A&P STUDY GUIDE

SUFFIXES

For you to get a good grade in your A&P course,

you will need to recognize certain terms.
Breaking down words into their most basic
components is the easiest way to do this.
A suffix is a word added to another word that
changes its meaning. In the world of anatomy,
suffixes are king.

FOR EXAMPLE:
Derm(at) is a word meaning skin.
Add -ology (the study of) to that
word and it becomes:
DERMATOLOGY
Dermatology is the study of skin.

Got it? Great.

Lets begin.

-algia
pain

Fibromyalgia is a common ailment in which a

person experiences chronic, widespread pain.
Fibro is Latin for fibrous tissues and myo is Greek for muscle.

-cyte
cell

A lymphocyte is a white blood cell that

acts as part of the immune system.

-ectomy
removal

Appendectomy, the removal of the

appendix, is the most common emergency
surgery performed in the United States.

-emia
blood condition

To help treat anemia, or low blood iron, is to

include leafy greens, red meat, and legumes
in ones diet.

-itis
inflammation

Rhinitis is one of the most common ailments

inflammation of the mucous membrane in the
nose. Symptoms include a runny nose, sniffling,
and postnasal drip.

-oma
tumor, mass

A scintillating scotoma is a visual aura

that usually precedes a migraine. During
this phenomenon, a mass of flickering or
fluctuating light obscures normal vision.

-opsy
to view

When cancer is possibly detected, doctors will

usually perform a biopsy and remove a small
portion of the area in question to evaluate.

-gram
record

An ECG, or electrocardiogram, is a visual record

of electrical currents within the heart. It is used
to diagnose possible heart conditions.

Hyperemia is:
a. the study of blood disorders
b. an abnormal increase of blood in any
part of the body
c. normal blood flow in any part of the
body
d. cancer of the blood

answer: b

Arthralgia is:
a. pain in the joints
b. an inflammation of a joint
c. restricted blood flow to a joint
d. a visual record of the bone

answer: a

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