Anatomy and Physiology Overview • CHAPTER 5 157Word Elements
This section introduces combining forms (CFs), suffixes, and prefixes related to the cardiovascular
system, along with each element’s meaning, an example, and additional analysis of key elements in
the example. 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
angi/o vessel (usually angi/o/graphy (ăn-jē-ŎG-ră-fē): process of recording blood vessels
blood or lymph) -graphy: process of recording
Angiography is an x-ray visualization of the internal anatomy of the heart and blood
vessels after the intravascular introduction of a contrast medium. It is used as a diag-
nostic aid to visualize blood vessel and heart abnormalities.
aneurysm/o widening, aneurysm/o/rrhaphy (ăn-ū-rĭz-MŌR-ă-fē): suture of a blood vessel
widened blood -rrhaphy: suture
vessel Aneurysmorrhaphy closes the area of dilation and weakness in the wall of an artery.
This condition may result from a congenital defect or a damaged vessel wall due to
arteriosclerosis.
aort/o aorta aort/o/stenosis (ā-or-tō-stĕn-Ō-sĭs): narrowing of the aorta
-stenosis: narrowing, stricture
arteri/o artery arteri/o/scler/osis (ăr-tē-rē-ō-sklĕ-RŌ-sĭs): abnormal hardening of arterial walls
scler: hardening; sclera (white of eye)
-osis: abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)
Arteriosclerosis results in a decreased blood supply, especially to the cerebrum and
lower extremities.
arteriol/o arteriole arteriol/itis (ăr-tēr-ē-ō-LĪ-tĭs): inflammation of an arteriole
-itis: inflammation
ather/o fatty plaque ather/oma (ăth-ĕr-Ō-mă): fatty degeneration or thickening of the larger arterial
walls, as in atherosclerosis
-oma: tumor
atri/o atrium atri/o/ventricul/ar (ā-trē-ō-vĕn-TRĬK-ū-lăr): pertaining to the atrium and the
ventricle
ventricul: ventricle (of heart or brain)
-ar: pertaining to
cardi/o heart cardi/o/megaly (kăr-dē-ō-MĔG-ă-lē): enlargement of the heart; also called
megalocardia
-megaly: enlargement
coron/o coron/ary (KOR-ō-nă-rē): pertaining to the heart
-ary: pertaining to
phleb/o vein phleb/itis (flĕb-Ī-tĭs): inflammation of a vein
-itis: inflammation
ven/o ven/ous (VĒ-nŭs): pertaining to the veins or blood passing through them
-ous: pertaining to
thromb/o blood clot thromb/o/lysis (thrŏm-BŎL-ĭ-sĭs): breaking up of a thrombus
-lysis: separation; destruction; loosening
Continued