Medical Terminology Flashcards

The term 'dyspnea' describes which clinical finding?

Answer: Difficulty or painful breathing

Dyspnea (dys- = difficult/painful + pnea = breathing) means difficulty breathing or breathlessness, which is distinct from bradypnea (slow breathing) or apnea (absence of breathing).

What does the prefix 'hemi-' mean in medical terminology?

Answer: Half

Hemi- is a Greek prefix meaning 'half,' used in terms like hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body), hemianopia (loss of half the visual field), and hemisphere (half of the brain or globe).

The suffix '-itis' means inflammation. Which of the following correctly identifies the term for inflammation of the appendix?

Answer: Appendicitis

Appendicitis = appendix + -itis (inflammation), meaning inflammation of the appendix — one of the most common abdominal surgical emergencies, requiring urgent appendectomy.

Which anatomical plane divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) halves?

Answer: Transverse (horizontal) plane

The transverse (or horizontal) plane divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections; cross-sectional imaging studies like CT and MRI display the body in transverse planes.

The abbreviation 'HEENT' appears in a physical exam documentation. What does HEENT stand for?

Answer: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat

HEENT stands for Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat — a standard section of the physical examination review of systems and documentation focused on the cranial region.

The term 'subcutaneous' describes medication or injections administered into which tissue layer?

Answer: Into the layer between the skin (dermis) and the muscle (hypodermis/fatty tissue)

Subcutaneous (sub- = under, cutaneous = skin) refers to the hypodermis — the fatty, connective tissue layer beneath the dermis and above the muscle — where subcutaneous injections are administered.