A+ VER IFIED
M EDICAL T ERM INOL OG Y · OB J ECT IVE ASSESSM ENT
BIOD 103 Medical Terminology
Module 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology — Complete
OFFICIAL EXAM
50 Questions Full Rationales Verified Answers
50 5 100%
QUE STI ONS SECTI ONS R AT I O N A L E S
W H AT T H I S C OV E R S
01 Word Roots & Combining Forms 12 Questions
02 Prefixes in Medical Terminology 10 Questions
03 Suffixes in Medical Terminology 10 Questions
04 Singular & Plural Endings / Pronunciation 8 Questions
05 Body Organization & Directional Terms 10 Questions
A BO UT THIS A SSE SSME N T
An original study aid prepared for educational review of medical terminology.
All questions, options, and rationales were newly written for this 2026/2027 edition.
Content targets word building, prefixes, suffixes, plurals, and body organization.
It does not reproduce or represent any institution's secure assessment materials.
5 0 MU LTI PLE -CHOI CE I TE MS · FU LL RATI ONALE FOR E VE RY ANSWE R
PA S S I N G S C O R E LEVEL F O R M AT
75% Undergraduate / Allied Health Multiple Choice (A-D)
S T UV I A A CT UA L EX A M Page 1
, SECTION 01 · WORD ROOTS & COMBINING FORMS
Q1. A terminology instructor writes the word cardiogram on the board and circles the letter o that links the root to
the ending. The basic unit consisting of a word root plus its linking vowel is called a:
A. prefix
B. suffix
C. acronym
D. combining form
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A combining form is the word root together with its combining vowel, usually o, which eases pronunciation
when the next element starts with a consonant. Prefixes and suffixes are attached elements, and an acronym is an
abbreviation.
Q2. A surgeon's schedule lists a gastrectomy for a client with early gastric cancer, and the student asks which organ
is involved. The combining form gastr/o refers to the:
A. stomach
B. intestine
C. gallbladder
D. esophagus
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Gastr/o means stomach, and gastrectomy (-ectomy = surgical removal) is removal of all or part of the
stomach. Intestine is enter/o, gallbladder is cholecyst/o, and esophagus is esophag/o.
Q3. During a physical examination, the provider palpates the right upper quadrant and documents hepatomegaly in
the assessment. The combining form hepat/o refers to the:
A. spleen
B. kidney
C. liver
D. pancreas
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hepat/o means liver, and hepatomegaly (-megaly = enlargement) is an enlarged liver, typically palpated in
the right upper quadrant. Spleen is splen/o, kidney is nephr/o, and pancreas is pancreat/o.
STUVIA ACTUAL EXAM Page 2
, Q4. A client with declining kidney function is referred to a specialist in kidney disease. The combining form used
for the kidney, as seen in nephrology, is:
A. hepat/o
B. nephr/o
C. cardi/o
D. cephal/o
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nephr/o means kidney, so nephrology is the study and treatment of kidney disorders. Ren/o is a synonym for
kidney, while hepat/o is liver, cardi/o is heart, and cephal/o is head.
Q5. A client reports numbness and tingling in the feet, and the provider orders testing of the nerves of the lower
extremities. The combining form neur/o refers to the:
A. spinal column
B. brain only
C. muscle
D. nerve
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Neur/o means nerve and appears in terms such as neuropathy and neurologist, covering the nerves of the
peripheral and central nervous systems. The spinal column is vertebr/o or spondyl/o, and muscle is my/o.
Q6. A red, itchy rash on both forearms is documented in the clinic note as dermatitis. The combining form
dermat/o refers to the:
A. hair
B. nail
C. mucus membrane
D. skin
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Dermat/o means skin, and dermatitis is inflammation of the skin from allergy, irritation, or disease. Hair is
trich/o, nail is onych/o, and mucous membranes are mucos/o.
Q7. A Pap smear specimen is sent to the laboratory, where a specialist examines individual cells scraped from the
cervix. The combining form cyt/o refers to the:
A. cell
B. tissue
C. organ
D. fluid
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Cyt/o means cell, and cytology is the microscopic study of individual cells, the basis of the Pap test. Tissue is
hist/o, organ is organ/o, and the other choices are not the unit being studied here.
