44 Introduction to Medical Terminology
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
44 Introduction to Medical Terminology
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Disease/Condition Defi nition
fracture (continued)
stress fracture A small crack in bone resulting
from chronic, excessive impact; an
overuse injury.
transverse fracture A fracture that runs straight across
the bone, at a right angle to the long
axis. It is often caused by a direct
blow or prolonged stress, such as
from running (Figure 2.20).
herniated disk Intervertebral disk that has slipped
or ruptured (Figure 2.21).
lumbago
lum-BAY-goh
Pain in the lower back (lumbar)
region.
myeloma
MIGH-uh-LOH-muh
myel/o = bone marrow; spinal
cord
-oma = tumor; mass
Cancer of the plasma cells (a type of
white blood cell) that originates in
the bone marrow.
ostealgia
AHS-tee-AL-jee-uh
oste/o = bone
-algia = pain
Pain in the bone.
osteitis or ostitis
AHS-tee-IGH-tis or ahs-TIGH-tis
oste/o = bone
-itis = infl ammation
Infl ammation of the bone.
osteochondroma
AHS-tee-oh-kahn-DROH-muh
oste/o = bone
chondr/o = cartilage
-oma = tumor; mass
Tumor or bony projection that
covers cartilage.
osteoma
AHS-tee-OH-muh
oste/o = bone
-oma = tumor; mass
Tumor of the bone.
osteomalacia
AHS-tee-oh-muh-LAY-shee-uh
oste/o = bone
-malacia = softening
Abnormal softening of the bone. In
children, this condition is known as
rickets.
osteomyelitis
AHS-tee-oh-MIGH-uh-LIGH-tis
oste/o = bone
myel/o = bone marrow
-itis = infl ammation
Infl ammation of the bone and bone
marrow (Figure 2.22).
Herniated disk
compressing nerve
Normal disk
Figure 2.21 Herniated disk.
Figure 2.22 Osteomyelitis.
Figure 2.20 Transverse fracture.