FYZIA Intro
Solution Explanation
1 D Each declension has a typical Genitive ending.
2 B, D In any case form, a noun has to retain its Genitive stem. The case endings
are then attached based on which declension it belongs to.
3 corpor With each noun you should remember its Genitive form and be able to
derive stem from it, since you need it to create all other case forms of that
noun, e.g. Nom. Pl. of corpus would be corpora (stem "corpor" plus ending
"a" for neutrals of the 3rd
declension).
4 B, C Latin Genitive form usually functions as the English preposition "of". In
anatomical nomenclature it is used especially when naming the parts of a
structure (sometimes even if in English there is an adjectival phrase), e.g.
caput femoris (head of femur), or incisura scapulae (=scapular notch).
5 B For instance, medulla, ae, f:
medulla is the basic Nominative form of the noun, ae is the Genitive ending
which tells us it belongs to the 1st declension, f means it is of female
gender, which we need to know to attach a proper form of adjective (female,
too).
6 A, B, C The basic form "os" may refer to both "bone" and "mouth" (or opening),
however, in all other cases there is a difference in Genitive stem!!
os, oris, n = mouth/opening
os, ossis, n = bone
7 C, D In anatomical nomenclature, "neck" is used to denote any constricted part of
an organ or structure, "collum" is mostly used for bones or hard structures
(collum costae, collum fibulae, BUT! collum vesicae biliaris), "cervix" is
rather used with soft tissues (cervix uteri, cervix vesicae).
8 D
9 C For instance, the furrows on the surface of brain called sulci cerebrales, or
fine depressions of the skin between the ridges called sulci cutis.
10 B, C For example, processus coronoideus mandibulae (=coronoid process of
lower jaw), processus coracoideus scapulae (=coracoid process of shoulder
blade), or processus spinosus vertebrae (spinous process of vertebra).
A is incisura, D is fissura.
11 C
FYZIA W2
1 C If the preposition "sub" is followed by Ablative case form (Ablative always
ends in a typical vowel of declension in Singular and in -is/-ibus in Plural),
it is equivalent to English "under" with the meaning of a position/location
under sth.
2 C, D There are different types of hernia, most frequently it appears in the
abdomen. Some instances of hernia types:
hernia inguinalis (in groin), hernia ventralis (in abdomen, usually in the
place of an old scar), hernia umbilicalis (in pregnant women and
infants), hernia diaphragmatica (stomach protrudes through diaphragm).
A is prolapsus, us, m., B is ectopia, ae, f.
3 lamina ae f There are several types of "lamina" in medical terminology, for all these we
use a Latin name in English, too.
For instance, the picture (a) shows lamina propria (the connective tissue
layer of mucous membrane).
4 A In English, it is often translated as "suture", however, the Latin
term sutura is used for an immovable joint (especially between the bones of
the skull). E.g. the structure called linea alba, i.e. the tendinous median line
on the anterior abdominal wall running from the xiphoid process to the
pubic symphysis, is also called raphe abdominalis. See also the median
suture joining the bones of the palate is called raphe palatina. The
incomplete fusion of the palatine raphe results in a congenital defect known
as cleft palate.
5 B A is ruptura, C is diabetes, D is atrophia.
Mild ascites is hard to notice, but severe ascites leads to abdominal
distension. Patients with ascites generally complain about progressive
abdominal heaviness and pressure as well as shortness of breath due to
mechanical impingement on the diaphragm. In the developed world, the
most common cause for ascites is liver cirrhosis. Other causes include
cancer, heart failure, tuberculosis, pancreatitis, and blockage of the hepatic
vein.
6 A, C If a noun follows another noun to describe or specify it (typically parts of an
anatomical structure, or English "of" phrases), it is expressed
by genitive singular or genitive plural. The attribute is then called "nonagreed"
because the two nouns do not agree in gender, case, and number as
opposed to noun+adjective phrases ("agreed attributes") which do.
7 C In anatomical nomenclature "fascia" denotes a sheet or band of fibrous
tissue such as lies deep to the skin or invests muscles and various body
organs.
The picture shows a structure called fascia thoracolumbaris (the fascia
of the erector spinae muscle attached to the spinous processes with a
superficial layer and to the costal processes with a deep layer, both layers
being united laterally).
8 True As opposed to prepositions ad and per which are always followed by a noun
in the Accuative case form (i.e. 4th case). Prepositions in and sub may be
followed by both case forms depending on what we mean, either
"in/inside/within sth" (+Abl.) or "into sth" (Acc.).
