464 CHAPTER 10• Musculoskeletal System
Word Element Meaning Word Analysis
fibul/o fibula (smaller, fibul/ar (FĬB-ū-lăr): pertaining to the fibula
outer bone of -ar:pertaining to
the lower leg)
patell/o patella patell/ectomy (păt-ĕ-LĔK-tō-mē): excision of the patella
(kneecap) -ectomy:excision, removal
pelv/i† pelvis pelv/i/metry (pĕl-VĬM-ĕ-trē): measurement of the pelvic dimensions or
proportions
-metry:act of measuring
Pelvimetry helps determine whether or not it will be possible to deliver a fetus through
the normal route.
pelv/o pelv/is (PĔL-vĭs): pertaining to the pelvis
-is:noun ending
A woman’s pelvis is usually less massive but wider and more circular than a man’s
pelvis.
radi/o radiation, x-ray; radi/o/graph (RĀ-dē-ō-grăf): x-ray image
radius (lower -graph:instrument for recording
arm bone on
the thumb side)
tibi/o tibia (larger tibi/al (TĬB-ē-ăl): pertaining to the tibia (shin bone)
bone of the -al:pertaining to
lower leg)
Other Related Structures
ankyl/o stiffness; bent, ankyl/osis (ăng-kĭ-LŌ-sĭs): immobility of a joint
crooked -osis:abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)
Ankylosis may be congenital or it may be due to disease, trauma, surgery, or
contractures resulting from immobility.
arthr/o joint arthr/itis (ăr-THRĪ-tĭs): inflammation of a joint
-itis:inflammation
Arthritis is commonly accompanied by pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformity.
chondr/o cartilage cost/o/chondr/itis (kŏs-tō-kŏn-DRĪ-tĭs): inflammation of cartilage of the
anterior chest wall (ribs)
cost/o:ribs
-itis:inflammation
Costochondritis is characterized by pain and tenderness that may radiate from the
initial site of inflammation.
lamin/o lamina (part lamin/ectomy (lăm-ĭ-NĔK-tŏ-mē): excision of the lamina (bony arches of one or
of the vertebral more vertebrae)
arch) -ectomy:excision, removal
myel/o bone marrow; myel/o/cele (MĪ-ĕ-lō-sē): herniation of the spinal cord
spinal cord -cele:hernia, swelling
Myelocele is a sacklike protrusion of the spinal cord through a congenital defect in the
vertebral column.