Medical, Surgical, & Viewing Terms and Abbreviations
Medical Careers & Professional Terminology
diagnostic vascular technologist: technologist that images the vascular system
hematologist: specialist physician that diagnoses and treats blood disorders
medical laboratory technologist: performs complex analyses of tissue, blood, and other body fluids
phlebotomist: professional trained to draw blood
vascular surgeon: surgeon that treats diseases of the blood and lymphatic vessels
Imaging Techniques/Procedures for the Organ System
angiogram: the placement of a catheter in a blood vessel and injection of contrast material while taking x-rays of the vessel
angiography: the process of obtaining an angiogram
angioscope: a miniature fiber-optic endoscope that is threaded into the heart through a catheter; it can be used to view thrombi, plaque, arterial dissections, and other vascular abnormalities
angioscopy: the process of using an angioscope
aortogram: the placement of a catheter in the aorta and injection of contrast material while taking x-rays of the aorta
arteriogram: the placement of a catheter in an artery and injection of contrast material while taking x-rays of the artery
Doppler ultrasound: a noninvasive test that can be used to estimate the blood flow through the blood vessels by bouncing sound waves off circulating red blood cells
venogram: the placement of a catheter in a vein and injection of contrast material while taking x-rays of the vein
Surgical Techniques / Medical Procedures / Diagnostic Procedures / Medications Used with the Organ System
aneurysmectomy: surgical removal of an aneurysm from a blood vessel
angioplasty: a balloon-tip catheter is fed through a blood vessel up to the site of the narrowing; the balloon is inflated to re-open the artery
anticoagulant: a medication that slows or inhibits blood clotting
arterial blood gas: measures blood pH, oxygen, and CO2 levels in a sample of arterial blood, usually taken from the wrist
atherectomy: surgical excision of fatty plaque from a blood vessel
bone marrow aspiration: removal of bone marrow via needle
bone marrow biopsy: a diagnostic test of a sample of red bone marrow
bone marrow transplant: a treatment in which a donor’s healthy bone marrow and its stem cells replace the faulty bone marrow of a patient
coagulation time: the time required by a blood specimen to clot
complete blood count and differential: a collection of blood tests that count the different blood cells (RBCs, WBCs, platelets) and the different types of WBCs (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils)
embolectomy: surgical removal of an embolus, usually with a balloon catheter
endarterectomy: surgical removal of plaque from a blood vessel
femoropopliteal bypass: surgery that creates a new route for blood between the femoral and popliteal arteries of the leg
hematocrit: a lab test that measures the percentage of red blood cells in a sample of whole blood; it represents how much of the person’s blood is made up of red blood cells by volume
hemoglobin: a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen; abnormal amounts indicate a blood disorder
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: a procedure that opens blocked or stenosed coronary arteries using a balloon catheter
phlebectomy: surgical excision of a vein
phlebotomy: incision or puncture of a vein with a needle
thrombolytic therapy: the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots
vasoconstrictor: a substance that constricts blood vessel walls
vasodilator: a substance that dilates blood vessel walls
venipuncture: puncture of a vein to withdraw blood or administer medication or fluids
Abbreviations Commonly Used with the Organ System
ABG: arterial blood gas
BP: blood pressure
CBC/diff: complete blood count/differential
DVT: deep vein thrombosis
Hct: hematocrit
Hgb: hemoglobin
HTN: hypertension
IV: intravenous
PAD: peripheral artery disease
PTCA: percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
RBC: red blood cell
WBC: white blood cell
Medical Terms Practice
For each card, click the speaker icon to hear the correct pronunciation of the listed term. Practice saying the term to yourself, then attempt to define the term from memory. Click “Turn” to flip the card and see the definition. Use the right and left arrows to toggle through the cards in each set.