UNIT 3 “RESPIRATORY SYSTEM”

LESSON 1

TOPIC: ANATOMICAL TERMS. DIAGNOSTIC TERMS. OTHER DIAGNOSTIC

TERMS.

The respiratory system has two important jobs. First, it supplies oxygen to the blood. This
oxygen is carried to all cells of the body. In the cells, oxygen combines with nutrients to
provide the energy the cells need to do their jobs. When oxygen combines with nutrients,
the waste gas carbon dioxide is produced. The second job of the respiratory system is to
remove carbon dioxide from the blood and release it outside the body.

Breathing consists of two actions, inhaling and exhaling. When you inhale, you bring in air
from outside your body. When you exhale, you release air to the outside. The air that you
exhale contains more carbon dioxide than the air you inhale.

The primary organs of the respiratory system are the lungs, which function to take in
oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.

ANATOMICAL TERMS

1- Pharynx or throat: Serves as a food and air passageway. Air enters from the nasal
cavities and passes through the pharynx to the larynx. Food enters the pharynx
from the mouth and passes into the esophagus.
2- Adenoids: Lymphoid tissue located behind the nasal
cavity. 3- Tonsils: Lymphoid tissue located behind the
mouth.
4- Larynx or voice box: Location of the vocal cords. Air enters from the pharynx.
5- Epiglottis: Flap of cartilage that automatically covers the opening of the larynx during
swallowing and keeps food from entering.
6- Trachea or windpipe : Passageway for air to the bronchi.
7- Bronchus (pl. bronchi): Has two branches, which carry the air from the trachea into
the lungs, where the branches divide and subdivide. The branching resemble a tree and
therefore are referred to as the bronchial tree.
8- Bronchioles: Smallest subdivisions of the bronchial tree.
9- Alveolus (pl. alveoli): Air sacs at the end of the bronchioles. Oxygen and carbon
dioxide are exchanged through the alveolar walls and the capillaries.
10- Lungs: Two sponge-like organs in the thoracic cavity. The right lung consists of three
lobes, and the left lung has two lobes.
11- Pleura: Serous membrane covering each lung and lining the thoracic cavity.
 12- Diaphragm: Muscular partition that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal
cavity. It aids in the breathing process.
13- Mediastinum: Space between the lungs. It contains the heart, esophagus, trachea, and
other structures.

EXERCISE 1

Match the anatomical terms in the first column with the correct definitions in the second
column.

1. H alveoli a. tubes carrying air between the trachea and the lungs

2. A bronchi b. also called the windpipe

3. G larynx c. located in the thoracic cavity

4. C lungs d. membrane covering the lungs

5. F pharynx e. lymphoid tissue located behind the nasal cavity

6. D pleura f. acts as food and air passageway

7. E adenoids g. also called the voice box

8. B trachea h. air sacs at the end of the bronchioles

i. keeps food out of the windpipe

EXERCISE 2

Fill in the blanks with the correct terms.

1. The Epiglottis is a flap of cartilage that prevents the food

from entering the larynx.
2. The smallest subdivisions of the bronchial tree are the Bronchioles .
3. The serves as a filter and moistener of air entering
the body.
4. The thoracic cavity is separated from the abdominal cavity by the
Diaphragm .
5. The space between the lungs is called the Mediastinum .
6. The lymphoid tissues located in the pharynx behind the mouth are called the
Tonsils .
7. The lymphoid tissues located behind the nasal cavity are called
Adenoids .

DIAGNOSTIC TERMS

1. Adenoiditis: inflammation of the adenoids.

2. Atelectasis: incomplete expansion of the lung of a newborn or collapsed lung.
3. Bronchiectasis: dilatation of the bronchi.
4. Bronchitis: inflammation of the bronchi.
5. Bronchogenic carcinoma: cancerous tumor originating in the bronchus.
6. Bronchopneumonia: disease state of the bronchi and lungs.
7. Diaphragmatocele: hernia of the diaphragm.
8. Epiglottitis: inflammation of the epiglottis.
9. Hemothorax: blood in the chest (pleural space).
10. Laryngitis: inflammation of the larynx.
11. Laryngotracheobronchitis: inflammation of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi;
the acute form is called croup.
12. Lobar pneumonia: disease state of a lobe of the lung.
13. Nasopharyngitis: inflammation of the nose and pharynx.
14. Pansinusitis: inflammation of all sinuses.
15. Pharyngitis: inflammation of the pharynx.
16. Pleuritis: inflammation of the pleura.
17. Pneumatocele: hernia of lung (lung tissue protrudes through opening in chest).
18. Pneumonitis: inflammation of the lung.
19. Pneumoconiosis: abnormal condition of dust in the lung.
20. Pneumothorax: air in the chest (pleural space) which causes collapse of the lung.
21. Pulmonary neoplasm: new growth (tumor) of the lung.
22. Pyothorax: pus in the chest (pleural space).
23. Rhinitis: inflammation of the mucus membranes of the nose.
24. Rhinomycosis: abnormal condition of fungus in the nose.
25. Rhinorrhagia: rapid flow of blood from the nose (also called epistaxis).
26. Thorachalgia: pain in the chest.
27. Tonsillitis: inflammation of the tonsils.
28. Tracheitis: inflammation of the trachea.
 EXERCISE 3

Write the definition of the following diagnostic terms.