STUVIA ACTUAL EXAM Page 3
M EDICAL T ERM INOL OG Y · OB J ECT IVE ASSESSM ENT
BIOD 103 Medical Terminology
Module 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology — Complete
OFFICIAL EXAM
50 Questions Full Rationales Verified Answers
50 5 100%
QUE STI ONS SECTI ONS R AT I O N A L E S
W H AT T H I S C OV E R S
01 Word Roots & Combining Forms 12 Questions
02 Prefixes in Medical Terminology 10 Questions
03 Suffixes in Medical Terminology 10 Questions
04 Singular & Plural Endings / Pronunciation 8 Questions
05 Body Organization & Directional Terms 10 Questions
A BO UT THIS A SSE SSME N T
An original study aid prepared for educational review of medical terminology.
All questions, options, and rationales were newly written for this 2026/2027 edition.
Content targets word building, prefixes, suffixes, plurals, and body organization.
It does not reproduce or represent any institution's secure assessment materials.
5 0 MU LTI PLE -CHOI CE I TE MS · FU LL RATI ONALE FOR E VE RY ANSWE R
PA S S I N G S C O R E LEVEL F O R M AT
75% Undergraduate / Allied Health Multiple Choice (A-D)
S T UV I A A CT UA L EX A M Page 1
, SECTION 01 · WORD ROOTS & COMBINING FORMS
Q1. A terminology instructor writes the word cardiogram on the board and circles the letter o that links the root to
the ending. The basic unit consisting of a word root plus its linking vowel is called a:
A. prefix
B. suffix
C. acronym
D. combining form
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A combining form is the word root together with its combining vowel, usually o, which eases pronunciation
when the next element starts with a consonant. Prefixes and suffixes are attached elements, and an acronym is an
abbreviation.
Q2. A surgeon's schedule lists a gastrectomy for a client with early gastric cancer, and the student asks which organ
is involved. The combining form gastr/o refers to the:
A. stomach
B. intestine
C. gallbladder
D. esophagus
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Gastr/o means stomach, and gastrectomy (-ectomy = surgical removal) is removal of all or part of the
stomach. Intestine is enter/o, gallbladder is cholecyst/o, and esophagus is esophag/o.
Q3. During a physical examination, the provider palpates the right upper quadrant and documents hepatomegaly in
the assessment. The combining form hepat/o refers to the:
A. spleen
B. kidney
C. liver
D. pancreas
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hepat/o means liver, and hepatomegaly (-megaly = enlargement) is an enlarged liver, typically palpated in
the right upper quadrant. Spleen is splen/o, kidney is nephr/o, and pancreas is pancreat/o.
STUVIA ACTUAL EXAM Page 2
, Q4. A client with declining kidney function is referred to a specialist in kidney disease. The combining form used
for the kidney, as seen in nephrology, is:
A. hepat/o
B. nephr/o
C. cardi/o
D. cephal/o
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nephr/o means kidney, so nephrology is the study and treatment of kidney disorders. Ren/o is a synonym for
kidney, while hepat/o is liver, cardi/o is heart, and cephal/o is head.
Q5. A client reports numbness and tingling in the feet, and the provider orders testing of the nerves of the lower
extremities. The combining form neur/o refers to the:
A. spinal column
B. brain only
C. muscle
D. nerve
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Neur/o means nerve and appears in terms such as neuropathy and neurologist, covering the nerves of the
peripheral and central nervous systems. The spinal column is vertebr/o or spondyl/o, and muscle is my/o.
Q6. A red, itchy rash on both forearms is documented in the clinic note as dermatitis. The combining form
dermat/o refers to the:
A. hair
B. nail
C. mucus membrane
D. skin
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Dermat/o means skin, and dermatitis is inflammation of the skin from allergy, irritation, or disease. Hair is
trich/o, nail is onych/o, and mucous membranes are mucos/o.
Q7. A Pap smear specimen is sent to the laboratory, where a specialist examines individual cells scraped from the
cervix. The combining form cyt/o refers to the:
A. cell
B. tissue
C. organ
D. fluid
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Cyt/o means cell, and cytology is the microscopic study of individual cells, the basis of the Pap test. Tissue is
hist/o, organ is organ/o, and the other choices are not the unit being studied here.
STUVIA ACTUAL EXAM Page 3
