Learning Concepts for Lecture

Objective

45 1. Define and spell the word parts used to create terms for the urinary system. (pages 327-330; PPT
slides 4-13)
LO1
A. The urinary system functions as the sanitary engineer of the body, maintaining the purity and
health of the body’s fluids by removing unwanted waste materials and recycling other materials.
B. The kidneys are the most important organs in this system and are located against the posterior
abdominal wall, one on each side of the body’s midline. Each kidney contains nephrons, which
are the basic subunits of the kidney.
1. Each nephron contains a ball of capillaries called the glomerulus. This is where the
components of the blood are sorted and wastes are absorbed.
2. The glomerulus is the most important part of the kidney. It is easily damaged by high blood
pressure and high blood sugar.
C. The kidneys serve several important functions.
1. Filtration of gallons of fluid from the bloodstream every day
2. Removal of metabolic wastes, toxins, excess ions, and water that leave the body as urine
3. Return of needed materials back to the blood
4. Regulation of blood pressure, p H, water and salt concentrations, and red blood cell
production in bone marrow
D. The kidneys carry out their vital functions by forming urine as a watery waste.
E. Other organs of the urinary system transport urine, or store it, before it can be released to the
exterior of the body. They include the following:
1. The ureters (2)
2. The bladder
3. The urethra
F. Words describing the structure and function of the urinary system often include the following
combining forms:

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 Combining Form Definition
albumin/o albumin (a protein)
blast/o germ, bud, developing cell
glomerul/o little ball, glomerulus
gluc/o sweet, sugar
glyc/o, glycos/o sweet, sugar
meat/o opening, passage
nephr/o kidney
pyel/o renal pelvis
ren/o kidney
ureter/o ureter
urethr/o urethra
ur/o, urin/o urine
45 2. Build medical terms from the word parts associated with the urinary system. (pages 330, 335, 344; PPT
slides 14-17, 24-31, 49-55)
LO3
A. In addition to the word parts already presented, specific word parts are used to construct terms
related to the signs and symptoms associated with the urinary system.
1. Four prefixes are commonly used:
Prefix Definition
an- without, absence of
dia- through
dys- bad, abnormal, painful,
difficult
poly- excessive, over, many

2. There are 10 roots/combining forms that are also used:

Combining Form Definition
albumin/o albumin (a protein)
azot/o urea, nitrogen
bacteri/o bacteria
glycos/o sweet, sugar
hem/o, hemat/o blood
ket/o, keton/o ketone
noct/o night
olig/o few in number
protein/o protein
py/o pus

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 3. Three suffixes are common to signs and symptoms:
Suffix Definition
-emia condition of blood
-uresis urination
-uria pertaining to urine or
urination

B. Diseases and disorders of the urinary system also have their own particular word parts.
1. Five prefixes are often used:
Prefix Definition

dys- bad, abnormal, painful, difficult

en- within, upon, on, over

epi- upon, over, above, on top
hypo- deficient, abnormally low, below
poly- excessive, over, many

2. 17 roots/combining forms are in common use:

Combining Form Definition
azot/o urea or nitrogen
bacteri/o bacteria
blast/o germ, bud, developing cell
cyst/o bladder, sac
glomerul/o little ball, glomerulus
hemat/o blood
hydr/o water
lith/o stone
nephr/o kidney
py/o pus
pyel/o renal pelvis
ren/o kidney
spadias/o rip, tear
sten/o narrow
ur/o urine
ureter/o ureter
urethr/o urethra

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 3. 14 suffixes are also common:
Suffix Definition
-al pertaining to
-cele hernia, swelling, protrusion
-emia condition of blood
-iasis condition of
-ic pertaining to
-itis inflammation
-megaly abnormally large
-oma tumor
-osis condition of
-pathy disease
-ptosis drooping
-sis state of
-uresis urination
-urea pertaining to urine, urination

C. Treatments and procedures used with the urinary system have some common word parts as
well.
1. There is one prefix:
Prefix Definition
dia- through

2. 14 roots/combining forms are common:

