1. Chapter 2: Body Structure
Dual Credit Medical Terminology

2. Objectives: List and describe the basic structural units of the body.
Describe the anatomical position of the body
Locate the body cavities and abdominopelvic regions of the body
Describe terms related to position, direction, and planes of the body and their applications during radiographic examinations.
Describe common signs, symptoms, and diseases that may affect several body systems
Describe common diagnostic, medical and surgical procedures related to several body systems
Recognize, define, pronounce and spell terms correctly
Demonstrate your knowledge of this chapter by successfully completing the frames and reviews

3. Introduction (pg 26)
The human body consists of several structural and functional levels of organization. The levels of organization from least to the most complex are the:
Cellular level (smallest structural and functional unit)
Tissue level (groups of cell)
Organ level (groups of tissues that perform a specific fxn)
System level (organs that are interconnected or have similar or fxn)
Organism level (collection of body systems makes up most complex level –human being)
See picture on page 27

4. Basic Structural Units
Basic Unit
Define
Example
Definition of Term
Chondr/o
Cartilage
Chondroma
Tumor composed of cartilage
Cyt/o
Cell
Cytometer
Instrument for counting and measuring cells
Hist/o
Tissue
Histolysis
Separation; destruction; or loosening
Nucle/o
Nucleus
Nuclear
Pertaining to a nucleus

5. Directional Combining Forms
Define
Example
Definition of Term
Anter/o
Anterior, front
Anterior
Toward the front of the body, organ or structure
Caud/o
Tail
Caudad
Toward the tail, in a posterior direction
Dist/o
far, farthest
Distal
Pertaining to a point farthest from the center, a medial line, or the trunk; opposed to proximal
Dors/o
Back (of body)
Dorsal
Pertaining to the back or posterior of the body
Infer/o
Lower, below
Inferior
Pertaining to below or lower; toward the tail
Later/o
Side, to one side
Lateral
Pertaining to the side
Medi/o
Middle
Medial
Pertaining to the middle
Poster/o
Back (of body), behind posterior
Posterior
Pertaining to or toward the rear or caudal end
Proxim/o
Near, nearest
Proximal
Nearest the point of attachment, center of the body or point of reference
Super/o
Upper, above
Superior
Pertaining to above or higher toward the head
Ventr/o
Belly, belly side
Ventral
Pertaing to the belly side or front of the body

6. Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example Defined Example -ad Toward Mediad
Toward the middle or center
-logist
Specialist in the study of
Histologist
Specialist in the study of tissue
-logy
Study of
Cytology
Study of cells
-lysis
Separation; destruction; loosening
Cytolysis
Destruction, dissolution, or separation of a cell
-toxic
Poison
Cytotoxic
Substance that is detrimental or destructive to cells

7. Directional Terms (pg 31-32)
Terms that describe a structure in relation to some defined center or reference point
Suffix Review: Many that mean pertaining to
-ac
-ar
-ary
-eal
-iac
-ic
What is the term called when a person is standing upright facing forward, arms at the sides with palms forward, with legs parallel and the feet slightly apart with the toes pointing forward?
Anatomical position

8. Body Planes Medial (midsagittal) Frontal (coronal)
Horizontal (transverse)

9. Body Regions Body Region Combining Form Meaning Abdomin/o Abdomen
Cephal/o
Head
Cervic/o
Neck; cervix uteri
Crani/o
Cranium (skull)
Gastr/o
Stomach
Ili/o
Ilium (lateral, flaring portion of hip bone)
Inguin/o
Groin
Lumb/o
Loins (lower back)
Pelv/i
Pelv/o
Pelvis
Spin/o
Spine
Thorac/o
Chest
Umbilic/o
Umbilicus, navel

10. Body Cavities Dorsal Ventral Cranial + Spinal
Abdominopelvic: Abdominal + Pelvic
Diaphragm
Thoracic

11. Body Cavities (pg 42) What are in them? Thoracic: heart and lungs
Abdominopelvic
Abdominal
pelvic
Thoracic: heart and lungs
Abdominopelvic: divides out
Abdominal: organs of digestive tract
Pelvic: organs of reproductive system

12. Abdominopelvic Quadrants (pg 46)
Abdominopelvic cavity is divided into smaller sections
RUQ: Right Upper Quadrant
LUQ: Left Upper Quadrant
RLQ: Right Lower Quadrant
LLQ: Left Lower Quadrant
Used for area of surgical procedures, incision sites, location of abnormal masses, location of patient symptoms

13. Abdominopelvic Regions (pg46)
Nine regions near a specific point in the body; describe the location of internal organs and origin of pain.
Right Hypochondriac
Epigastric
Left Hypocondriac
Right Lumbar
Umbilical
Left Lumbar
Right Inguinal
Hypogastric
Left Inguinal

14. Abbreviations (pg 52)
Body structure and abbreviations related to radiology
Abbreviations
Meaning
Abd
Abdomen
Ant
Anterior AP
Anteroposterior
Bx, bx
Biopsy
LAT, lat
Lateral PA
Posteroanterior; pernicious anemia; pulmonary artery; physician assistant
U&L, U/L
Upper and lower

15. Abbreviations: Radiology
Meaning CT
Computed tomography
CXR
Chest x-ray, chest radiograph
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
PET
Positron emission tomography US
Ultrasound; ultrasonography
SPECT
Single photon emission computed tomography

16. CT: computer processed x-rays to produce tomographic images
US: oscillating sound pressure waves to produce images of structure

17. PET: Imaging test that uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for a disease in the body
MRI: uses magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues

18. SPECT: use of gamma rays to provide a true 3-D image
SPECT: use of gamma rays to provide a true 3-D image. Usually shows cross-section of the body. Inject the radio isotope into the body, which binds to certain pieces of the body

19. Signs, Symptoms, and Diseases (pg 52)
Term
Meaning
Extra
Adhesion
Band of scar tissue binding anatomical surfaces that are normally separate from each other
Most commonly form in the abdomen after abdominal surgery, inflammation or injury
Inflammation
Protective response of the body tissues to irritation, infection, or allergy
Include redness, swelling, heat, and pain, commonly accompanied by loss of function
Sepsis
Inflammatory response to infection
Septicemia is common type of sepsis

20. Diagnostic Procedures (pg53)
Term
Meaning
Endoscopy
Visual exam of interior organs and cavities with specialized lighted instrument
See Figure 2-5
Fluoroscopy
Radiographic procedure that uses fluorescent screen instead of a photographic plate to produce a visual image from x-rays that pass through the graphic plate
MRI
Radiographic technique that uses electromagnetic energy to produce multiplanar cross-sectional images of the body
Nuclear scan
Radiography
Radiopharmaceutical
scan

21. Continued Term Meaning Extra Tomography Computed tomography PET SPECTUS
Doppler

22. Medical and Surgical Procedures (pg 56)
Term
Meaning
Extra
Anastomosis
Connection between two vessels; surgical joining of two ducts, blood vessels, or bowel segments to allow flow from one to the other
Example page 57
Cauterize
Process of burning abnormal tissue with electricity, freezing, heat, or chemicals (silver nitrate)