Question 1

A suffix is defined as:

Accepted Answer

A)   a word part attached to the end of the word root that does not change the meaning.
B)   a word part found anywhere in a medical term that always requires a combining vowel.
C)   a word part found at the beginning of a medical term.
D)   a word part that is added to the end of the word root and that changes the meaning of the term. D

Question 2

Which prefix means "after"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Post-
B)   Pre-
C)   Sub-
D)   Exo- A

Question 3

What medical term means "break in a bone"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fracture
B)   Osteoporosis
C)   Osteomalacia
D)   Sprain A

Question 4

A combining vowel is often added to a word root. What is a combining vowel, and why would it be added to the word root?

Accepted Answer

A)   L is a combining vowel, and this letter is commonly used in medical terms.
B)   O is a combining vowel, and it is added to change the meaning of the constructed term.
C)   O is a combining vowel, and it is added to make the constructed term easier to pronounce.
D)   V is a combining vowel, and it is added because medical terms often have too many consonants.

Question 5

The space in the midline of the chest, between the lungs and behind the breastbone, contains the heart, the large blood vessels, and the thymus. The correct spelling for this space is:

Accepted Answer

A)   mediastinum.
B)   medialstenium.
C)   mediasternum.
D)   midstinum.

Question 6

Everyone has heard of a heart attack. What is the correct abbreviation for the medical term for heart attack?

Accepted Answer

A)   MI
B)   HT
C)   CAD
D)   CP

Question 7

Choose the correct spelling for the suffix that means "surgical removal."

Accepted Answer

A)   -ectomy
B)   -excision
C)   -extomy
D)   -entesis

Question 8

A man calls his wife and tells her he is at the dermatologist's office, and he is about to have a skin "biopsy." Why did he go to the dermatologist, and what is he about to have done?

Accepted Answer

A)   He noticed a tumor on his skin, and he is about to have minor surgery to remove a piece of it for testing.
B)   He cut himself, and he is about to have the laceration sewn up.
C)   He thinks he has too many wrinkles, and he is about to have them removed.
D)   His wife always hated his tattoo with his old girlfriend's name, and he finally decided to have it removed by a process involving abrasion.

Question 9

Build a medical term meaning "joint pain."

Accepted Answer

A)   arthr (root)  + -itis (suffix)  = arthritis
B)   oste/o (combining form)  + arthr (root)  + -itis (suffix)  = osteoarthritis
C)   ten/o (combining form)  + -plasty (suffix)  = tenoplasty
D)   arthr (root)  + -algia (suffix)  = arthralgia

Question 10

Because all parts of the body require a constant supply of blood, a blockage of a blood vessel causes serious problems. What is the medical term that means "blockage," and what is a medical procedure that may be done to repair or open a blocked blood vessel?

Accepted Answer

A)   Dysrhythmia; AED
B)   Heart murmur; echocardiogram
C)   Occlusion; angioplasty
D)   Varicosis; phlebectomy

Question 11

Which suffix means "inflammation"?

Accepted Answer

A)   -al
B)   -itis
C)   -ous
D)   -plasia

Question 12

A word part placed before a root to modify its meaning is a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)   suffix.
B)   combining vowel.
C)   acronym.
D)   prefix.

Question 13

Some medical terms contain more than one root. Here is an example. Cardi/o has a root that means "heart." My/o has a root that means "muscle." Add a suffix to complete the following constructed term so that it means "disease of the heart muscle." cardiomyo________

Accepted Answer

A)   -logist
B)   -itis
C)   -pathy
D)   -gram

Question 14

The doctor orders fluid to be given directly into the vein. The fluid will go within the vein. Choose the correct spelling.

Accepted Answer

A)   Contravenous
B)   Oligovenous
C)   Intervenous
D)   Intravenous

Question 15

The medical transcriptionist is typing up a dictated note about a heart patient. She hears a sentence that sounds like, "The patient had a cabbage 5 years ago." Because this does not make any sense, she asks for clarification. She discovers that the item that sounded like "cabbage" is an acronym for a heart surgery procedure. What is the correct acronym, and what does it mean?

Accepted Answer

A)   CHF; congestive heart failure
B)   CPR; cardiopulmonary resuscitation
C)   CABG; coronary artery bypass graft
D)   ECG; electrocardiogram

Question 16

Elise is a paramedic. She is transporting a patient who just suffered a gunshot wound. Elise reports that she is bringing in a "Gunshot wound to RUQ." What does RUQ stand for, and to what does it refer?

Accepted Answer

A)   Right under quadriceps, and it refers to the leg
B)   Right upper quadrant, and it refers to the abdomen
C)   Regular once a day, and it refers to vital signs
D)   Right upper quadrant, and it refers to the chest

Question 17

It is often helpful for an orthopedist to use an instrument to take an actual look inside a joint. What is the instrument called, and what is the name of the procedure?

Accepted Answer

A)   The instrument is an electromyograph, and the procedure is a myoplasty.
B)   The instrument is an X-ray machine, and the procedure is a closed fracture reduction.
C)   The instrument is an arthroscope, and the procedure is an arthroscopy.
D)   The instrument is an arthroscopy, and the procedure is an arthroscope.

Question 18

Encephalitis and dermatitis are two constructed terms. Each is made from the same two types of word parts. How could you best explain the difference between these two terms?

Accepted Answer

A)   The word roots are different.
B)   The combining vowel is different.
C)   The suffixes are different.
D)   There is no difference.

Question 19

What does the term quadriplegia mean?

Accepted Answer

A)   Half paralyzed
B)   One-fourth paralyzed
C)   Paralysis of four limbs
D)   Paralyzed numerous times

Question 20

The combining form my/o means muscle. Adding a suffix modifies the meaning. Which constructed term is the most exact for "pain in a muscle"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Myasthenia
B)   Myopathy
C)   Myospasm
D)   Myalgia

Exam 17: Medical Terminology and Body Directional Terms