Chapter 18: Introduction to Anatomy and Medical Terminology
Niedzwiecki: Kinn’s The Clinical Medical Assistant, 14th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Alzheimer’s disease is an example of a(n):
a. prefix.
b. word root.
c. eponym.
d. decodable term.
ANS: C
Eponyms are terms that are named after a person or a place. Alzheimer’s disease is named
after the neurologist who first discovered the plaques and tangles in the brain associated
with Alzheimer’s disease.
REF: p. 385 OBJ: 1 TOP: Terminology: Medical Word Definitions
MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | CAAHEP: V.C.10 | ABHES: 3.a
2. Arthr/o is an example of a:
a. prefix.
b. word root.
c. suffix.
d. combining form.
ANS: D
Arthr/o is an example of a combining form when used as part of a medical term.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
3. In the term hypodermic, the prefix is:
a. hypo.
b. derm.
c. dermo.
d. ic.
ANS: A
To use a prefix with a term, simply add the prefix directly to the beginning of the term.
The prefix of hypodermic would be hypo.
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
4. In the term neonatology, the suffix is:
a. neo.
b. nat.
c. nato.
d. logy.
, ANS: D
The suffix for the term neonatology would be logy. A suffix occurs at the end of a word,
and when used as a combining form, it can indicate the study of a particular body system.
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
5. The word component that refers to the stomach is:
a. gastr/o.
b. col/o.
c. enter/o.
d. path/o.
ANS: A
Gastr/o is the word component that refers to the stomach.
REF: p. 390 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
6. The prefix anti- means:
a. before.
b. after, behind.
c. near.
d. against.
ANS: D
The prefix anti- means against.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
7. A patient who has a prenatal visit sees her practitioner:
a. after the birth of her child.
b. before the birth of her child.
c. the time surrounding the birth of her child.
d. at the time of delivery.
ANS: B
A prenatal visit pertains to medical care received before the birth of a child.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a
8. A patient has a surgical procedure described as an arthrotomy. You know that the joint:
a. was incised.
b. was removed.
c. had a new opening made.
d. was visually examined.
, ANS: A
The therapeutic intervention suffix tomy is used to describe an “incision or cutting” and
arthr/o means “joint”; therefore, arthrotomy would indicate that the joint was incised.
REF: p. 386 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix | Specialty/Surgical/Procedures
MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
9. Neurology is a discipline that would most likely treat patients with disorders of the:
a. nerves.
b. teeth.
c. stomach.
d. joints.
ANS: A
Neur/o means “related to nerves” and logy means “the study of”; therefore, neurology
means “the study of nerves.”
REF: p. 386 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
10. The study of disease is:
a. pathology.
b. neonatology.
c. obstetrics.
d. biology.
ANS: A
The term pathology describes the study of disease.
REF: p. 398 OBJ: 8
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.10 | ABHES: 3.a
11. An enlargement of the heart is:
a. cardialgia.
b. cardiopathy.
c. cardiorrhexis.
d. cardiomegaly.
ANS: D
The term cardiomegaly describes an enlargement of the heart. It uses the combined term
cardio, which means “of the heart,” and the term megaly, which means an “enlargement.”
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
12. A dermatosis would be a(n):
a. abnormal condition of the skin.
Niedzwiecki: Kinn’s The Clinical Medical Assistant, 14th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Alzheimer’s disease is an example of a(n):
a. prefix.
b. word root.
c. eponym.
d. decodable term.
ANS: C
Eponyms are terms that are named after a person or a place. Alzheimer’s disease is named
after the neurologist who first discovered the plaques and tangles in the brain associated
with Alzheimer’s disease.
REF: p. 385 OBJ: 1 TOP: Terminology: Medical Word Definitions
MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | CAAHEP: V.C.10 | ABHES: 3.a
2. Arthr/o is an example of a:
a. prefix.
b. word root.
c. suffix.
d. combining form.
ANS: D
Arthr/o is an example of a combining form when used as part of a medical term.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
3. In the term hypodermic, the prefix is:
a. hypo.
b. derm.
c. dermo.
d. ic.
ANS: A
To use a prefix with a term, simply add the prefix directly to the beginning of the term.
The prefix of hypodermic would be hypo.
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
4. In the term neonatology, the suffix is:
a. neo.
b. nat.
c. nato.
d. logy.
, ANS: D
The suffix for the term neonatology would be logy. A suffix occurs at the end of a word,
and when used as a combining form, it can indicate the study of a particular body system.
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
5. The word component that refers to the stomach is:
a. gastr/o.
b. col/o.
c. enter/o.
d. path/o.
ANS: A
Gastr/o is the word component that refers to the stomach.
REF: p. 390 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.b
6. The prefix anti- means:
a. before.
b. after, behind.
c. near.
d. against.
ANS: D
The prefix anti- means against.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Terminology: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word
Definitions | Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
7. A patient who has a prenatal visit sees her practitioner:
a. after the birth of her child.
b. before the birth of her child.
c. the time surrounding the birth of her child.
d. at the time of delivery.
ANS: B
A prenatal visit pertains to medical care received before the birth of a child.
REF: p. 389 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a
8. A patient has a surgical procedure described as an arthrotomy. You know that the joint:
a. was incised.
b. was removed.
c. had a new opening made.
d. was visually examined.
, ANS: A
The therapeutic intervention suffix tomy is used to describe an “incision or cutting” and
arthr/o means “joint”; therefore, arthrotomy would indicate that the joint was incised.
REF: p. 386 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix | Specialty/Surgical/Procedures
MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
9. Neurology is a discipline that would most likely treat patients with disorders of the:
a. nerves.
b. teeth.
c. stomach.
d. joints.
ANS: A
Neur/o means “related to nerves” and logy means “the study of”; therefore, neurology
means “the study of nerves.”
REF: p. 386 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
10. The study of disease is:
a. pathology.
b. neonatology.
c. obstetrics.
d. biology.
ANS: A
The term pathology describes the study of disease.
REF: p. 398 OBJ: 8
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.10 | ABHES: 3.a
11. An enlargement of the heart is:
a. cardialgia.
b. cardiopathy.
c. cardiorrhexis.
d. cardiomegaly.
ANS: D
The term cardiomegaly describes an enlargement of the heart. It uses the combined term
cardio, which means “of the heart,” and the term megaly, which means an “enlargement.”
REF: p. 388 OBJ: 3
TOP: Structure of Medical Words | Word Combinations | Medical Word Definitions |
Root/Prefix/Suffix MSC: CAAHEP: V.C.9 | ABHES: 3.a | ABHES: 3.b
12. A dermatosis would be a(n):
a. abnormal condition of the skin.
