Medical Terminology
Unit 13
Respiratory System and
Pulmonology
Pne/o (-pnea) Breathing
Pneum/o Air (lung)
Pneumon/o Lung
-pnea Breathing
Pne/o = Breathing
A/pnea Absence of breathing
Dys/pnea Difficult breathing
Tachy/pnea Rapid breathing
Brady/pnea Slow breathing
Ortho/pnea Able to breathe only
when sitting or standing
Pneumon/o = Lung
Pneumon/ectomy: Excision of part or all of a
lung
Pneumon/o/tomy: Incision of a lung
Pneumon/o/pathy: Any disease of the lungs
Pneumon/o/rrhagia: Hemorrhage of a lung
Pneumon/ia: Acute inflammation of the lungs
caused by a variety of organisms and viruses
Pneumon/itis: Inflammation of the lungs
Pneumon/o = Lung
Pneumon/o/centesis, Pneum/o/centesis:
Surgical puncture of a lung to remove fluid
Thorac/o/centesis, Thora/centesis: Surgical
puncture of the chest to remove fluid
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is an
infection caused by a protozoan-like
organism. Immunodeficient people are
particularly susceptible.
Pneumon/o/pexy: Surgical fixation of lung
tissue
Atelectasis
Ateles means imperfect in Greek
Ektasis means expand or dilate in
Greek
-ectasia, -ectasis: dilation or expansion
Atel/ectasis is the imperfect expansion
of the lungs. Collapsed lung.
Melan/o = Black
Pneumon/o/melan/osis: A lung disease
in which lung tissue becomes black due
to breathing black dust, soot, or black
smoke
Myc/o = Fungus
Pneumon/o/myc/osis: Fungus disease
of the lungs
Myces = Mushroom
i.e. mycelium, mycelial
Myc/osis: Any condition caused by a
fungus
Myc/oid: Resembling fungi
Myc/o/logy: Science and study of fungi
Myc/o = Fungus
Pharyng/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease
(condition) of the pharynx (throat)
Rhin/o/myc/osis: Fungal disease
(condition) of the nose
Dermat/o/myc/osis: fungal disease of
the skin
Myc/o/dermat/itis: Inflammation of the
skin caused by a fungus
Pneum/o = Air
Pneuma = Wind or breath
Pneumon = Lung
Pneum/o/derm/a: Collection of air under the
skin
Pneum/o/thorax: Collection of air in the chest
cavity
Pneum/o/thorac/ic (adj.)
Pneum/o/therapy: Treatment with
compressed air
Pneum/o = Air
Pneum/o/meter: An instrument that measures
air volume in respiration
Tacho/meter: Measures the number of revolutions
per minute of the drive shaft in a car
Pneum/o/ser/o/thorax: Collection of air and
serum in the chest cavity
Pneum/o/hem/o/thorax: Collection of air and
blood in the chest cavity
Pneum/o/py/o/thorax: Collection of air and
pus in the chest cavity
Pulmon/o = Lung
Pulmon/ary, Pulmon/ic: Pertaining to lungs
Pulmon/ary or Pulmon/ic valve is the heart
valve through which blood travels to the
lungs. Blood flows from the heart to the lungs
via the pulmon/ary or pulmon/ic artery.
Pulmonary embolus: A blood clot moving to
the lung
Orth/o = straight
Orth/o/pnea is difficulty breathing if laying
straight in a horizontal position.
Hem/o = blood
Ptyal/o = saliva or sputum
P is silent at the beginning of the word in pt-
Hem/o/ptysis is a condition of bloody sputusm
Ptyal/o/rrhea is a flow of saliva.
Term Symptom
A/pnea Absence of breathing
Dys/pnea Difficult breathing
Hyper/pnea Increased rate and depth of breathing
Tachy/pnea Rapid breathing
Brady/pnea Slow breathing
Ortho/pnea Able to breathe only when sitting or standing
Hem/o/pty/sis Expectoration (coughing up) blood
Hyper/ventil/ation Excessive movement of air in and out of
lungs, sighing respirations
Hyp/oxia Low oxygen in organs and tissues
Cyan/osis Bluish color due to hypoxia
Air route The lungs
Nas/o – nose, nasal Covered by the pleura –
cavity Pleur/o
Pharng/o – Pharynx
Laryng/o – Larynx The diaphragm
Trache/o – Trachea Phren/o – Muscle that
Bronch/o – Bronchi assists with inhalation
Alveol/o – Alveoli and exhalation.
Innervated by the
phrenic nerve
Ment/o = Chin
Mentum = Chin
Nas/o/ment/al: Pertaining to the nasal
cavity and chin
Nas/o = Nasal cavity
Nas/o/antr/itis: Inflammation of the antrum
(maxillary sinus) and the nasal cavity
Nas/al: Pertaining to the nose (cavity)
Nas/itis: Inflammation of the nose (cavity)
Nas/o/scope: Instrument to examine the nose
(cavity)
Nas/o = Nasal cavity
Inflammation of nose Nas/o/pharyng/itis
and pharynx
Pertaining to the nasal Nas/o/front/al
and frontal bone
Pertaining to the nose Nas/o/lacrim/al
and lacrimal duct
Pertaining to the nose Nas/o/pharyng/eal
and pharynx
Epistaxis
Epi- = upon
Staxis = dripping or oozing
Epi/staxis: nosebleed. Hemorrhage
from the nose.
