Body Parts

Mouth

Opening through which food passes; breaks food into small bits by mastication (chewing) and mixing with saliva.

Tongue

Consists mostly of skeletal muscles; attached in the posterior region of the mouth.  It provides movement of food for mastication, directs food to the pharynx for swallowing, and is a major organ for taste and speech.

Palate

Separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity.

Soft palate

Posterior portion, not supported by bone.

Hard palate

Anterior portion, supported by bone.

Uvula

Soft V-shaped mass that extends from the soft palate.  Directs food into the throat.

Pharynx (throat)

Performs the swallowing action that passes food from the mouth into the esophagus.

Esophagus

10” tube that extends from the pharynx to the stomach.

Stomach

J-shaped sac mixes and stores food, secretes chemicals for digestion, and secretes hormones for local communication control.

Cardia

Area around the opening of the esophagus.

Fundus

Uppermost domed portion of the stomach.

Body

Central portion of the stomach.

Pylorus

Lower part of the stomach that connects to the small intestine.

Antrum

Portion of the pylorus that connects to the body of the stomach.

Pyloric sphincter

Ring of muscle that guards the opening between the stomach and the duodenum.

Small intestine

20’ canal extending from the pyloric sphincter to the large intestine.

Duodenum

First 10 to 12” of the small intestine.

Jejunum

Second portion of the small intestine, approx. 8’ long.

Ileum

Third portion of the small intestine, approx. 11’ long, which connects with the large intestine.

Large intestine

Canal that is approx. 5’ long and extends from the ileum to the anus.

Cecum

Blind U-shaped pouch that is the first portion of the large intestine.

Colon

Next portion of the large intestine. Divided into four parts: ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon.

Rectum

Remaining portion of the large intestine, approx. 8 to 10” long extending from the sigmoid colon to the anus.

Anus

Sphincter muscle (ring-like band of muscle fiber that keeps an opening tight) at the end of the digestive tract.

Accessory Organs

Salivary glands

Produce saliva, which flows into the mouth.

Liver

Produces bile (necessary for the digestion of fats). It performs many functions with digestion and metabolism.

Bile ducts

Passageways that carry bile: the hepatic duct is a passageway for bile from the liver, and the cystic duct carries bile from the gallbladder.  They join to form the common bile duct, which conveys bile to the duodenum.

Gallbladder

Small, sac-like structure that stores bile.

Pancreas

Produces pancreatic juice, which helps digest all types of food and secretes insulin for carbohydrate metabolism.

Other Structures

Peritoneum

Serous sac lining the abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Appendix

Small pouch, which has no function in digestion, attached to the cecum.

Abdomen

Portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis.

Prefixes

hemi-

half

Combining Forms

an/o

anus

antr/o

antrum

cec/o

cecum

col/o, colon/o

colon (usually large intestine)

duoden/o

duodenum

enter/o

intestine (usually small intestine)

esophag/o

esophagus

gastr/o

stomach

ile/o

ileum

jejun/o

jejunum

or/o, stomat/o

mouth

proct/o, rect/o

rectum

sigmoid/o

sigmoid colon

abdomin/o, celi/o,  lapar/o

abdomen (abdominal cavity)

appendic/o

appendix

cheil/o

lip

cholangi/o

bile duct

chol/e

gall, bile

choledoch/o

common bile duct

diverticul/o

diverticulum (pl. diverticula)

gingiv/o

gum

gloss/o, lingu/o

tongue

hepat/o

liver

herni/o

hernia

palat/o

palate

pancreat/o

pancreas

peritone/o

peritoneum

polyp/o

polyp, small growth

pylor/o

pylorus, pyloric sphincter

sial/o

saliva, salivary gland

uvul/o

uvula

Suffixes

-pepsia

digestion

Medical Terms – not built from word parts

Abdominoperineal resection

(A&P resection)

Removal of the colon and the rectum through both abdominal and perineal approaches.  Performed to treat colorectal cancer and inflammatory diseases of the lower large intestine.  The patient will have a colostomy.

Adhesion

Abnormal growing together of two surfaces that normally are separated.  This may occur after abdominal surgery; surgical treatment is called adhesiolysis or adhesiotomy.

Anastomosis

Surgical connection between two normally distinct structures.

