med term

What does the combining form ankyl/o mean? 

• crooked, bent, stiff

• cartilage

• bent, hump 

• curved, bent

Answer explanation

a.  

Correct. The combining form ankyl/o means crooked, bent, or stiff. 

b.  

Incorrect. The combining forms chondr/i and chondr/o mean cartilage. 

c.  

Incorrect. The combining form kyph/o means bent or hump. 

d.  

Incorrect. The combining form scoli/o means curved or bent. 

Which combining form means bone?

• chondr/o

• crani/o

• cost/o

• oste/o

Answer explanation

a.  

Incorrect. The combining forms chondr/i and chondr/o mean cartilage. 

b.  

Incorrect. The combining form crani/o means skull. 

c.  

Incorrect. The combining form cost/o means rib. 

d.  

Correct. The combining form oste/o means bone. Other combining forms meaning bone are oss/e, oss/i, and ost/o. 

Which is a term for a disorder affecting the cartilage?

• synovitis

• bursitis 

• chondromalacia 

• osteopenia 

Answer explanation

a.  

Incorrect. Synovitis is an inflammation of the synovial membrane of a joint; synov means synovial membrane, and -itis means inflammation 

b.  

Incorrect. Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa of a joint; burs means bursa, and -itis means inflammation. 

c.  

Incorrect. Osteopenia is a condition of thinner-than-average bone density; oste/o means bone, and -penia means deficiency. 

d.  

Correct. Chondromalacia is the abnormal softening of cartilage; chondr/o means cartilage, and -malacia means abnormal softening. 

Which term refers to a narrowing of the spinal cavity? 

• spina bifida 

• rickets

• radiculopathy

• spinal stenosis

Answer explanation

a.  

Incorrect. Spina bifida is a congenital defect occurring during early pregnancy when the spinal canal fails to close completely around the spinal cord to protect it. 

b.  

Incorrect. Rickets is a deficiency disease occurring in children resulting from a lack of vitamin D. 

c.  

Incorrect. Radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve, is a condition caused by the compression of a nerve in the spine; radicul/o means root or nerve, and -pathy means disease. 

d.  

Correct. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine, potentially putting pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, which may cause pain. 

 Which is a word part that means paralysis?

• plegia

• rrhexis

• ion

• algia

Answer explanation

a.  

Correct. The word part -plegia means both paralysis and stroke. 

b.  

Incorrect. The word part -rrhexis means rupture. 

c.  

Incorrect. The word part -ion means action. 

d.  

Incorrect. The word part -algia means pain 

What does the prefix dys- mean?

• twice, double, two

• without 

• bad, difficult, or painful

• deficient 

Answer explanation

Incorrect. The prefix bi- means twice, double, or two. 

Incorrect. The prefix a- means without. 

Incorrect. The prefix hypo- means deficient. 

Correct. The prefix dys- means bad, difficult, or painful. 

Which is the combining form for artery?

• angi/o

• aort/o

• arteri/o

• ven/o 

Answer explanation

Incorrect. The combining form angi/o means blood or lymph vessel. 

Incorrect. The combining form aort/o means aorta. 

Correct. The combining form for artery is arteri/o. 

Incorrect. The combining form ven/o means vein.