1. Medical Terminology: Get Connected!
Second Edition Suzanne S. Frucht
Chapter 12
Urology and
Nephrology:
Urinary System and Male Reproductive System

2. Learning Objectives
12.1 DESCRIBE the medical specialties of urology and nephrology.
12.2 UNDERSTAND the functions of the urinary and male reproductive systems.
12.3 DEFINE urology and nephrology-related combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes.
12.4 IDENTIFY the organs treated in urology and nephrology.

3. Learning Objectives
12.5 BUILD urology and nephrology medical terms from word parts.
12.6 EXPLAIN urology and nephrology medical terms.
12.7 USE urology and nephrology abbreviations.

4. Urology and Nephrology
Important for maintaining homeostasis
A stable internal environment
Removing waste products
Adjusting water and electrolyte levels
Maintaining normal pH

5. Urology and Nephrology
Kidneys produce urine
Urine flows through
Kidneys
Ureter
Urinary bladder
Urethra

6. Male Reproductive System
In males, urinary system and reproductive system share urethra

7. Male Reproductive System
Male reproductive organs
Testes
Epididymis
Vas deferens
Seminal vesicles
Prostate gland
Bulbourethral gland
Urethra
Penis

8. Urology and Nephrology
Urologists treat conditions of:
Female and male urinary tract
Male reproductive system
Nephrologists treat conditions of kidney such as:
Renal failure
Kidney transplants
Dialysis

9. Urology and Nephrology Combining Forms
balan/o glans penis
cyst/o urinary bladder, sac
epididym/o epididymis
glomerul/o glomerulus
lith/o stone
nephr/o kidney
orchid/o testes
orchi/o testes
orch/o testes
prostat/o prostate gland
pyel/o renal pelvis
ren/o kidney

10. Urology and Nephrology Combining Forms
semin/i semen
spermat/o sperm
sperm/o sperm
testicul/o testes
ur/o urine
ureter/o ureter
urethr/o urethra
urin/o urine
vas/o vas deferens
vesicul/o seminal vesicle

11. Additional Combining Forms
albumin/o albumin
azot/o nitrogen waste
bacteri/o bacteria
corpor/o body
crypt/o hidden
genit/o genitals
glycos/o sugar, glucose
hem/o blood
hemat/o blood
hydr/o water
noct/i night
olig/o scanty
py/o pus
rect/o rectum
ven/o vein

12. Suffix Review –al pertaining to –algia pain –ar pertaining to
–ary pertaining to
–cele hernia, protrusion
–cyte cell
–eal pertaining to
–ectomy surgical removal
–emia blood condition
–genesis produces, generates
–gram record, picture
–graphy process of recording
–ia state
–iasis abnormal condition

13. Suffix Review –ic pertaining to –ism state of –itis inflammation
–lith stone
–logist one who studies
–logy study
–lysis destruction
–megaly enlarged
-meter instrument for measuring
–oma tumor, mass
–osis abnormal condition
–ostomy surgically create an opening
–otomy cutting into
–ous pertaining to

14. Suffix Review –pathy disease –pexy surgical fixation
–plasia formation of cells
–plasty surgical repair
–ptosis drooping
–rrhaphy suture
–rrhea discharge, flow
–sclerosis hardening
–scope instrument for viewing
–scopy process of visually examining
–stenosis narrowing
–tripsy crushing
–uria urine condition

15. Prefix Review a– without an– without dys– abnormal, difficult, painful
extra– outside of
hyper– excessive
intra– within
poly– many
trans– across

16. Figure 12.1 The urinary system.

17. Figure 12.2 The male reproductive system.

18. Building Urology and Nephrology Terms
For each urology and nephrology term introduced on the next few slides, write the completed term in your textbook (pg 223).