Combining Form Definition
cyst/o bladder, sac
hemat/o, hem/o blood
lith/o stone
meat/o opening, passage
nephr/o kidney
peritone/o to stretch over,
peritoneum
pyel/o renal pelvis
ren/o kidney
son/o sound
tom/o to cut
ureter/o ureter
urethr/o urethra
ur/o, urin/o urine
vesic/o bladder

3. 13 suffixes are also used:

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 Suffix Definition
-al pertaining to

-ectomy surgical excision, removal

-gram a record or image
-graphy recording process
-logy study or science of
-lysis loosen, dissolve
-pexy surgical fixation, suspension

-plasty surgical repair

-rrhaphy suturing
-scopy process of viewing
-stomy surgical creation of an
opening
-tomy incision, to cut
-tripsy surgical crushing

90 3. Break down and define common medical terms used for symptoms, diseases, disorders, procedures,
treatments, and devices associated with the urinary system; pronounce and spell common medical
LO2
terms associated with the urinary system. (pages 330-333, 335-342, 344-354; PPT slides 18-23, 32-48,
LO4 56-85)
A. The major pathological challenge to the health of the urinary system is infection due to
communication to the exterior by way of the urinary meatus. A number of other conditions can
affect the urinary system, accompanied by a variety of signs and symptoms. Those signs and
symptoms include the following:

Medical Term Definition

albuminuria Presence of albumin, a protein
normally found in blood, in the
urine
anuria Inability to pass urine, a sign of
kidney disease
azotemia Presence of abnormally high
levels of urea and other
nitrogen-containing compounds
in the blood
bacteriuria Abnromal presence of bacteria
in the urine, a sign of urinary
tract infection
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 diuresis Excessive urine discharge
dysuria Difficulty or pain in urination
glycosuria Presence of glucose in the
urine, a sign of endocrine
disease
hematuria Presence of blood in the urine,
a sign of urinary disease
ketonuria Presence of ketone bodies in
the urine, which is a common
sign of a metabolic disorder, a
high-protein/low-carbohydrate
diet, starvation, or diabetes
mellitus
nocturia Need to urinate frequently at
night
oliguria Reduced urination, a possible
sign of kidney disorder,
congestive heart failure,
dehydration, or blockage
polyuria Chronic excessive urination, a
sign of endocrine disease
proteinuria Presence of the protein albumin
in the urine
pyuria Presence of pus (white blood
cells, bacteria, and cell debris)
in the urine, a sign of infection

B. In addition to infection, sources of disease afflicting the urinary system include diabetes,
hypertension, tumors, stones, inherited disorders, and heart disease. These may give rise to the
following conditions:

Medical Term Definition

acute kidney injury Rapid-onset disease of the kidneys

resulting in a failure to produce
urine; formerly called acute renal
failure, it is usually caused by a
physical injury, septic shock, severe
dehydration, or surgical
complications

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cystitis Inflammation of the urinary bladder

cystocele Herniation (protrusion) of the urinary

bladder
cystolith Stone, or calculus, in the urinary
bladder
end-stage kidney Life-threatening failure of both
disease (E S K D) kidneys to form urine; also called
renal failure, it must be treated
aggresively with hemodialysis and, if
possible, kidney transplant.
enuresis Involuntary release of urine, which
usually occurs due to a lack of
bladder control among children or
the elderly; at night it is called
nocturnal enuresis, or bedwetting
epispadias Congenital defect resulting in the
urinary meatus being positioned on
the dorsal surface of the penis; in
females, the meatus opens dorsal to
the clitoris
glomerulonephritis Inflammation of the glomeruli within
the kidney
glomerulonephropathy Any disease of the glomeruli of the
kidney
hydronephrosis Condition of water in a kidney,
usually caused by obstruction and
backup of urine leading to distention
of the renal pelvis
hypospadias Congenital defect in which the
urinary meatus opens on the
underside of the penis; in the female,
the opening is within the vagina
incontinence Inability to control urination (urinary
incontinence); stress incontinence is
involuntary discharge of urine due to
a cough, sneeze, or strained
movement
nephritis Inflammation of a kidney that may be
caused by autoimmune response or
allergic reaction to medication; it
may be called interstitial nephritis

