280 CHAPTER 7• Urinary System
WORD ELEMENTS
This section introduces combining forms (CFs) related to the urinary system. Included are key
suffixes; prefixes are defined in the right-hand column as needed. Review the following table,
and pronounce each word in the word analysis column aloud before you begin to work in
the frames.
Word Element Meaning Word Analysis
Combining Forms
cyst/o bladder cyst/o/scopy (sĭs-TŎS-kō-pē): visual examination of the urinary tract using a
cystoscope inserted through the urethra
-scopy: visual examination
Cystoscopy helps diagnose urinary tract disorders, obtain tissue and urine samples,
excise tumors, or inject a contrast medium into the bladder.
vesic/o vesic/o/cele (VĔS-ĭ-kō-sēl): hernial protrusion of the urinary bladder; also called
cystocele- cele: hernia, swelling
glomerul/o glomerulus glomerul/ar (glō-MĔR-ū-lăr): pertaining to the glomerulus
-ar: pertaining to
The glomerulus is a cluster of capillaries forming the structural and functional unit of
the kidney known as the nephron. Glomerular capillaries filter fluid, the first step in
urine formation.
meat/o opening, meatus meat/us (mē-Ā-tŭs): opening or tunnel through any part of the body, such as the
external opening of the urethra - us: condition, structure
nephr/o kidney nephr/oma (nĕ-FRŌ-mă): tumor of the kidney
oma: tumor
ren/o ren/al (RĒ-năl): pertaining to the kidney
-al: pertaining to
pyel/o renal pelvis pyel/o/plasty (PĪ-ĕ-lō-plăs-tē): surgical repair of the renal pelvis
-plasty: surgical repair
ur/o urine, urinary ur/emia (ū-RĒ-mē-ă): excessive urea and other nitrogenous waste products in the
tract blood; also called azotemia
-emia: blood condition
Healthy kidneys excrete waste products normally. Uremia occurs in renal failure.
urin/o urin/ary (Ū-rĭ-nār-ē): pertaining to urine or the formation of urine or the
urinary tract - ary: pertaining to
ureter/o ureter ureter/o/stenosis (ū-rē-tĕr-ō-stĕ-NŌ-sĭs): narrowing or stricture of a ureter - stenosis: narrowing, stricture
urethr/o urethra urethr/o/cele (ū-RĒ-thrō-sēl): hernial protrusion of the urethra
-cele: hernia, swelling
Urethrocele may be congenital or acquired and secondary to obesity, childbirth, and
poor muscle tone.