Anorexia nervosa

Psychoneurotic disorder characterized by a prolonged refusal to eat, resulting in emaciation, amenorrhea in females, and abnormal fear of becoming obese.  It occurs primarily in adolescents.

Ascites

Abnormal collection of fluid in the peritoneal cavity.

Barium enema

Series of x-ray images taken of the large intestine after a barium enema has been administered.

Bulimia nervosa

An eating disorder involving gorging with food, followed by induced vomiting or laxative abuse.

Cirrhosis

Chronic disease of the liver with gradual destruction of cells, most commonly caused by alcoholism.

Crohn disease

Chronic inflammation usually affecting the ileum, although it can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract.  It is characterized by cobblestone ulcerations along the intestinal wall and the formation of scar tissue and may cause obstruction.  It is also called regional ileitis or regional enteritis.

Diarrhea

Frequent discharge of liquid stool.

Duodenal ulcer

Ulcer in the duodenum.

Dysentery

Disorder that involves inflammation of the intestine associated with diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Radiographic (x-ray) examination of the bile and pancreatic ducts with contrast medium fluoroscopy, and endoscopy.

Endoscopic ultrasound

A procedure using an endoscope fitted with an ultrasound probe that provides images of layers of the intestinal wall. Used to detect tumors and cystic growths and for staging of malignant tumors.

Fecal occult blood test (guaiac test)

A test to detect occult blood in feces.  It is used to screen for colon cancer or polyps.  Occult blood refers to blood that is present but can only be viewed microscopically. Trade names for commercial test kits include: Hema-Check, Colo-Rect, and Hematest.

Feces

Waste from the digestive tract expelled through the rectum (also called a bowel movement, stool, or fecal matter).

Flatus

Gas in the digestive tract or expelled through the anus.

Gastric lavage

Washing out the stomach.

Gastric ulcer

Ulcer in the stomach.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

The abnormal backward flow of the gastrointestinal contents into the esophagus, gradually breaking down the mucous barrier of the esophagus.

Gavage

Process of feeding a person through a nasogastric tube.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibodies test

A blood test to determine the presence of H. pylori bacteria. The bacteria can be found in the lining of the stomach and can cause peptic ulcers. Tests for H. pylori are also performed on biopsy specimens and by breath test.

Hematemesis

Vomiting of blood.

Ileus

Obstruction of the intestine, often caused by failure of peristalis (the wave-like motion the intestine does).

Intussusception

telescoping of a segment of the intestine

Irritable bowel syndrome

Periodic disturbances of bowel function, such as diarrhea and/or constipation, usually associated with abdominal pain.

Melena

Black, tarry stool that contains digested blood.  Usually a result of bleeding in the upper GI tract.

Nausea

Urge to vomit.

Obesity

Excess of body fat (not body weight).

Peptic ulcer

Another name for gastric or duodenal ulcer.

Peristalsis

Involuntary wavelike contractions that propel food along the digestive tract.

Polyp

Tumor-like growth extending outward from a mucous membrane.  Usually benign; common sites are in the nose, throat, and intestine.

Reflux

Abnormal backward flow.  In esophageal reflux, the stomach contents flow back into the esophagus.

Ulcerative colitis

Inflammation of the colon with the formation of ulcers.  The main symptom is diarrhea (as many as 15 – 29 stools per day).  An ileostomy may be performed to treat this condition.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI)  series

Series of x-ray images taken of the stomach and duodenum after barium has been swallowed.

Vagotomy

Cutting of certain branches of the vagus nerve, performed with gastric surgery to reduce the amount of gastric acid produced and thus reduce the recurrence of ulcers.

Volvulus

Twisting or kinking of the intestine, causing intestinal obstruction.

Vomit

Matter expelled from the stomach through the mouth (also called vomitus or emesis).

Abbreviations

A&P resection

abdominoperineal resection

BE

barium enema

EGD

esophagogastroduodenoscopy

ERCP

endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

EUS

endoscopic ultrasound

GERD

gastroesophageal reflux disease

GI

gastrointestinal

H. pylori

Helicobacter pylori

IBS

irritable bowel syndrome

N&V

nausea and vomiting

PEG

percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

UGI

upper gastrointestinal

UPPP

uvulopalatopharyngoplasty