MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY FOR
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)ANN EHRLICH
TEST BANK
Reference: Ch. 1 — Word Roots & Combining Forms
Stem: A nursing note uses the term arthritis to describe a
patient’s joint pain. Which breakdown of the word is correct?
A. arthr- (joint) + -itis (inflammation) — joint inflammation
B. arthr- (bone) + -itis (inflammation) — bone inflammation
C. arthr- (joint) + -osis (disease) — joint disease
D. arthr- (muscle) + -algia (pain) — muscle pain
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: arthr- is the word root meaning joint and
-itis is the suffix meaning inflammation; together they form
inflammation of a joint.
,Rationales — B: arthr- is joint, not bone (oste/o is bone).
Rationales — C: -osis means abnormal condition; while
plausible, the suffix in “arthritis” is -itis, not -osis.
Rationales — D: arthr- is not muscle (my/o is muscle), and -algia
denotes pain but the textbook term uses -itis.
Teaching Point: arthr- = joint; -itis = inflammation.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
2.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Combining Vowels & Word Building
Stem: Which version of the combining form is correct for
forming a term meaning “inflammation of the stomach”?
A. gastritis
B. gastroitis
C. gastr/o/itis
D. gastralgia
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: gastritis correctly combines root gastr-
(stomach) with -itis (inflammation); a combining vowel is not
needed here.
Rationales — B: gastroitis incorrectly inserts an extra syllable;
the combining form "gastr/o" could be used in multi-part words
but the standard term is gastritis.
Rationales — C: gastr/o/itis is a segmented form showing parts,
but not the standard written medical term; choice A is the
,correct finished form.
Rationales — D: gastralgia means stomach pain (-algia), not
inflammation.
Teaching Point: Use combining vowels when joining roots to
suffixes beginning with consonants only as needed.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Pertaining To”
Stem: Which term means “pertaining to the heart”?
A. cardiac
B. cardiology
C. cardiomegaly
D. carditis
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: the suffix -ac (cardiac) means pertaining
to; cardi- = heart.
Rationales — B: cardiology is the study of the heart (-logy).
Rationales — C: cardiomegaly means enlarged heart (-megaly).
Rationales — D: carditis (or myocarditis) indicates inflammation
(-itis), not “pertaining to.”
Teaching Point: Suffix -ac/-al/-ic = pertaining to.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
, 4.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Abnormal Condition”
Stem: A lab report lists hyperplasia. Which breakdown best
reflects the meaning?
A. hyper- (excessive) + -plasia (formation) — excessive cell
growth
B. hypo- (decreased) + -plasia (formation) — decreased
formation
C. hyper- (excessive) + -itis (inflammation) — excessive
inflammation
D. hyper- (excessive) + -oma (tumor) — excessive tumor
formation
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: hyper- means excessive and -plasia refers
to formation or growth of cells or tissues.
Rationales — B: hypo- is the opposite prefix.
Rationales — C: -itis refers to inflammation, not formation.
Rationales — D: -oma indicates tumor; -plasia indicates cell
formation.
Teaching Point: -plasia = formation/growth; hyper- = excessive.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
5.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Related to Procedures
Stem: A provider documents a planned tonsillectomy. Which
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)ANN EHRLICH
TEST BANK
Reference: Ch. 1 — Word Roots & Combining Forms
Stem: A nursing note uses the term arthritis to describe a
patient’s joint pain. Which breakdown of the word is correct?
A. arthr- (joint) + -itis (inflammation) — joint inflammation
B. arthr- (bone) + -itis (inflammation) — bone inflammation
C. arthr- (joint) + -osis (disease) — joint disease
D. arthr- (muscle) + -algia (pain) — muscle pain
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: arthr- is the word root meaning joint and
-itis is the suffix meaning inflammation; together they form
inflammation of a joint.
,Rationales — B: arthr- is joint, not bone (oste/o is bone).
Rationales — C: -osis means abnormal condition; while
plausible, the suffix in “arthritis” is -itis, not -osis.
Rationales — D: arthr- is not muscle (my/o is muscle), and -algia
denotes pain but the textbook term uses -itis.
Teaching Point: arthr- = joint; -itis = inflammation.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
2.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Combining Vowels & Word Building
Stem: Which version of the combining form is correct for
forming a term meaning “inflammation of the stomach”?
A. gastritis
B. gastroitis
C. gastr/o/itis
D. gastralgia
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: gastritis correctly combines root gastr-
(stomach) with -itis (inflammation); a combining vowel is not
needed here.
Rationales — B: gastroitis incorrectly inserts an extra syllable;
the combining form "gastr/o" could be used in multi-part words
but the standard term is gastritis.
Rationales — C: gastr/o/itis is a segmented form showing parts,
but not the standard written medical term; choice A is the
,correct finished form.
Rationales — D: gastralgia means stomach pain (-algia), not
inflammation.
Teaching Point: Use combining vowels when joining roots to
suffixes beginning with consonants only as needed.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Pertaining To”
Stem: Which term means “pertaining to the heart”?
A. cardiac
B. cardiology
C. cardiomegaly
D. carditis
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: the suffix -ac (cardiac) means pertaining
to; cardi- = heart.
Rationales — B: cardiology is the study of the heart (-logy).
Rationales — C: cardiomegaly means enlarged heart (-megaly).
Rationales — D: carditis (or myocarditis) indicates inflammation
(-itis), not “pertaining to.”
Teaching Point: Suffix -ac/-al/-ic = pertaining to.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
, 4.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Meaning “Abnormal Condition”
Stem: A lab report lists hyperplasia. Which breakdown best
reflects the meaning?
A. hyper- (excessive) + -plasia (formation) — excessive cell
growth
B. hypo- (decreased) + -plasia (formation) — decreased
formation
C. hyper- (excessive) + -itis (inflammation) — excessive
inflammation
D. hyper- (excessive) + -oma (tumor) — excessive tumor
formation
Correct Answer: A
Rationales — Correct: hyper- means excessive and -plasia refers
to formation or growth of cells or tissues.
Rationales — B: hypo- is the opposite prefix.
Rationales — C: -itis refers to inflammation, not formation.
Rationales — D: -oma indicates tumor; -plasia indicates cell
formation.
Teaching Point: -plasia = formation/growth; hyper- = excessive.
Citation: Ehrlich, A. (2022). Medical Terminology for Health
Professions (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
5.
Reference: Ch. 1 — Suffixes Related to Procedures
Stem: A provider documents a planned tonsillectomy. Which
