17.1 – Introduction to Endocrine System
Learning Objectives
- Identify the anatomy of the endocrine system and describe the main functions of the endocrine system
- Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the endocrine system
- Practice the spelling and pronunciation of endocrine system terminology
- Identify the medical specialties associated with the endocrine system and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures
Endocrine System Word Parts
Click on prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes to reveal a list of word parts to memorize for the endocrine system.
Prefix
- hypo– (below, under, deficient)
- hyper- (above, excessive)
- para- (around, beside, beyond, abnormal)
- syn- (joined, together)
- pan- (all, total)
Combining Form
- acr/o (extremities, height)
- aden/o (gland)
- adren/o (adrenal glands)
- adrenal/o (adrenal glands)
- calc/i (calcium)
- cortic/o (cortex, outer layer of a body organ)
- dips/o (thirst)
- glyc/o (sugar)
- endocrin/o (endocrine)
- kal/i (potassium)
- natr/o (sodium)
- parathyroid/o (parathyroid gland)
- pituitar/o (pituitary gland)
- thyr/o (thyroid gland)
- thyroid/o (thyroid gland)
Suffix
- -al (pertaining to)
- -drome (run, running together)
- -ectomy (excision, cut out)
- -emia (in the blood)
- -ia (conditon of, abnormal state, diseased state)
- -ism (state of)
- -itis (inflammation)
- -logist (specialist or physician who studies and treats)
- -logy (study of)
- -megaly (enlarged, enlargement)
- -oid (resembling)
- -oma (tumour)
- -pathy (disease)
- -plasia (condition of, formation, development, growth)
- -tomy (incision, cut into)
Activity source: Endocrine System Word Parts by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY- 4.0. / Text version.
Introduction to the Endocrine System
You may never have thought of it this way, but when you send a text message to two friends to meet you at the dining hall at six, you’re sending digital signals that (you hope) will affect their behaviour—even though they are some distance away. Similarly, certain cells send chemical signals to other cells in the body that influence their behaviour. This long-distance intercellular communication, coordination, and control is critical to maintain equilibrium (homeostasis). This intercellular activity is the fundamental function of the endocrine system.
Media 17.1: CrashCourse. (2015, June 22). Endocrine system, part 1 – Glands & hormones: Crash Course anatomy & physiology #23 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/eWHH9je2zG4
Endocrine System Medical Terms
Endocrine System Medical Terms (Text Version)
Practice the following endocrine system words by breaking into word parts and pronouncing.
- endocrinopathy
- endocrin/o/pathy
- disease of the endocrine system
- adrenalectomy
- adrenal/ectomy
- excision of the adrenal glands
- parathyroidectomy
- parathyroid/ectomy
- excision of the parathyroid glands
- adenitis
- aden/itis
- inflammation of the gland
- parathyroidoma
- parathyroid/oma
- tumour of the parathyroid glands
- thyroiditis
- thyroid/itis
- inflammation of the thyroid gland
- thyroidotomy
- thyroid/o/tomy
- incision into the thyroid gland
- hyperthyroidism
- hyper/thyroid/ism
- state of excessive thyroid gland activity
- acromegaly
- acr/o/megaly
- enlargement of the extremeties
- adrenomegaly
- adren/o/megaly
- enlargement of one or both adrenal glands
- glycemia
- glyc/emia
- sugar in the blood
- hypokalemia
- hypo/kal/emia
- deficient potassium in the blood
- hypopituitarism
- hypo/pituitar/ism
- state of deficient pituitary gland activity
- adenomegaly
- aden/o/megaly
- enlarged gland
- hypocalcemia
- hypo/calc/emia
- deficient calcium in the blood
- polydipsia
- poly/dips/ia
- condition of excessive thirst
- hypoglycemia
- hypo/glyc/emia
- deficient sugar in the blood
- hyperkalemia
- hyper/kal/emia
- excessive potassium in the blood
- endocrinopathy
- endocrin/o/pathy
- disease of the endocrine system
- hypercalcemia
- hyper/calc/emia
- excessive calcium in the blood
- panhypopituitarism
- pan/hypo/pituitar/ism *rebel does not follow the rules
- state of total deficient pituitary gland activity
- cortical
- cortic/al
- pertaining to the cortex
- thyroidectomy
- thyroid/ectomy
- excision of the thyroid gland
- syndrome
- syn/drome
- run together (signs and symptoms occur together characterizing of a specific disorder)
- thyroparathyroidectomy
- thyr/o/parathyroid/ectomy
- excision of the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands
- adrenalitis
- adrenal/itis
- inflammation of adrenal glands
- thyroidectomy
- thyroid/ectomy
- excision of the thyroid gland
- endocrinologist
- endocrin/o/logist
- specialist who studies and treats diseases of the endocrine system
- adrenopathy
- adren/o/pathy
- disease of the adrenal gland(s)
- corticoid
- cortic/oid
- resembling the cortex
- euthyroid
- eu/thyr/oid
- resembling a normal thyroid gland
- endocrinology
- endocrin/o/logy
- study of the endocrine system
- hyponatremia
- hypo/natr/emia
- deficient sodium in the blood
- adenectomy
- aden/ectomy
- excision of a gland
- euglycemia
- eu/glyc/emia
- normal (level) of blood sugar in the blood
- adenosis
- aden/osis
- abnormal condition of a gland
- adrenocorticohyperplasia
- adren/o/cortic/o/hyper/plasia
- excessive development of the adrenal cortex
Activity source: Endocrine System Medical Terms by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY- 4.0. /Text version added.
Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “Endocrine System” in Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY 4.0. / A derivative of Betts et al., which can be accessed for free from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax). Adaptations: dividing Endocrine System chapter content into sub-chapters.
