396 CHAPTER 9• Endocrine and Nervous Systems
WORD ELEMENTS
This section introduces CFs related to the endocrine 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 the frames.
Word Element Meaning Word Analysis
Combining Forms
aden/o gland aden/oma (ăd-ĕ-NŌ-mă): tumor composed of glandular tissue
-oma: tumor
adren/o adren/al (ăd-RĒ-năl): pertaining to the adrenal glands
-al: pertaining to
adrenal/o adrenal glands adrenal/ectomy (ăd-rē-năl-ĔK-tō-mē): excision of adrenal gland(s)
-ectomy: excision, removal
Adrenalectomy involves surgical removal of one or both adrenal glands to remove a
tumor, aid in correcting a hormone imbalance, or prevent metastasis.
calc/o calcium hypo/calc/emia (hī-pō-kăl-SĒ-mē-ă): deficiency of calcium in the blood
hypo-: under, below, deficient
-emia: blood condition
gluc/o sugar, gluc/o/genesis (gloo-kō-JĔN-ĕ-sĭs): formation of glucose
sweetness -genesis: forming, producing, origin
glyc/o hyper/glyc/emia (hī-pĕr-glī-SĒ-mē-ă): excessive glucose in the blood
hyper-: excessive, above normal
-emia: blood condition
Hyperglycemia is most commonly associated with diabetes mellitus.
pancreat/o pancreas pancreat/itis (păn-krē-ă-TĪ-tĭs): inflammation of the pancreas
itis: inflammation
Pancreatitis occurs when pancreatic enzymes that digest food are activated in the
pancreas instead of the duodenum and attack pancreatic tissue, causing damage to
the gland.
parathyroid/o parathyroid parathyroid/ectomy (păr-ă-thī-royd-ĔK-tō-mē): excision of the parathyroid
glands gland(s)
-ectomy: excision, removal
pituitar/o pituitary gland hypo/pituitar/ism (hī-pō-pĭ-TŪ-ĭ-tă-rĭzm): condition of inadequate levels of
pituitary hormone in the body
-ism: condition
thym/o thymus gland thym/oma (thī-MŌ-mă): tumor of the thymus gland
-oma: tumor
thyr/o thyroid gland thyr/o/megaly (thī-rō-MĔG-ă-lē): enlargement of the thyroid gland
-megaly: enlargement
thyroid/o thyroid/ectomy (thī-royd-ĔK-tō-mē): excision of the thyroid gland
-ectomy: excision, removal
Thyroidectomy is the complete removal of the thyroid gland (total thyroidectomy) or
removal of half of the thyroid gland (subtotal, or partial, thyroidectomy).
toxic/o poison toxic/o/logist (tŏks-ĭ-KŎL-ō-jĭst): specialist in the study of poisons (toxins)
-logist: specialist in study of
The toxicologist studies the effects that poisons or chemicals have on humans, animals,
plants, and other living organisms, as well as subsequent treatments.