Combining form
• Noct/i : Night
• Glomerul/o : glomerulus
• Olig/o : scanty, few
• Pyel/o : renal pelvis
• Lith/o : stone, calculus
• Hydr/o : water
• Meat/o : meatus (opening)
• Albumin/o : albumin
• Nephr/o, ren/o : Kidney
• Glyc/o, glycos/o : Sugar
• Ureter/o : ureter
• Urethr/o : urethra
• Blast/o : developing cell, germ cell
• Azot/o : urea, nitrogen
• Cyst/o, Vesic/o : bladder, sac
• Urin/o, ur/o : urine, urinary tract
Suffix
• -lysis: loosening, dissolution, separating
• -tripsy: Surgical crushing
• -rrhaphy: suturing, repairing
• -iasis, -esis: condition
• -uria: urine, urination
• -ptosis: dropping, sagging, prolapse
Abbreviations
• ARF – acute renal failure
• BUN – blood urea nitrogen
• CKD – chronic kidney disease
• OAB – overactive bladder
• ESRD – end-stage renal disease
• ESWL – extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
• UA - urinalysis
• UTI – urinary tract infection
• SG – specific gravity, Test performed on a urine specimen to a measure concentrating and
diluting ability of the kidney
• HD – hemodialysis
• VCUG – voiding cystourethrogram, radiographic image of the bladder and the urethra (before
and during urination)
• Cath – catheterization, catheter
Word parts
• Hydronephrosis - Abnormal condition of the kidney
• Glomerulonephritis – inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidney
• Nephroblastoma – Kidney tumor containing developing (germ) cells.
• Polycystic kidney disease – Condition in which the kidney contains many cyst and is enlarged
• Cystocele – Protrusion of the bladder
Surgical Terms
• Pyeloplasty – surgical repair of the renal pelvis
• Lithotripsy – Surgical crushing of stone(s).
• Nephrolithotomy – Incision into the kidney to remove stone(s)
• Vesicostomy – Incision into the bladder
• Cystectomy – Excision of the bladder.
• Nephrectomy – Excision of the kidney
• Cystorrhaphy – Suturing the bladder
• Nephrolysis – Separating the kidney
• Meatotomy – Incision into the meatus
• Fulguration – Destruction of living tissue with an electric spark
• Pyelolithotomy – Incision into the renal pelvis to remove stone(s)
• Urethroplasty – Surgical repair of the urethra
• Nephropexy – Surgical fixation of the kidney
• Cystostomy – Creation of an artificial opening into the bladder
• Nephrostomy – creation of an artificial opening into the kidney
Diagnostic Terms
• Cystoscopy – Endoscopic procedure
• Urogram – Radiographic image of the urinary tract
• Cystogram – Radiographic image of the bladder
• Nephrography – Radiographic imagining of the kidney
• Ureteroscopy – Visual examination of the Ureter
• Creatinine – Blood test, if elevated, may like the BUN, indicate impaired kidney function
• Specific gravity – Test performed on a urine specimen to measure concentrating and diluting
ability of the kidney
• KUB – Abbreviation for radiographic image of the abdomen used to view the kidney, uterus, and
bladder to determine size, shape, and location (also called flat plate of the abdomen)
• Urinalysis – Multiple routine tests performed on a urine specimen
• Blood urea nitrogen – Blood test measuring the amount of the urea in the blood
• Cystography – Radiographic imaging of the bladder
• Nephroscopy – Visual examination of the kidney
• Cystoscope – Instrument used for visual examination of the bladder
• Retrograde Urogram – Radiographic image of the urinary tract (contrast medium injected in a
direction opposite from normal)
• Voiding Cystourethrography – Radiographic imaging of the bladder and the urethra (taken of
bladder before and during urination)
Complementary Terms
• Meatal – Pertaining to the Meatus
• Glycosuria – Sugar in the urine
• Nephrology – Study of the Kidney
• Nephrologist – Physician who studies and treats diseases of the kidney
• Catheter – Flexible, tubelike device for withdrawing or instilling fluid
• Anuria – Absence of urine
• Pyuria – Pus in the urine
• Dysuria – Difficult or painful urination
• Nocturia – Night Urination
• Urinary – Pertaining to urine
• Hemodialysis – Procedure for removing impurities from the blood because of an inability of the
kidney to do so
• Peritoneal Dialysis - Procedure for removing toxic wastes using the peritoneal cavity when the
kidney is unable to do so; a body cavity is used as the receptacle for the fluids used.
• ESWL – Noninvasive treatment for removal of kidney or ureteral stone(s)
• Distended – Stretched out
• Electrolytes – Mineral in the body, such as sodium and potassium, a balance is maintained by
the kidney
Disease and Disorder Terms
• Nephroma – Tumor of the Kidney
• Ureterocele – Protrusion of the ureter
• Urethrocystitis – Inflammation of the Urethra and bladder
• Cystolith – Stone(s) in the bladder
• Nephritis – Inflammation of the kidney
• Renal Hypertension – elevated blood pressure resulting from kidney disease
• Nephromegaly – Enlargement of a kidney
• Pyelonephritis – Inflammation of the renal pelvis and the kidney
• Epispadias – Congenital defect in which the urinary meatus is located on the upper surface of
the penis
• Ureteritis – Inflammation of a ureter
• Nephroblastoma – Kidney tumor containing developing (germ) cells
• Nephritis – Inflammation of a kidney
• Polycystic kidney disease – Condition in which the kidney contains many cysts and is enlarged
• Ureterocele – Protrusion of a ureter
• Cystolith – Stone(s) in the bladder