9 lingu abdomin phalang
antebrachi
The Genitive stem is what stays if we remove the genitive ending of a noun:
lingua - lingu-ae; abdomen - abdomin-is; phalanx - phalang-is;
antebrachium - antebrachi-i
10 B Medulla ossium (= bone marrow) is the soft, organic, spongelike material
in the cavities of bones composed of blood vessels and special connective
tissue fibers that hold together a composite of fat and blood-producing
cells. There are two types of marrow, rubra and flava (=red and yellow).
The former produces the blood cells; the latter, which is mainly formed of
fatty tissue, normally has no blood-producing function. During infancy and
early childhood all bone marrow is red.
Diploe is the central layer of spongy bone between the two layers of
compact bone, outer and inner plates, or tables, of the flat cranial bones.
Periosteum is a specialized connective tissue covering all bones of the
body, and possessing bone-forming potentialities. It also serves as a point of
attachment for certain muscles whose connective tissues fuse with the
fibrous layers of periosteum.
11 False The definition suits the term "synergista". However, "antagonista" is
a muscle that counteracts the action of another muscle, the
agonist. Antagonist and agonist muscles often occur in pairs,
called antagonistic pairs. Antagonism is not an intrinsic property of a
particular muscle or muscle group; it is a role that a muscle plays depending
on which muscle is currently the agonist. As one muscle contracts, the other
relaxes. An example of an antagonistic pair is the biceps and triceps; to
contract - the triceps relaxes while the biceps contracts to lift the
arm. Agonist muscles cause a movement to occur through their own
activation. For example, the triceps brachii contracts, producing a
shortening contraction, during the up phase of a push-up (elbow
extension). Antagonist muscles are simply the muscles that produce an
opposing joint torque to the agonist muscles.This torque can aid in
controlling a motion. The opposing torque can slow movement down especially
in the case of a ballistic movement. For example, during a very
rapid (ballistic) discrete movement of the elbow, such as throwing a dart,
the triceps muscles will be activated very briefly and strongly (in a "burst")
to rapidly accelerate the extension movement at the elbow, followed almost
immediately by a "burst" of activation to the elbow flexor muscles that
decelerates the elbow movement to arrive at a quick stop.
12 bursa ae f
FYZIA W3
1 caput costae In anatomical nomenclature "caput" always refers to an expanded or chief
extremity of an organ or part, in the picture it is the "head of rib",
i.e. Latin caput for head followed by a Genitive form of costa for rib,
thus caput costae
2 B "Incisura" usually denotes an indentation at the edge of any structure, or
any short, narrow, V-shaped deviation in a linear surface. The English term
is "notch", here it is the scapular notch, but since it is a part of shoulder
blade, we use Genitive form of the bone in the Latin phrase, i.e. incisura
scapulae.
3 False The three case forms of 1st declension nouns mentioned int he question
have indeed the same case endings, however, it is -ae, not -i.
4 A, D "Genu" is neutral, thus, the adjective describing it has to be in the same,
neutral, gender. Neutral adjectives have the ending -um, therefore genu
dextrum/sinistrum.
5 A Medical terminology often uses Latin words from non-medical contexts:
"tunica" is originally a Latin word denoting the basic clothing of Romans,
Greeks, and other ancient nations (i.e. tunic). However, in medical terms it
is used in a metaphorical sense for "coat" or "covering" of a structure such
as tunica mucosa (the mucous membrane lining of various tubular
structures), tunica serosa (the membrane lining the external walls of the
body cavities and reflected over the surfaces of protruding organs),
or tunica vasculosa (a vascular coat, or a layer well supplied with blood
vessels).
6 us er
er us
Most of the male adjectives end in -us, however, there are some male
adjectives ending in -er like e.g. dexter, sinister, liber, or ruber. Sometimes
the -e- is omitted in other case forms, sometimes it stays, you have to
remember this (female and neutral forms may be a hint): e.g. ruber has
female form rubra, i.e. -e- is omitted in all other case forms, but liber has
female form libera, i.e. -e- stays in all other case forms. For
instance: medulla ossium rubra, but hernia libera.
7 C There are several Latin words referring to some kind of "hole" or "opening"
in anatomical nomenclature. The original meaning of Latin "ostium"
is "orifice" or "estuary of a river", but in medical terms we use it in
metaphorical sense for a small orifice, esp. with ducts or tubal structures,
e.g. ostium abdominale (the fimbriated end of Fallopian tube), or ostium
uteri (the external opening of the cervix of the uterus into the vagina).
