional organizations of the body from cellular to organism level
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Terms used to describe
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planes of the body; body cavities; quadrants & regions of abdominal cavity; divisions of spinal column
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levels of structure & function
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cell->tissue->organ->system->organism
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cytology
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study of the body at cellular level
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activities performed by cells
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all associated w/ life; utilize food, eliminate waste, reproduce
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cells consist of
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cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, other organelles
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tissue
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groups of cells that perform specialized activities
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histology
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study of tissues
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4 major tissues of body
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epithelial, connective, muscle, nervous
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organs
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body structures that perform specialized functions; composed of at least 2+ types of tissue
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organ systems
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composed of varying numbers of organs & accessory structures
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organism
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highest level of organization; complete, independent living entity; made up of several body systems that work together
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anatomical position
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-body erect & upright (or supine) -eyes looking forward -arms at side -palms facing forward -legs parallel -toes straight ahead
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sagittal plane
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medial; right/left
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frontal plane
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coronal; frontal/dorsal (front/back)
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transverse plane
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horizontal; superior/inferior (top/bottom)
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2 major body cavities
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dorsal (posterior); ventral (anterior)
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dorsal cavity
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posterior; includes the cranial & spinal cavities
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ventral cavity
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anterior; includes the thoracic & abdominopelvic cavities
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quadrants
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4 divisions of lower torso;RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ
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Right upper quadrant
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right lobe of liver, gallbladder, part of pancreas, part of small & large intestines
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Left upper quadrant
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left lobe of liver, stomach, spleen, part of pancreas, part of small & large intestines
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Right lower quadrant
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part of small & large intestines, appendix, right ovary, right fallopian tube, right ureter
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Left lower quadrant
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part of small & large intestines, left ovary, left fallopian tube, left ureter
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abdominopelvic regions
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used to identify location of body structures & visceral organs; left hypochondriac, epigastric, right hypochondriac, left lumbar, umbilical, right lumbar, left inguinal (iliac); hypogastric; right inguinal (iliac)
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left hypochondriac
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upper left region beneath ribs
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epigastric
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region above the stomach
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right hypochondriac
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upper right region beneath the ribs
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left lumbar
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left middle lateral region
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umbilical
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region of the navel
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right lumbar
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right middle lateral region
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left inguinal
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(iliac) left lower lateral region
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hypogastric
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lower middle region beneath the navel
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right inguinal
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(iliac) right lower lateral region
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sections of the vertebrae
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cervical (neck); thoracic (chest); lumbar (loin); sacral (lower back)
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abduction
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movement away from midsagittal plane
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adduction
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movement toward the midsagittal plane
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medial
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pertaining to the midline of the body
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lateral
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pertaining to a side
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superior
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toward the head or upper portion of a structure
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inferior
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away from the head, toward the lower part
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proximal
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nearer to center of the body
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distal
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further from the center
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anterior
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front of the body
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posterior
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back of the body
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parietal
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pertaining to outer wall of body cavity
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visceral
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pertaining to the viscera, or internal organs
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prone
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lying on the abdomen, face down
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supine
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lying horizontally on the back, face up
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inversion
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turning inward or inside out
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eversion
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turning outward
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palmar
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pertaining to the palm of the hand
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plantar
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pertaining to the sole of the foot
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superficial
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toward the surface of the body (external)
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deep
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away from the surface of the body (internal)
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homeostasis
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stable internal environment of the body
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disease
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disruption of homeostasis
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signs
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objective indicators, observable
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symptoms
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subjective, experienced only by the patient
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etiology
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study of cause or origin of a disease or disorder
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possible causes of disease include:
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metabolic; infectious; congenital; hereditary; environmental; neoplastic
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diagnosis
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establishing the cause & nature of a disease
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prognosis
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prediction of the course of a disease, probable outcome
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idiopathic
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disease whose cause is unknown
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cyt/o
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cell
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hist/o
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tissue
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kary/o
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nucleus
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anter/o
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front of
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caud/o
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tail
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dist/o
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far, furthest
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dors/o
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back (of body)
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infer/o
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lower, below
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later/o
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side, to one side
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medi/o
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middle
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post/o
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back of (body), behind
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proxim/o
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near, nearest
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ventr/o
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belly, or underside
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abdomin/o
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abdomen
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cervic/o
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neck
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crani/o
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cranium, skull
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gastr/o
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stomach
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ili/o
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ilim (lateral flared portion of hips)
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inguin/o
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groin
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lumb/o
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loin (lower back)
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pelv/i
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pelvis
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spin/o
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spine
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thorac/o
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chest
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umbilic/o
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umbilicus, navel
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alino/o
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white
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leuk/o
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white
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chlor/o
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green
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chrom/o
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color
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cirrh/o
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yellow
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jaund/o
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yellow
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xanth/o
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yellow
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cyan/o
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blue
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erythr/o
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red
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melan/o
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black
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poli/o
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gray (gray matter of brain or spinal cord)
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acr/o
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extrimity
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eti/o
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cause
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idi/o
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unknown, peculiar
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morph/o
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form, shape, structure
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path/o
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disease
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adhesion
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abnormal fibrous band, hold tissues together that are normally separated
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analyte
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substance analyzed or tested
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contrast medium
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substance injected into body (catheter, swallowed) to enhance radiographic images
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dehiscence
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bursting open of a wound
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febrile
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feverish, pertaining to a disease
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sepsis
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pathological state, usually febrile, resulting from microorganisms in the bloodstream
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morbid
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diseased: pertaining to a disease
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suppurative
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producing or associated w/ generation of pus