19. Balan/o Combining form meaning glans penis Enlarged tip of the penis
Covered by the prepuce or foreskin
Build a medical term meaning:
discharge from the glans penis
balanorrhea
balan/o + -rrhea

20. Cyst/o Combining form meaning urinary bladder Muscular organ
Stores urine produced by the kidneys
Urine drains into bladder from ureters and exits bladder into urethra

21. Figure 12.3 Urinary Bladder.

22. Cyst/o Build a medical term meaning: bladder pain cystalgia
protrusion of the bladder cystocele
stone in the bladder cystolith
cyst/o + -lith

23. Epididym/o Combining form meaning epididymis
Sits on top of each testis
Stores sperm as they are made by the testes
Build a medical term meaning:
pertaining to the epididymis epididymal

24. Lith/o Combining form meaning stone Stones form in many parts of body
Usually formed from organic or inorganic salts

25. Lith/o Build a medical term meaning: cyst/o + lith + -iasis
surgical crushing of a stone
lithotripsy
abnormal condition of stone in bladder
cystolithiasis
cyst/o + lith + -iasis

26. Nephr/o Combining form meaning kidney
One kidney is located on either side of spine at level of lower ribs
Consists of thousands of nephrons
Glomerulus portion of each nephron filters waste products and excess water and electrolytes out of blood in order to produce urine

27. Figure Kidney.

28. Nephr/o
Urine drains out of kidney into ureter and on to urinary bladder for storage
Build a medical term meaning:
enlarged kidney nephromegaly
drooping kidney
nephroptosis
nephr/o + -ptosis

29. Orchid/o Combining form meaning testes
Male reproductive organs that produce sperm and testosterone
Two testes are suspended outside body in the scrotum
As sperm are produced they travel to epididymis for storage
Singular form is testis

30. Figure Testis.

31. Orchid/o Another term for testes is testicles (singular, testicle)
Build a medical term meaning:
surgical removal of testes
orchidectomy
orchid + -ectomy

32. Orchi/o Another combining form meaning testes
Build a medical term meaning:
surgical fixation of the testes
orchiopexy
testes pain orchialgia

33. Orch/o Another combining form meaning testes
Build a medical term meaning:
state of being without testes
anorchism
condition of hidden testes
cryptorchism
crypt- + orch + -ism

34. -ostomy Suffix meaning to create a surgical opening
Describes creation of new opening between two organs or between organ and external surface of body
New opening on surface of body is called stoma

35. -ostomy Build a medical term meaning:
surgically create an opening in the ureter
ureterostomy
surgically create an opening in the renal pelvis pyelostomy
pyel + -ostomy

36. Prostat/o Combining form meaning prostate gland
One of male reproductive glands
Located surrounding urethra at base of the bladder
Secretes milky fluid
Makes up much of liquid portion of semen
Serves to nourish sperm

37. Prostat/o Build a medical term meaning:
surgical removal of the prostate gland prostatectomy
prostat + -ectomy

38. Figure Prostate gland.

39. Pyel/o Combining form meaning renal pelvis
Area inside each kidney where urine collects as it is being made
Each renal pelvis then drains into one of the ureters

40. Pyel/o Build a medical term meaning:
renal pelvis and kidney inflammation pyelonephritis
pyel/o + nephr + -itis

41. Ren/o Another combining form meaning kidney
Build a medical term meaning:
record of the kidney
renogram

42. Semin/i Combining form meaning semen
Fluid ejaculated from penis during intercourse
Contains sperm and fluids secreted by reproductive glands:
Prostate gland
Seminal vesicles
Bulbourethral gland

43. Semin/i Build a medical term meaning: semin + -uria
condition of semen in the urine
seminuria
semin + -uria

44. Spermat/o Combining form meaning sperm Male reproductive cells
Produced in testes and ejaculated from body in semen
Contain one-half of normal complement of chromosomes

45. Spermat/o
When sperm fertilizes ovum (which also has one- half set of chromosomes from mother), new baby is created with full set of chromosomes
Build a medical term meaning:
generates sperm
spermatogenesis
destruction of sperm
spermatolysis

46. Sperm/o Another combining form meaning sperm
Build a medical term meaning:
state of being without sperm
aspermia
state of having scanty sperm oligospermia
olig/o + sperm + -ia

47. Testicul/o Combining form meaning testicle
Build a medical term meaning:
pertaining to a testicle testicular
testicul + -ar

48. Ureter/o Combining form meaning ureter
Tube leading away from renal pelvis of each kidney
Carries urine from kidney to urinary bladder

49. Figure 12.7 Sectioned kidney.

50. Figure Ureters.

51. Ureter/o Build a medical term meaning: ureter inflammation ureteritis
narrowing of the ureter ureterostenosis

52. Urethr/o Combining form meaning urethra
Single urethra leads out of bladder
Carries urine to outside of body
External opening is meatus

53. Figure Male Urethra.

54. Urethr/o Build a medical term meaning: surgical repair of the urethra
urethroplasty
urethra pain
urethralgia
urethr + -algia

