| A | B |
|---|
| an/o | anus, ring |
| cec/o | cecum |
| chol/e | bile, gall |
| col/o, colon/o | colon, large intestine |
| enter/o | small intestine |
| esophag/o | esophagus |
| gastr/o | stomach, belly |
| hepat/o | liver |
| cholecyst/o | gallbladder |
| -lithiasis | presence of stones |
| pancreat/o | pancreas |
| -pepsia | digest, digestion |
| proct/o | anus and rectum |
| rect/o | rectum, straight |
| sigmoid/o | sigmoid colon |
| alimentary canal | the intestinal tract, from the esophagus to the rectum, and accessory organs |
| anal | pertaining to the anus or outer rectal opening |
| anus | the external opening of the anal canal |
| appendectomy | the excision of the appendix |
| appendicitis | inflammation of the appendix |
| ascending | referring to that portion of the colon that ascends from the lower right quadrant to the upper right quadrant of the abdomen |
| bile | a secretion of the liver; a greenish-yellow fluid with a bitter taste |
| bolus | a mass of masticated food ready to be swallowed |
| bowel | refers to intestines |
| cardiac sphincter | the muscle that encircles the esophagus where it enters the stomach |
| cecum | the beginning of the ascending portion of the large intestine that forms a blind pouch at the junction with the small intestine |
| cholecystectomy | surgical removal of the gallbladder |
| cholelithiasis | stones in the gallbladder |
| chyme | the mixture of partially digested food and digestive secretions found in the stomach and small intestines during digestion of a meal |
| cirrhosis | an interstitial (between the parts of a tissue) inflammation with hardening of the tissues of an organ, especially the liver |
| colitis | inflammation of the colon |
| colon | the large intestine |
| colostomy | incision of the colon for the purpose of making a more or less permanent opening |
| common bile duct | a duct carrying bile from the hepatic (liver) and cystic (gallbladder) ducts to the duodenum |
| constipation | a sluggish action of the bowel; usually refers to an excessively firm, hard stool that is difficult to expel or lack of a bowel movement over a time |
| Crohn's disease | an inflammation of the GI tract with debilitating symptoms |
| cystic | pertaining to a cyst; of disease, refers to a condition with multiple cysts |
| defecate | to pass stool or move bowels |
| descending | refers to the portion of the large intestine from the splenic flexure to the sigmoid |
| diarrhea | frequent bowel movements, usually liquid or semisolid |
| digestion | the process by which food is broken down, mechanically and chemically, in the gastrointestinal tract and converted into absorbable forms |
| digestive | pertaining to digestion |
| diverticulitis | result of diverticula (small sac-like structures that sometimes form in the walls of the intestines and trap particles of food, like small seeds and undigested grains) becoming very inflamed and painful |
| duodenum | the first segment of the small intestine |
| emesis | to vomit |
| enzyme | a complex chemical substance produced by the body, found primarily in the digestive juices, that acts upon food substances to break them down for absorption |
| esophagus | a collapsible tube from the pharynx to the stomach that passes the food and water the body ingests |
| fecal | pertaining to feces |
| fissure | an ulcer, split, crack, or tear in the tissue |
| fistula | an abnormal connection between an organ, vessel, or intestine and another structure; are usually the result of trauma or surgery, but can also result from infection or inflammation |
