InterActive Medical Terminology

Based on the best selling text: An Introduction to Medical Terminology for Health Care (Fourth edition) by A.R.Hutton published by Elsevier Ltd

The Digestive System

Back to the course information page

 

 

 

 

Introduction

The digestive system consists of a group of organs that interact to digest and absorb food. We need a digestive system because much of the food we eat contains nutrients that are too large to be absorbed into the body. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates need to be broken down to smaller molecules so they can enter cells that line the intestines.

The alimentary canal begins at the mouth and ends at the anus, it consists of the:

The following accessory organs produce secretions that aid the digestion of food whilst it is in the alimentary canal:

In this unit we will study medical terms associated with each component.

Back to the top of the page ..

Next section ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section1: The Oesophagus and Stomach

This first section opens with the study of medical terms associated with the upper part of the digestive system beginning with the oesophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach; first look at Root 1:

 

Root 1 Oesophag-
from a Greek word oisophagos meaning the oesophagus or gullet. The function of the oesophagus is to transport food from the mouth to the stomach.

 
Combining form Oesophag/o = Oesophagus

First we'll use the combining form oesophag/o meaning oesophagus. Look at the medical word oesophagotomy below and click on the word to see its components:

The suffix -tomy always means an incision into and we are going to use it in many other exercises with different combining forms. Learn the meaning of eight other suffixes by completing Dictionary Exercise 1. Remember repetition is very important as it helps fix the meanings into your memory. When you are satisfied you can remember their meanings continue with the exercises.

Dictionary Exercise 1

Now use the suffixes you have just learnt in Word Exercise 1:

Word Exercise 1

Next look at the combining form of Root 2 and then complete Word Exercise 2:

Root 2 Gastr- from a Greek word gaster meaning stomach or belly.
Combining form Gastr/o = Stomach

In Word Exercise 2 we will use the same suffixes again with the combining form gastr/o. Notice the suffixes have the same meaning but they are being used with a different combining form.

Word Exercise 2

Anatomy Exercise 1

Now look at the position of the oesophagus and stomach.

Food is swallowed into the oesophagus or gullet and enters the stomach. The stomach stores, digests and mixes food for 2-4 hours before it leaves through the pylorus, a muscular sphincter. Partially digested food leaving the stomach enters the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum.

By now you may be thinking you have learnt the meaning of some suffixes associated with the digestive system but are unsure of their spelling. In the next exercise you can test your spelling of some of the medical words you have just learnt:

Word Exercise 3

Now practice spelling words associated with the stomach from dictation by completing Word Exercise 4:

Word Exercise 4 Dictation

Next look at Root 3:

Root 3 Enter- Enter- From a Greek word enteron meaning intestine.

 
Combining form Enter/o = Intestine

 

Our third combining form enter/o means intestines in general but often it is used to mean the small intestine. Now we can put two combining forms together to make larger words for example gastroenterology. Click on gastroenterology to see its components:

Notice the combining vowel o is kept in place between the roots gastr and enter. The word gastroenterology is read from right to left as: study of (-logy) the intestines (enter/o) and stomach (gastr/o).

Now try Word Exercise 5 that tests spelling using the combining forms gastr/o and enter/o separately and in combination:

Word Exercise 5 Spelling

Finally practise spelling words containing the combining form gastr/o, enter/o and oesophag/o from dictated words in Word Exercise 6:

Word Exercise 6 Dictation

This ends Section 1, now study the medical terms associated with the small intestine in Section 2:

Quick reference:

Enter/o = intestines (usually the small intestine)
Gastr/o = stomach
Gastroenter/o = the intestines and stomach
Oesophag/o = oesophagus (the gullet)

 

Back to top of the page

Click to continue to Section 2 ..