MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY FOR
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)ANN EHRLICH
TEST BANK
Reference: Ch. 1 — Primary Medical Terms — Word Parts
Stem: A nurse encounters the term cardiomegaly in a chart.
Break down the word to select the most accurate meaning.
A. Inflammation of the heart
B. Enlargement of the heart
C. Disease of the heart muscle
D. Surgical repair of the heart
Correct: B
Rationale — Correct: cardi/o = heart; -megaly = enlargement;
therefore enlargement of the heart.
Rationale — A: -itis would indicate inflammation, not -megaly.
,Rationale — C: Disease would be -pathy or cardiomyopathy, not
-megaly.
Rationale — D: Surgical repair would be -plasty, not -megaly.
Teaching Point: -megaly = enlargement.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
2.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Word Roots & Combining Forms —
Combining Vowels
Stem: Which form correctly combines hepat (liver) and -itis
(inflammation) to form the correct medical term?
A. Hepatitis
B. Hepatitis
C. Hepa-itis
D. Hepatoasis
Correct: A
Rationale — Correct: Combining vowel is not needed; hepat/o +
-itis → hepatitis (commonly spelled without redundant o).
Rationale — B: Missing vowel adjustment makes spelling
uncommon and incorrect.
Rationale — C: Hyphenation is not standard in single-term
formation.
Rationale — D: -asis is not inflammation; term is incorrect.
Teaching Point: Combine roots and suffixes correctly—hepatitis
is standard.
,Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes as Noun Endings — -ism, -ia, -y
Stem: A chart lists the condition anemia. Which word part
analysis best explains this term?
A. an- (without) + -emia (blood condition) → decreased blood
B. an- (without) + emia (condition) → infection of blood
C. an- (without) + -emia (blood condition) → low hemoglobin or
red cells
D. emia alone means inflammation of blood
Correct: C
Rationale — Correct: an- = without; -emia = blood condition →
decreased red blood cells/hemoglobin, typical meaning.
Rationale — A: “Decreased blood” is vague; C specifies low
hemoglobin/red cells.
Rationale — B: -emia is not infection.
Rationale — D: -emia does not mean inflammation.
Teaching Point: -emia = blood condition (often abnormal
presence/quantity).
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
4.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Pertaining To” — -ic, -al
Stem: Which option correctly interprets neurologic in
documentation?
, A. A disease of the nerves
B. Pertaining to the nerves or nervous system
C. Surgery on the nervous system
D. One who studies the nervous system
Correct: B
Rationale — Correct: neur/o = nerve; -logic (from -logy with -ic)
= pertaining to; thus pertaining to nervous system.
Rationale — A: Disease would use -pathy.
Rationale — C: Surgery would use -tomy or -ectomy.
Rationale — D: A specialist uses -logist (neurologist), not -logic.
Teaching Point: -ic and -al commonly form adjectives meaning
“pertaining to.”
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
5.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Related to Pathology — -osis
Stem: A student must choose the best definition for
leukocytosis in a CBC report.
A. Decrease in white blood cells
B. Presence of bacteria in white blood cells
C. Increased number of white blood cells
D. Destruction of white blood cells
Correct: C
Rationale — Correct: leuk/o = white; -cyt/o = cell; -osis =
abnormal increase or condition → elevated WBC count.
Rationale — A: That would be leukopenia.
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)ANN EHRLICH
TEST BANK
Reference: Ch. 1 — Primary Medical Terms — Word Parts
Stem: A nurse encounters the term cardiomegaly in a chart.
Break down the word to select the most accurate meaning.
A. Inflammation of the heart
B. Enlargement of the heart
C. Disease of the heart muscle
D. Surgical repair of the heart
Correct: B
Rationale — Correct: cardi/o = heart; -megaly = enlargement;
therefore enlargement of the heart.
Rationale — A: -itis would indicate inflammation, not -megaly.
,Rationale — C: Disease would be -pathy or cardiomyopathy, not
-megaly.
Rationale — D: Surgical repair would be -plasty, not -megaly.
Teaching Point: -megaly = enlargement.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
2.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Word Roots & Combining Forms —
Combining Vowels
Stem: Which form correctly combines hepat (liver) and -itis
(inflammation) to form the correct medical term?
A. Hepatitis
B. Hepatitis
C. Hepa-itis
D. Hepatoasis
Correct: A
Rationale — Correct: Combining vowel is not needed; hepat/o +
-itis → hepatitis (commonly spelled without redundant o).
Rationale — B: Missing vowel adjustment makes spelling
uncommon and incorrect.
Rationale — C: Hyphenation is not standard in single-term
formation.
Rationale — D: -asis is not inflammation; term is incorrect.
Teaching Point: Combine roots and suffixes correctly—hepatitis
is standard.
,Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes as Noun Endings — -ism, -ia, -y
Stem: A chart lists the condition anemia. Which word part
analysis best explains this term?
A. an- (without) + -emia (blood condition) → decreased blood
B. an- (without) + emia (condition) → infection of blood
C. an- (without) + -emia (blood condition) → low hemoglobin or
red cells
D. emia alone means inflammation of blood
Correct: C
Rationale — Correct: an- = without; -emia = blood condition →
decreased red blood cells/hemoglobin, typical meaning.
Rationale — A: “Decreased blood” is vague; C specifies low
hemoglobin/red cells.
Rationale — B: -emia is not infection.
Rationale — D: -emia does not mean inflammation.
Teaching Point: -emia = blood condition (often abnormal
presence/quantity).
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
4.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Pertaining To” — -ic, -al
Stem: Which option correctly interprets neurologic in
documentation?
, A. A disease of the nerves
B. Pertaining to the nerves or nervous system
C. Surgery on the nervous system
D. One who studies the nervous system
Correct: B
Rationale — Correct: neur/o = nerve; -logic (from -logy with -ic)
= pertaining to; thus pertaining to nervous system.
Rationale — A: Disease would use -pathy.
Rationale — C: Surgery would use -tomy or -ectomy.
Rationale — D: A specialist uses -logist (neurologist), not -logic.
Teaching Point: -ic and -al commonly form adjectives meaning
“pertaining to.”
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
5.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Related to Pathology — -osis
Stem: A student must choose the best definition for
leukocytosis in a CBC report.
A. Decrease in white blood cells
B. Presence of bacteria in white blood cells
C. Increased number of white blood cells
D. Destruction of white blood cells
Correct: C
Rationale — Correct: leuk/o = white; -cyt/o = cell; -osis =
abnormal increase or condition → elevated WBC count.
Rationale — A: That would be leukopenia.
