| Nervous system | Organs (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) that transmit electrical messages throughout the body |
| ur/o | urinary tract (sometimes urine) |
| Suffix
-centesis | surgical puncture to aspirate or remove fluid |
| Suffix
-ectomy | excision (surgical removal or cutting out) |
| -lysis | process of loosening, freeing or destroying |
| Suffix
-pexy | surgical fixation (fastening in a fixed position) |
| Suffix
-plasty | surgical repair |
| Suffix
-rrhaphy | suture (uniting a wound by stitches) |
| Suffix
-scopy | visual examination with a lighted instrument |
| Suffix
-stomy | formation of an opening |
| Suffix
-tome | an instrument used for cutting |
| Suffix
-tomy | incision |
| Suffix
-tripsy | surgical crushing |
| combining form
aden/o | gland |
| Cervical | Pertaining to the neck of the body or to the neck of the uterus |
| Coccygeal | Pertaining to the coccyx (tailbone) |
| Frontal plane | Vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions |
| Lateral | Pertaining to the side |
| Posterior | Back surface of the body |
| Sagittal plane | Lengthwise, vertical plane dividing the body or structure into the right and left sides |
| Frontal plane | Vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions |
| Transverse plane | Horizontal plane dividing the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) portions |
| LLQ | Left lower quadrant |
| LUQ | Left upper quadrant |
| RLQ | Right lower quadrant |
| RUQ | Right upper quadrant |
| Cartilage | Flexible connective tissue attached to bones at the joints |
| Pharynx | Throat |
| Ureter | One of two tubes, each leading from a single kidney to the urinary bladder |
| Urethra | Tube from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body |
| Larynx | Voice box |
| Pituitary gland | Endocrine gland at the base of the brain |
| Trachea | Windpipe |
| Uterus | Womb |
| Abdominal cavity | Space below the chest containing organs; also called the abdomen |
| Cranial cavity | Space in the head containing the brain; surrounded by the skull |
| Mediastinum | Centrally located space outside of and between the lungs |
| Pleura | Double-folded membrane surrounding each lung |
| Pleural cavity | Space between the pleural layers |
| Spinal cavity | Space within the spinal column containing the spinal cord |
| Thoracic cavity | Space in the chest |
| Diaphragm | Muscle separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities |
| Peritoneum | Double-folded membrane surrounding the abdominal cavity |
| Pelvic cavity | Space below the abdomen |
| Disk (disc) | Pad of cartilage between the vertebrae |
| Spinal column | Bone tissue surrounding the spinal cavity |
| Vertebra | Single backbone |
| Spinal cord | Nervous tissue within the spinal cavity |
| Sacral | Pertaining to the sacrum |
| Coccygeal | Pertaining to the coccyx |
| Abdomen | Portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis |
| Bronchoscopy | Visual examination of the bronchial tree |
| Circulatory system | Organs and tissues (heart, blood, and blood vessels) that transport blood throughout the body |
| Coccyx | Tailbone |
| Craniotomy | Incision of the skull |
| Endocrine system | Glands that send chemical messengers called hormones into the blood to act on other glands and organs |
| Epithelial | Pertaining to skin and surface tissue |
| Hepatitis | Inflammation of the liver |
| Hypochondriac | Pertaining to the regions of the upper abdomen beneath the lower ribs and lateral to the epigastric region |
| Laparoscopy | Visual examination of the abdomen |
| Laparotomy | Incision of the abdomen |
| Laryngectomy | Removal of the larynx (voicebox) |
| Lumbar | Pertaining to the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis |
| Lymphocyte | White blood cell that is found within lymph and lymph nodes |
| Mediastinal | Pertaining to the mediastinum |
| Musculoskeletal system | Organs that support the body and allow it to move, including the muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues |
| Nervous system | Organs (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) that transmit electrical messages throughout the body |
| Ovary | One of two organs in the female abdomen that produces egg cells and female hormones |
| Peritoneal | Pertaining to the peritoneum |
| Pleuritis | Inflammation of the pleura |
| Thoracotomy | Incision of the chest |
| Tracheotomy | Incision of the trachea |
| Vertebrae | Backbones |
