Basic Medical Terminology - J & K Quiz

Answer: near, close proximity

The prefix juxta- means near, beside, or close to, and comes from the Latin "iuxta" (= juxta), having the same meaning. (The reason for the use of the letter "i" instead of "j" in the Latin word is because the classical Latin alphabet did not contain the letter "j".

The letter "j" evolved later as a variant of "i"). The most common example is the word juxtaposition, meaning two or more things positioned side by side or close together. If we described something as being juxtarenal, for example, it would mean near or adjacent to a kidney.

Answer: small intestine segment

As food travels down the digestive tract, it passes through the three segments of the small intestine - the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum - in that order. The name is derived from the Latin "ieiunum" (= jejunum) which means fasting or hungry, in the sense of being empty of food.

This is because Ancient Roman physicians noticed that, at autopsy, this part of the intestine was always empty. The word parts jejun- and jejun/o are typically seen in words relating to procedures performed upon this body part; for example, jejunotomy (cutting into the jejunum) and jejunorrhaphy (surgical repair of the jejunum).

Answer: potassium

K (uppercase) is the abbreviation for the mineral element potassium from the Latin "kalium" meaning potash, because potassium was first isolated from potash or plant ashes. Potassium is essential for the functioning of nerve and muscle cells, the balance of fluid in the body, and the health of the heart and kidneys.

The level of potassium in the blood is critical for human health. The word parts kal- and kal/i (potassium) are utilised in the medical terms hypokalaemia (too little potassium in the blood) and hyperkalaemia (too much potassium in the blood).

Answer: one thousand

The metric system, or the International System of Units, is the official system of measurement for every nation in the world except for three - Myanmar (previously known as Burma), Liberia, and the United States of America. However, in the USA, the medical field does use the metric system.

This prefix, kilo-, denotes a quantity of 1,000. It comes from the Greek word "khilioi", also meaning a thousand. The abbreviation for kilo- is "k" (lower case).

Answer: type of x-ray

KUB stands for kidneys, ureters, and bladder, and refers to an abdominopelvic x-ray. It may be done for a variety of purposes, including visualising the size and location of the kidneys in relation to other abdominal and pelvic organs, and/or to look for bowel obstruction, faecal impaction, foreign bodies, gallstones or kidney stones.

Answer: cornea, horny, hard

The Greek word "keras", meaning horn, gives us the word parts kerat- and kerat/o which, in medical terminology, denote structures which are hard or horn-like, and also specifically denotes the cornea (the transparent layer forming the front and outermost part of the eye).

The word cornea is derived from the Latin "cornus", also meaning horn. Medical conditions which affect the cornea, and procedures performed upon the cornea, often begin with kerat- or kerat/o, such as keratitis (infection or inflammation of the cornea) and keratotomy (incision into the cornea).

However, the word parts may also be applied to the skin; for example, a common skin complaint is solar keratosis (plural keratoses), referring to the horny overgrowth of the skin caused by sun exposure. An interesting related word is "rhinoceros" from rhinos (nose) and keros/ceros (horny), meaning "horny nose" - the most obvious feature of a rhinoceros.

Answer: ketones

The word part ket/o refers to ketones, a chemical term which refers to a group of organic compounds which contain a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms. The simplest ketone is acetone. The term ketone was coined by the German chemist Leopold Gmelin (1788-1853) and is ultimately derived from "aketon", an Old German word for acetone.

The levels of ketones in the blood and urine can indicate a number of medical conditions and is particularly associated with diabetes. Ketosis and ketonaemia refer to raised levels of ketones in the blood. Ketonuria refers to the presence of ketones in the urine.

Answer: movement, motion

The word parts kine-, kinesi/o, and -kinesia relate to movement (from the Greek word "kinesis" meaning motion). Kinaesthesia is the sense that enables the brain to be aware of the position and movement of our body parts and muscles - without this sense, co-ordinated movements would not be possible. Kinesiology is the study of the mechanics of body movements.

Answer: steal, thief

The Greek words "kleptes" (thief) and "kleptein" (to steal) are the origin of the word parts klept- and klept/o, which have the same meanings. The most common usage is in the words kleptomania and kleptomaniac, referring to a psychiatric condition where there is a compulsive urge to steal and the motivation is not typically for financial or other gain.

Answer: crooked, bent, curved

The word parts kyph- and kyph/o are derived from the Greek "kyphos" meaning crooked, bent or curved. A common example of usage is kyphosis, which refers to the excessive curvature of the upper spine - commonly referred to as humpback or hunchback. When it is seen in elderly women, it is often referred to as "dowager's hump".

There are three basic types of spinal curvature - kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis. Scoliosis is derived from the Greek word "skolios", which also means crooked, bent or curved. Scoliosis is excessive sideways curvature of the spine. Kyphoscoliosis is curvature of the spine both forwards and sideways.

In the condition of lordosis, there is excessive inward curvature of the spine, also known as "swayback". It is derived from the Greek "lordos" meaning bent backwards.