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 nephroblastoma Tumor originating from a kidney that
includes developing embryonic cells;
also known as Wilms’ tumor
nephrolithiasis Presence of one or more stones, or
calculi, in a kidney
nephroma Tumor originating from a kidney

nephromegaly Abnormal enlargement of a kidney

nephropathy Severe condition of a kidney that

leads to end-stage kidney disease;
there are two major forms: diabetic
nephropathy and hypertensive
nephropathy; a third form that is less
common is drug-induced
nephropathy.
nephroptosis Condition of a displaced, drooping
kidney, which occurs when the
kidney is no longer held in its proper
position; also called floating kidney
polycystic kidney Kidney condition characterized by the
disease presence of many cysts, resulting in
the loss of functional tissue
pyelitis Inflammation of the renal pelvis,
usually caused by bacterial infection
pyelonephritis Inflammation of the renal pelvis and
nephrons
stricture Condition of abnormal narrowing, as
in ureteral stricture and urethral
stricture; an alternate term is
ureterostenosis
uremia Excess of urea and other nitrogenous
waste in the blood, caused by failure
of the kidneys to remove urea during
urine formation
ureteritis Inflammation of a ureter

ureterocele Herniated ureter

ureterolithiasis Presence of stone(s) in a ureter

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 urinary retention Abnormal accumulation of urine in
the urinary bladder, resulting from an
inability to urinate
urinary tract infection Infection of urinary organs—usually
the urethra and bladder—in which
symptoms often include fever,
dysuria, and lumbar or abdominal
pain; common signs include
bacteriuria, pyuria, and sometimes
hematuria; usually caused by
Staphylococci or E. coli bacteria

C. A number of tests can be used to diagnose conditions of the urinary system, but among the
most common and convenient are urine tests. Other tests and treatments include the following:

Medical Term Definition

blood urea Clinical lab test that
nitrogen measures urea
concentration in a
sample of blood as
an indicator of
kidney function; an
elevated value
indicates kidney
disease
creatinine Protein that is a
normal component
of urine, as a result
of muscle
metabolism;
elevated levels in a
urine sample
indicate a problem
during kidney
filtration,
suggesting kidney
disease
cystectomy Excision of the
urinary bladder
cystography X-ray technique for
imaging the urinary
bladder; the
resulting x-ray
image is called a
cystogram
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 cystolithotomy Incision into the
urinary bladder to
remove a stone, or
calculus
cystoplasty Surgical repair of
the urinary bladder
cystorrhaphy Suturing of the
urinary bladder wall
cystoscopy Procedure that uses
a modified
endoscope, known
as a cystoscope, to
visually examine
the urinary bladder;
the instrument is
inserted through
the urinary meatus
to enter the
bladder cavity
cystostomy Surgical creation of
an artificial opening
into the urinary
bladder to provide
an alternate exit
pathway for urine if
the normal
passageway is
blocked
cystotomy Incision into the
urinary bladder;
also called
vesicotomy
cystoureterograp X-ray technique for
hy imaging the urinary
bladder and
ureters; the
resulting x-ray
image is called a
cystoureterogram
cystourethrograp X-ray technique for
hy imaging the urinary
bladder and
urethra; the
resulting x-ray
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 image is called a
cystourethrogram;
in a voiding
cystourethrogram
(VCUG), x-rays are
taken before,
during, and after
urination to
observe bladder
function
fulguration Surgical procedure
that destroys living
tissue with an
electric current,
commonly used to
remove tumors or
polyps from the
interior bladder
wall
hemodialysis Procedure that
removes
nitrogenous wastes
and excess ions
from the blood,
replacing the
normal function of
the kidneys as an
intervention for
kidney failure, using
the process of
dialysis, in which
blood is pushed
through a
semipermeable
membrane filter to
separate
substances based
on their molecular
size
lithotripsy Surgical technique
that crushes stones;
extracorporeal
shock wave
lithotripsy (E S W L)
uses ultrasonic
energy from an