"Fossa" originally means "a trench", but in medical terminology it is used to
denote a hollow or depressed area of a structure, e.g. fossa cerebralis (any
of the depressions on the floor of the cranial cavity), or fossa digastrica (a
depression on the inner surface of the mandible attached to the anterior
belly of the digastric muscle). Finally, "foramen" denotes a natural opening
or passage, especially one into or through a bone, e.g. foramen
nutricium (the external opening for the entrance of blood vessels in a bone),
or foramen venae cavae (opening in the central tendon for the inferior vena
cava).
8 tuba uterina The term is composed of the noun "tuba" (=tube) and the adjective derived
from "uterus" - uterinus, a, um, because it is a tube leading from the ovary
to uterus.
9 A Answer B (the tendinous median line on the anterior abdominal wall
between two straight muscles) refers to linea alba, answer C to tunica
serosa, answer D to tunica mucosa.
The picture shows plica synovialis (= a fold of synovial membrane that
projects into a joint cavity).
10 C "Medulla", in general, refers to the inmost part of a structure or organ, e.g.
bone marrow (medulla ossium). The structure in the picture is
called oblongata due to its shape, the phrase literally means "prolonged
medulla".
11 a ae am a
FYZIA W4
1 C These three paradigms (nervus, vena, septum) are used to decline adjectives,
as well, based on their gender form: male adjectives (ending in -us or -er)
follow the nervus paradigm, female adjectives (ending in -a) the vena
paradigm, and neutral adjectives (ending in -um) the septum paradigm.
Notice the same endings of the paradigms and the adjective gender forms!
2 C Diabetes is a Greek origin term which follows the Latin paradigm
"vena" completely except for its basic form ending in -es. However, its
gender is male (!), therefore, the adjective describing it (mellitus) has the
male gender form, too, and consequently is declined according to "nervus"
paradigm (just like all male form adjectives). Thus, the noun diabetes and
the adjective mellitus have different case endings, even though they agree in
case, number, and gender.
Gangrene is a term used for the decay or death of an organ or tissue caused
by a lack of blood supply. It is a complication resulting from infectious or
inflammatory processes, injury, or degenerative changes associated with
chronic diseases (due to advanced blockages of arteries), such as diabetes
mellitus.
3 fractura complicata
costae verae primae
fractura costae verae
primae complicata
A medical record always starts with the diagnose itself, i.e. a disease, a
disorder, or an injury (here: fracture). This is followed by region
specification (here: first true rib) in Genitive form. Further specifications of
the diagnose (via adjectives or prepositional phrases, here: complicated)
usually come last but adjectives describing the injury/disease may also stand
right after these.
With anatomical terms described by more than one adjective, we translate
backwards from English, with noun being always the first (!) i.e. first true
rib = costa vera prima (in Latin anatomical nomenclature the most specific
comes the last). All the adjectives describing a noun have to agree with it in
gender (here: female), case (here: Genitive), and number (here: singular).
4 True
5 atlas axis
vertebra cervicalis
secunda
The uppermost segment of vertebral column, which supports the skull, is
called atlas (ntis, m) in anatomical nomenclature. The name is based on
Greek mythology, where Atlas was a Titan condemned to hold up the sky
for eternity.
The second cervical vertebra is named by the term axis (is, f) which also
means axis itself, i. e. a line through a center of a body, or about which a
structure revolves, e.g. axis optica.
6 C A is sinus paranasales, B is epistaxis or rhinorrhagia, D
is septum intraalveolare
7 D Tuba auditiva is a part of middle ear which serves to equalize pressure on
either side of the tympanic membrane (eardrum). It is named after a 16th
century anatomist Bartolomeo Eustachi. In children this tube is wider and
shorter than in adults, and thus children are especially prone to otitis media,
infection of the middle ear that originates in the pharynx and travels through
the tube.
When taking off in an airplane, the surrounding air pressure goes from
higher (on the ground) to lower (in the sky). The air in the middle ear
expands as the plane gains altitude, and pushes its way into the back of the
nose and mouth. On the way down, the volume of air in the middle ear
shrinks, and a slight vacuum is produced. Active opening of the Eustachian
tube is required to equalize the pressure between the middle ear and the
surrounding atmosphere as the plane descends. A diver also experiences this
change in pressure, but with greater rates of pressure change; active opening
of the Eustachian tube is required more frequently as the diver goes deeper
into higher pressure.
