What does the prefix Spondyl- indicate?

Master the Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology Test. Engage with flashcards and quizzes, detailed explanations provided. Enhance your medical vocabulary for exam success.

Multiple Choice

What does the prefix Spondyl- indicate?

Explanation:
Spondyl- names the vertebrae, the bones of the spinal column. That’s why it’s used to indicate the spine in medical terms like spondylitis (inflammation of a vertebra/spine) or spondylosis (degenerative spine changes). It doesn’t refer to the abdomen or the ear drum—abdomen uses prefixes like abdomin- or celio-, and the ear drum uses tympan- or myring-—so the correct interpretation is the spinal column.

Spondyl- names the vertebrae, the bones of the spinal column. That’s why it’s used to indicate the spine in medical terms like spondylitis (inflammation of a vertebra/spine) or spondylosis (degenerative spine changes). It doesn’t refer to the abdomen or the ear drum—abdomen uses prefixes like abdomin- or celio-, and the ear drum uses tympan- or myring-—so the correct interpretation is the spinal column.

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