Medical Terminology A-D Flashcards

Study Notes

A- or An-: Indicates absence or negation; for instance, "asepsis" refers to a state free from pathogens.
Ab-: Signifies movement away from something; example includes "abduction," which is the movement of a limb away from the body's midline.
Ad-: Denotes movement toward something; "adduction" refers to the movement of a limb toward the midline of the body.
Aut(o)-: Represents self; for example, an "autograft" is a surgical procedure using one's own skin for repair.
Brady-: Indicates slowness; "bradycardia" refers specifically to a slower than normal heartbeat.
Chem(o)-: Relates to chemistry or drugs; "chemotherapy" is a drug treatment designed for cancer patients.
Dia-: Conveys completeness or thoroughness; in "diagnosis," it suggests a complete understanding necessary for identifying a disease.
Dis-: Means to separate or take apart; "dissection" involves cutting open an organism to examine its internal structures. Additionally, it can suggest:
- Lack, as seen in "distrust" or "disorientation"
- Reversal, as illustrated in "disconnect"
Dys-: Indicates abnormality or pain; "dysentery," for example, describes a painful inflammatory disease of the intestine.