8 fundus i m For instance fundus gastricus is the part of the stomach to the left and above
the level of the opening between the stomach and esophagus, fundus
uteri is the part of the uterus above the orifices of the fallopian tubes,
and fundus oculi is the back portion of the interior of the eyeball, visible
through the pupil by use of the ophthalmoscope.
There is a similar term basis (is, f) which usually denotes a base of a bony
or cartilaginous structure, or the part of a pyramidal or conic structure
opposite to apex, e.g. basis cranii, basis pulmonis, etc.
9 A "Nervus vagus" literally means "the wandering nerve", since it supplies
motor parasympathetic fibers to all the organs (except the adrenal glands),
from the neck down to the second segment of the transverse colon. Its
afferent fibers serve the mucous membrane of the larynx, trachea, bronchi,
lungs, arch of the aorta, esophagus, and stomach. Some of the functions
affected by this nerve are coughing, sneezing, reflex inhibitions of the heart
rate, and the sensation of hunger. Its motor fibers are concerned with
swallowing, speech, peristalsis, and secretions from the glands of the
stomach and the pancreas and contractions of the trachea, bronchi, and
bronchioles.
10 C The infant is undergoing many adaptations to extrauterine life, and its
physiological systems, such as the immune system, are far from fully
developed. Potential diseases of concern during the neonatal period include
e.g. icterus neonatorum (neonatal jaundice), diabetes mellitus
neonatorum, hepatitis neonatalis, etc.
11 C, D Make sure you understand the meaning of all the words in the answers.
FYZIA W6
1 B
2 vulnera morsa Noun vulnus, eris, n. follows the corpus paradigm, since it is a neutral of
3rd declension. Therefore stem vulner- + ending -a: vulnera. The neutral
adjective form morsum follows septum paradigm, as all adjectives ending
in -um (2nd declension), therefore -a. All neutrals regardless of declension
end in -a in Nom. and Acc. pl.!!!
3 B, C Note: perforata x perforatio, uterinus x uterus, palatinum x palatum
(adjectives in italics)!
4 A, B, D Note: gravida x graviditas, therefore emesis in graviditate (= vomiting in
pregnancy); laesus, a, um x laesio, onis, f., therefore functio laesa lienis (=
damaged function of spleen); perforatio oesophagi magna (= large
perforation of esophagus)!
5 C, D A: alienus is the male form, however corpus is neutral; B: there is only one
foreign object in the nasal cavity, corpora aliena is the plural form.
Remember: mere Genitive form may be used to express location of a
disorder/injury instead of in + ablative case form!
6 bursitidis f
FYZIA W9
1 B Solar eczema is a persistent eczematous eruption that predominantly affects
sun-exposed skin, but which may extend to covered areas, and that may be
the consequence of photodermatitis (the so-called sun allergy).
A: starting = incipiens; B: advancing = progrediens; c: growing = increscens
2 pelvis BICEPS is the 3rd declension adjective with a single gender form
in Nom. Sg., its declining depends on what it describes, here it
refers to musculus, therefore, it follows the "pelvis" paradigm.
3 B, C There are three ways how to express uncertainty in a medical record:
1) the noun suspicio (often abbreviated as susp. at the beginning of a record)
followed by the Genitive of the diagnosed problem
2) the diagnosed problem described using the adjective suspectus, a,
um (often abbreviated as susp. at the end of a record)
3) using the adverb verisimiliter (often abbreviated as v.s.) at the end of the
record
4 gradus us m
5 B Thrombosis is a formation, development, or presence of a thrombus, i.e. a
blood clot; sclerosis is an induration or hardening of tissues; stenosis is an
abnormal narrowing or contraction of a body passage or opening.
6 True
7 C comitans, ntis = accompanying
8 vena comitans
9 A, D
FYZIA W11
1 suspicio lateris dextri
2 C
3 bilateralis The phrase lateris utriusque means "on both sides".
4 A, D semel = once; bis = twice; ter = three times
5 B The full phrase is sanatio per primam/secundam/tertiam intentionem, i.e.
literally "healing through first/second/third intention". A is per
tertiam, C per secundam.
6 compressiva A compression fracture is a collapse of a vertebra. It may be due to trauma
or due to a weakening of the vertebra. This weakening is seen in patients
with osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, lytic lesions from metastatic
or primary tumors, or infection. In healthy patients, it is most often seen in
individuals suffering extreme vertical shocks, such as ejecting from
an ejection seat.