Pharyng/o = Pharynx, Throat
Pharynx = Throat
Pharyng/o/lith: Calculus in the wall of the
pharynx
Pharyng/o/myc/osis: A fungus disease of the
pharynx
Pharyng/itis: Inflammation of the pharynx
pharyng/o/cele: Herniation of the pharynx
Pharyng/o = Pharynx, Throat
Incision of the pharynx Pharyng/o/tomy
Disease of the pharynx Pharyng/o/pathy
Surgical repair of the Pharyng/o/plasty
pharynx
Instrument to examine Pharyng/o/scope
the pharynx
Laryng/o = Larynx
Larynx contains the vocal cord
Laryng/itis: Inflammation of the larynx
Laryng/algia: Pain in the larynx
Laryng/o/stomy: Creating a new
opening in larynx
Laryng/o/tomy: Incision into the larynx
to create a temporary opening
Laryng/o = Larynx
Herniation of the o Laryng/o/cele
larynx
Any disease of the o Laryng/o/pathy
larynx
Instrument used to o Laryng/o/scope
examine the larynx
Spasm of the larynx
o Laryng/o/spasm
Trache/o = Trachea
Trachea = Windpipe
Trache/o/py/osis: A condition of the trachea
with pus formation
Trache/o/rrhagia: Hemorrhage from the
trachea
Trache/algia: Pain in the trachea
Trache/o/tomy: Incision into the trachea
Trache/o/cele: Herniation of the trachea
Trache/o = Trachea
Examination of the Trache/o/scopy
trachea
Pertaining to the Trache/al
trachea
Incision of trachea and Trache/o/laryng/o/tomy
larynx
Surgical creation of a
Trache/ostomy
new opening in the
trachea
Within the trachea Endo/trache/al
Bronch/o = Bronchi
Bronch/itis: Inflammation of the bronchi
Bronch/o/scope: An instrument to examine
the bronchi
Bronch/o/scopy: Examination of a bronchus
with instrument
Bronch/o/fiber/o/scopy: Use of a flexible
bronchofiberscope to examine the
tracheobronchial tree
Bronch/o/lith: Calculus in a bronchus
Bronch/o/stomy: Formation of a new opening
into a bronchus
Bronch/o = Bronchi
Bronchial hemorrhage Bronch/o/rrhagia
Spasm of a bronchus Bronch/o/spasm
Suturing of a bronchus Bronch/o/rrhaphy
Pleur/o, (a) = Pleura
Pleur/al: Pertaining to the pleura (membrane
around the lungs)
Plural of pleura is pleurae
Pleur/itis, Pleur/isy: Inflammation of the pleura
Pleur/algia, Pleur/o/dynia: Pain in the pleura
Pleur/o/centesis: Surgical puncturing of the
pleura
Viscer/o/pleural: Pertaining to the membrane
attached to the lung
Pleur/o/lith: Calculus in the pleura
Pleur/ectomy: Excision of part of the pleura
Phren/o = Diaphragm
Phrenic nerve controls the diaphragm.
Phren/o/plegia: Paralysis of the
diaphragm
Phren/ectomy, Phren/ic/ectomy:
Removal of a portion of the phrenic
nerve
Sinistr/o = Left
Sinistr/ad: Toward the left
Ad-, -ad = Toward
Sinistr/al: Pertaining to the left
Sinistr/o/cardi/a: Displacement of the heart to
the left
Sinistr/o/cerebr/al: Pertaining to the left half of
the cerebrum
Sinistr/o/man/ual: Left-handed
Sinistr/o/ped/al: Left-footed
Dextr/o = Right
Dextr/ad: Toward the right
Dextr/al: Pertaining to the right
Dextr/o/card/ia: Displacement of the
heart to the right
Dextr/o/gastr/ia: Displacement of the
stomach to the right
Dextr/o/man/ual: Right-handed
Dextr/o/ped/al: Right-footed
Pod/o, Ped/i = Foot
Ped/i/algia, Pod/algia: Foot pain
Pod/iatrist: A health professional
responsible for care of conditions of the
feet. (DPM)
Pod/iatry: Specialty that treats
conditions of the feet
Pod/iatric (adj.)
Chir/o = Hand
Cheir = Hand
Chir/o/spasm: Spasm of the hand
Chir/o/practors: (DC – doctor of
chiropractic) A physician who uses
hands to manipulate the body for
therapy
Chir/o/practic (adj.)
Chir/o/plasty: Surgical repair of the hand
Pedi/a = Child
Pedias = Child
Pedi/a/trician: A physician specialist who
treats children
Pedi/a/trics: The medical specialty for
treatment of diseases of children
Psych/iatrist: A medical doctor who
specializes in the study of diagnosing and
treating mental disorders
Psych/i/atric (adj.)
Ger/i = Old age
Ger/ont/o/logy: The study of treatment of
aging and the elderly.
Ger/i/atrics: The medical specialty involving
treating diseases related to old age
Abbreviation
ABG Arterial blood gases
AD Right ear (auris dexter)
AHIMA American Health Information Management
Association
RHIT Registered health information
AS Left ear (auris sinister)
CO2 Carbon dioxide
COLD Chronic obstructive lung disease
COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Abbreviation
CRT Certified respiratory therapist
DC Doctor of chiropractic medicine
DPM Doctor of podiatric medicine
HIPPA Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996
ICU Intensive care unit
IS Incentive spirometer
NBRC National Board for Respiratory Care
NMT Nebulizing mist treatment
O2 Oxygen
PD Pulmonary disease
Abbreviation
PE Pulmonary edema, Physical exam,
Pulmonary embolism
Peds Pediatrics
PFT Pulmonary function test
PND Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, postnasal
drip
R Respiration (rate)
RHIA Registered health information administrator
RRT Registered respiratory therapist
Abbreviation
RT Respiratory therapist
TB Tuberculosis
TC & DB Turn, cough, and deep breathe
URI Upper respiratory infection