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 instrument outside
the body directed
onto stones to
pulverize them
nephrectomy Excision of a kidney
nephrography X-ray technique
imaging a kidney;
the x-ray image is
called a
nephrogram
nephrology Medical field that
studies and treats
disorders
associated with the
kidneys; a specialist
in this field is a
nephrologist
nephrolysis Freeing of the
kidney from
inflammatory
adhesions
nephropexy Surgical fixation of
an abnormally
mobile kidney, as in
the condition
nephroptosis
nephroscopy Use of a modified
fiber-optic
endoscope, known
as a nephroscope,
to visually examine
a kidney
nephrosonograph Ultrasound
y procedure in which
a kidney is imaged
with the use of
sound waves
nephrostomy Surgical creation of
an opening into the
kidney, between
the renal pelvis and
the kidney exterior,
to allow a catheter

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 to drain urine; also
called a pyelostomy
nephrotomograp X-ray imaging of the
hy kidney using
sectional x-ray
exposures to
observe internal
details of kidney
structure; image is
called a
nephrotomogram
peritoneal Procedure in which
dialysis toxic wastes are
removed from the
peritoneal cavity
reservoir by
artificial filtration as
a cleansing
treatment to
compensate for
kidney failure
pyelithotomy Incision into the
renal pelvis to
remove a stone
pyelogram X-ray image of the
renal pelvis; in a
retrograde
pyelogram (R P), a
contrast medium is
injected into the
ureter using a
cystoscope and
moves in a direction
opposite from the
norm (retrograde);
in an intravenous
pyelogram (I V P),
iodine is used as
the contrast
medium and is
injected into the
bloodstream
pyelolithotomy Surgical procedure
of cutting into the

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 kidney to remove a
stone
pyeloplasty Surgical repair of
the renal pelvis
renal transplant Surgical procedure
in which a donor
kidney, usually
obtained from a
close relative with
similar genetic
makeup, is
implanted to
replace a
nonfunctional
kidney; cytological
drugs can suppress
the immune
response to reduce
the chance of
rejection
renography Nuclear medicine
test using a
radioactive
substance injected
intravenously (by I
V) to highlight
internal details of a
kidney; recording is
called a renogram
specific gravity Measurement of
the density of
substances in a
liquid compared to
water; the clinical
lab test that
measures specific
gravity in a sample
of urine evaluates
filtration efficiency
and water
reabsorption
ureterectomy Excision of a ureter
ureterostomy Surgical creation of
an artificial opening
through the ureter
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 to provide an
alternate exit route
for urine to bypass
the urethra
ureterotomy Incision into the
wall of a ureter
urethropexy Surgical fixation of
the urethra to
correct stress
incontinence
urethroplasty Surgical repair of
the urethra
urethrostomy Surgical creation of
an artificial opening
into the urethra to
establish an
alternate exit route
for urine
urethrotomy Incision into the
urethra
urinalysis (U A) Combination of
clinical lab tests
performed on a
urine specimen,
often measuring
specific gravity,
creatinine levels,
glucose levels,
protein, and the
abnormal presence
of red blood cells,
white blood cells,
and pus
urinary Insertion of a
catheterization catheter, a flexible
tube for channeling
fluids, into the
urinary bladder to
drain urine from a
patient who is
immobile
urinary Use of an
endoscopy endoscope to view
internal structures
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 of the urinary
system; a
specialized
endoscope is
associated with
each urinary organ,
including a
meatoscope, a
nephroscope, and a
cystoscope
Urologist Physician who
specializes in
disorders of the
urinary system;
urology is the
medical field that
specializes in the
urinary system
vesicourethral Surgery performed
suspension to stabilize the
urinary bladder
position as a
treatment of stress
incontinence

Homework Assignments
 Read and review Chapter 11.
 Complete the Phonetic Spelling Challenge and the Spelling Challenge associated with this chapter.
 Complete the Word Search exercise associated with this chapter
 Complete the True/False, Fill in the Blank, and Short Answer exercises associated with this chapter.
 Complete the Abbreviation Matchup exercise associated with this chapter.
 Select one of the major organs of the urinary system and prepare a short report on its role in
respiration.
 Select a disease and research it on the Internet to find as many associations or organizations related
to the disease as possible.
 Study the pronunciation for medical terms in this chapter in the parenthetical text following the
term and the glossary at Medical Terminology Interactive.
 Study class notes.
 Complete worksheets.

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