55. -uria Suffix meaning condition of the urine
Used with prefix or combining form to indicate something found in urine or associated with urination

56. -uria Build a medical term meaning: noct + -uria sugar urine condition
glycosuria
night urine condition
nocturia
noct + -uria

57. Urin/o Combining form meaning urine
Fluid produced by nephrons of each kidney as they filter wastes, water, and dissolved substances from blood
Build a medical term meaning:
instrument to measure urine
urinometer

58. Ur/o Another combining form meaning urine
Build a medical term meaning:
condition of urine in the blood
uremia

59. Vas/o Combining form meaning vas deferens Long tube
Carries sperm from epididymis to urethra
Reproductive glands connected to vas deferens add fluids as sperm pass by, making semen

60. Vas/o Build a medical term meaning: vas + -ectomy
surgical removal of the vas deferens vasectomy
vas + -ectomy

61. Figure Steps in performing a vasectomy: (A) vas deferens are located; (B) small skin incision is made; (C) vas deferens are cut and ends are cauterized; (D) vas deferens are returned to scrotum and skin is sutured.

62. Vesicul/o Combining form meaning seminal vesicles
Male reproductive glands
Located behind bladder
Add fluid to sperm as they pass in vas deferens

63. Vesicul/o Build a term meaning: vesicul + -ectomy
surgical removal of the seminal vesicle vesiculectomy
vesicul + -ectomy

64. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
Noncancerous enlargement of prostate gland; condition places pressure on urethra and narrows it, resultingi n frequency, urgency, and nocturia; commonly seen in males over age 50
blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
Blood test to determine kidney function by measuring level of nitrogenous waste, or urea, in blood
calculus
Term for “stone formed within organ”; most are formed from mineral salts; commonly found in kidney, renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, or urethra; plural is calculi

65. Figure Benign prostatic hyperplasia: the enlarged prostate gland pinches the urethra, making urination difficult.

66. Figure Common location for calculi in the urinary system: kidney, renal pelvis, ureter, and bladder.

67. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
chlamydia
Bacterial sexually transmitted disease; causes inflammation of urethra of males or cervix of females with purulent discharge
circumcision
Surgical removal of prepuce, or foreskin, from glans penis; commonly performed on newborn male at request of parents; primary reason is for ease of hygiene; also a ritual practiced in some religions
clean catch specimen (CC)
Procedure for obtaining urine sample after cleaning off urethral meatus and catching urine in midstream (halfway through urination process) to minimize contamination from skin

68. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
digital rectal exam
(DRE)
Direct examination for presence of enlarged prostate gland performed by palpating
(feeling) prostate gland with fingers (digital) through wall of rectum
erectile dysfunction (ED)
Inability to achieve erection of penis for coitus; also called impotence
extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL)
Treatment procedure for urinary system stones; utilizes ultrasound waves to break up stones; process is noninvasive,meaning it does
not require surgery

69. Figure Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, a non-invasive procedure using high frequency sound waves to shatter kidney stones.

70. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
frequency
Condition of feeling urge to urinate more often than normal but without increase in total daily volume of urine; can indicate inflammation of bladder or urethra or benign prostatic hyperplasia
genital herpes
Highly infectious viral sexually transmitted disease; causes blisterlike lesions on penis of males or cervix and vagina of females
gonorrhea
Bacterial sexually transmitted disease; infects mucous membranes and can spread throughout entire genitourinary system; often does not cause many symptoms until widespread

71. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
hemodialysis (HD)
Treatment for renal failure using artificial kidney machine to filter waste from blood
hesitancy
State of difficulty initiating flow of urine; often symptom of blockage along urethra, such as caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia
hydrocele
Accumulation of fluid within scrotum
intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
X-ray of kidney following injection of dye into vein to visualize renal pelvis as kidney
filters dye out of bloodstream and puts it into urine

72. Figure Patient undergoing hemodialysis; patient’s blood passes through the hemodialysis machine for cleansing and is then returned to the body.

73. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
peritoneal dialysis
Artificial means to remove wastes by placing warm, chemically balanced solutions into peritoneal cavity; treatment for renal failure
phimosis
Narrowing of prepuce over glans penis; may cause difficulty with urination and infection; treatment is circumcision
polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
Inherited kidney disease characterized by presence of multiple cysts throughout
kidney tissue; eventually destroys kidneys and results in kidney failure

74. Figure In peritoneal dialysis, a chemically balanced solution is placed into the abdominal cavity to draw impurities out of the bloodstream; it is removed after several hours

75. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
Blood test to screen for prostate cancer
prostatic cancer
Common and slow-growing cancer of prostate gland occurring in males over age
50; prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is used to assist in early detection of this
disease
renal failure
Inability of kidneys to filter wastes from blood and/or produce urine; treatment of severe renal failure is dialysis or renal transplant

76. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
renal transplant
Replacement of diseased kidney by donor kidney
retrograde pyelogram (RP)
X-ray of urinary bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis following insertion of dye through urethra
semen analysis
Evaluation of semen for fertility; sperm in semen analyzed for number, swimming strength, and shape; procedure would also be used to determine if vasectomy has been successful

77. Figure 12.16 Figure illustrates the location of transplanted donor kidney.

78. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
sterility
Inability to produce children; in males, usually due to problem with sperm production, such as aspermia or oligospermia; also called infertility
syphilis
Bacterial sexually transmitted disease; begins as localized ulcer at point of infection; chronic disease which after years spreads through lymph nodes to nervous system, causing death
testicular cancer
Cancer of one or both testicles; commonly seen in young men or boys

79. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
transurethral resection (TUR)
Surgical removal of prostate gland tissue by inserting device called resectoscope through urethra and removing prostate tissue; may also be referred to simply as transurethral resection (TUR)
trichomoniasis
Protozoan sexually transmitted disease; causes inflammation of genitourinary tract in both men and women
undescended testicle
Congenital anomaly involving failure of one or both of testes to descend into scrotal sac before birth; surgical procedure called orchiopexy may be required to bring testes down into scrotum permanently; also called cryptorchism

80. Figure 12. 17 Undescended testicle or cryptorchism
Figure Undescended testicle or cryptorchism. In (A) both testes have failed to descend. In (B) one testis correctly descended while the other is partially descended.

81. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
urgency
Feeling need to urinate immediately
urinalysis (U/A, UA)
Laboratory test that consists physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine
urinary catheterization (cath)
Insertion of flexible tube, catheter, into urinary bladder through urethra; used to withdraw urine or insert dye
urinary incontinence
Involuntary urination; also called enuresis
urinary tract infection (UTI)
Infection, usually bacterial, in any part of urinary tract

82. Figure A dipstick is used to conduct a chemical analysis of urine testing; for example, for the presence of sugar.

83. Figure 12.19 Urinary catheterization in both (A) female and (B) male patients.

84. Figure Urinary tract infection characterized by fever, low back or abdominal pain, and burning pain during urination. A urinalysis reveals the presence of bacteria and white blood cells

85. Urology and Nephrology Vocabulary
Term
Explanation
urine culture & sensitivity (C&S)
Diagnostic lab procedure that identifies bacterial infection of urinary system and
determines best antibiotic to treat it; involves growing bacteria in culture medium and testing different antibiotics on it
varicocele
Development of varicose veins in the scrotal veins
voiding
cystourethrography (VCUG)
X-rays are made while patient voids dye that has been placed in urinary bladder through urethra

86. Urology and Nephrology Abbreviations
ARF
acute renal failure
cysto
cystoscopy
BPH
benign prostatic hypertrophy
DRE
digital rectal exam
BUN
blood urea nitrogen ED
erectile dysfunction
cath
catheterization
ESRD
end-stage renal disease CC
clean-catch urine specimen
ESWL
extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy
CRF
chronic renal failure GU
genitourinary
C & S
culture and sensitivity test

87. Urology and Nephrology AbbreviationsHD
hemodialysis
PSA
prostate-specific antigen
HPV
human papilloma virus RP
retrograde pyelogram
I & O
intake and output
STD
sexually transmitted disease
IVP
intravenous pyelogram
TUR
transurethral resection
KUB
kidney, ureter, bladder
TURP
transurethral resection and prostatectomy
PKD
polycystic kidney disease

88. Urology and Nephrology Abbreviations
U/A, UA
urinalysis
VCUG
voiding cystourethrography UC
urine culture VD
venereal disease
UTI
urinary tract infection

89. Combining Forms Match Up
cyst/o
lith/o
nephr/o
orch/o
pyel/o
stone
bladder
testes
renal pelvis
kidney