1. Tracheitis:
2. Rhinitis:
3. Pneumonitis:
4. Laryngitis:
5. Hemothorax:
6. Epiglottitis:
7. Pneumoconiosis:
8. Tonsillitis:
9. Pleuritis:
10. Rhinomycosis:
11. Pneumothorax:
12. Pneumatocele:
13. Lobar pneumonia:
14. Thoracalgia:
15. Bronchitis:
16. Adenoiditis:
17. Bronchopneumonia:
18. Atelectasis:
19. Pulmonary neoplasm:
20. Pyothorax
21. Rhinorrhalgia:
22. Pharyngitis:
23. Bronchiectasis:
24. Diaphragmatocele:
25. Laryngotracheobronchitis:
26. Pansinusitis:
27. Nasopharyngitis:
28. Bronchogenic carcinoma:

EXERCISE 4

Write each of the diagnostic terms.

 OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TERMS

1. Asthma: respiratory disease characterized by paroxysms of coughing, wheezing,

and shortness of breath.
2. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): any persistent lung disease that
obstructs the bronchial airflow, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
3. Coccidioidomycosis: fungal disease affecting the lungs and sometimes other
organs of the body (also called valley fever or cocci)
4. Cor pulmonale: serious cardiac disease associated with chronic lung
disorders, such as emphysema.
5. Croup: condition resulting from acute obstruction of the larynx, which occurs
in children.
6. Cystic fibrosis: generalized hereditary disorder of infants and children
characterized by excess mucus production in the respiratory track.
7. Deviated septum: one part of the nasal cavity is smaller because of malformation
or injury.
8. Emphysema: stretching of the lung tissue caused by the alveoli becoming
distended and losing elasticity.
9. Epistaxis: nosebleed.
10. Influenza: highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a virus (also called flu)
11. Legionnaires’ disease: a lobar pneumonia caused by the bacterium Legionella
pneumophila.
12. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): repetitive pharyngeal collapse during sleep which
leads to absence of breathing.
13. Pertussis: respiratory disease characterized by an acute crowing inspiration, or
whoop (also called whooping cough).
14. Pleural effusion: escape of fluid into the pleural space as result of inflammation.
15. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia: a pneumonia caused by P. carinii, a
microorganism of uncertain status. Common disease of AIDS patients.
16. Pulmonary edema: fluid accumulation in the alveoli and bronchioles.
17. Pulmonary embolism: foreign matter, such as blood clot, air, or fat clot carried in
the circulation to the pulmonary artery, where it acts as a block.
18. Tuberculosis (TB): an infectious disease, caused by an acid-fast bacillus, most
commonly spread by inhalation of infected droplets, and usually affecting the lungs.
19. Upper respiratory infection (URI): infection of the nose, larynx, and bronchi.
 EXRECISE 5

Fill in the blanks with the correct terms.

1. A disease characterized by lung tissue stretching that result from the alveoli losing
elasticity and becoming distended is called Emphysema .
2. Pleural effusion is the name given to the escape of fluid
into the pleural space as a result of inflammation.
3. A cardiac condition that is associated with chronic lung disorders is called
Cor pulmonale .
4. A fungal disease affecting the lungs is called Coccidioidomycosis .
5. Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease characterized by
excess mucus production in the respiratory track.
6. The medical name of the infectious respiratory disease commonly referred to as flu
is Influenza .
7. Any persistent lung disease that obstructs the bronchial air flow is known by
the general termChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) .
8. The medical name for the disease characterized by an acute crowing inspiration is
Pertussis .
9. Croup is a condition resulting from an
acute obstruction of the larynx.
10. A chronic respiratory disease characterized by shortness of breath, wheezing, and
paroxysmal coughing is called Asthma .
11. A condition in which fluid accumulates in the alveoli and bronchioles is called
Pulmonary edema .
12. A (n) Upper respiratory infection (URI) generally refers to
an infection involving the nose, larynx, and trachea.
13. Foreign matter such as a clot, air, or fat, carried in the circulation to the pulmonary
artery where it acts as a block is called a(n) Pulmonary embolism .
14. Epistaxis is another name for nosebleed.
15. A lobar pneumonia caused by the Legionella pneumophila bacterium commonly
is calledLegionnaires’ disease .
16. A pneumonia often found in AIDS patients is called
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia .
17. Deviated septum is one part of the nasal cavity smaller than the
other because of malformation or injury.
18. The diagnosis for repetitive pharyngeal collapse is
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) .
19. An infectious disease usually affecting the lungs is
Tuberculosis (TB) .
 EXERCISE 6

Write each of the other diagnostic terms.