Urinary System

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Learning Objectives

  • Identify the anatomy and describe the main functions of the urinary system
  • Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the urinary system
  • Practice the spelling and pronunciation of urinary system medical terminology
  • Identify the medical specialties associated with the urinary system and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures

Key Word Components

Identify meanings of key word components of the urinary system:

Prefixes

  • a- (absence of, without)
  • an- (absence of, without)
  • dia- (through, complete)
  • dys- (painful, abnormal, difficult, labored)
  • poly- (many, much)

Combining Forms

  • albumin/o (albumin)
  • azot/o (urea, nitrogen)
  • blast/o (developing cell, germ cell)
  • cyst/o (bladder, sac)
  • glomerul/o (glomerulus)
  • glyc/o (sugar)
  • glycos/o (sugar)
  • hydr/o (water)
  • lith/o (stone, calculus)
  • meat/o (meatus)
  • nephr/o (kidney)
  • noct/i (night)
  • olig/o (few, scanty)
  • pyel/o (renal pelvis)
  • py/o (pus)
  • ren/o (kidney)
  • ureter/o (ureter)
  • urethr/o (urethra)
  • urin/o (urine, urinary tract)
  • ur/o (urine, urinary tract)
  • vesic/o (bladder, sac)

Suffixes

  • -al (pertaining to)
  • -ary (pertaining to)
  • -cele (hernia, protrusion)
  • -emia (in the blood)
  • -gram (the recorded radiographic image)
  • -graph (instrument used to record)
  • -graphy (process of recording, radiographic imaging)
  • -iasis (condition)
  • -esis (condition)
  • -itis (inflammation)
  • -lith (stone)
  • -lysis (loosening, dissolution, separating)
  • -megaly (enlarged, enlargement)
  • -oma (tumour, swelling)
  • -osis (abnormal condition)
  • -pexy (surgical fixation, suspension)
  • -ptosis (drooping, sagging, prolapse)
  • -rrhaphy (suturing, repairing)
  • -scope (instrument used for visual examination)
  • -scopic (pertaining to visual examination)
  • -scopy (visual examination)
  • -stomy (creation of an artificial opening)
  • -tomy (cut into, incision)
  • -tripsy (surgical crushing)
  • -uria (urine, urination)

Urinary System Words

Urinary System Medical Terms
  1. albuminuria
    • albumin/uria
    • albumin in the urine
  2. azotemia
    • azot/emia
    • urea in the blood
  3. cystectomy
    • cyst/ectomy
    • excision of the bladder
  4. cystolithotomy
    • cyst/o/lith/o/tomy
    • incision into the bladder to remove stone(s)
  5. cystorrhaphy
    • cyst/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing the bladder
  6. cystostomy
    • cyst/o/stomy
    • creation of an artificial opening into the bladder
  7. cystotomy
    • cyst/o/tomy
    • incision into the bladder
  8. cystogram
    • cyst/o/gram
    • radiographic image of the bladder
  9. cystography
    • cyst/o/graphy
    • radiographic imaging of the bladder
  10. cystoscope
    • cyst/o/scope
    • instrument used for visual examination of the bladder
  11. cystoscopy
    • cyst/o/scopy
    • visual examination of the bladder
  12. cystitis
    • cyst/itis
    • inflammation of the bladder
  13. cystocele
    • cyst/o/cele
    • protrusion of the bladder
  14. cystolith
    • cyst/o/lith
    • stone(s) in the bladder
  15. glomerulonephritis
    • glomerul/o/nephr/itis
    • inflammation of the gomeruli of the kidney
  16. glycosuria
    • glycos/uria
    • sugar (glucose) in the urine
  17. hydronephrosis
    • hydro/nephr/osis
    • abnormal condition of water in the kidney
  18. lithotripsy
    • lith/o/tripsy
    • surgical crushing of stone(s)
  19. meatotomy
    • meat/o/tomy
    • incision into the meatus
  20. meatal
    • meat/al
    • pertaining to the meatus
  21. nephritis
    • nephr/itis
    • inflammation of the kidney
  22. nephrolithiasis
    • nephr/o/lith/iasis
    • condition of stone(s) in the kidney
  23. nephroma
    • nephr/oma
    • tumour of kidney
  24. nephromegaly
    • nephr/o/megaly
    • enlarged kidney
  25. nephroptosis
    • nephr/o/ptosis
    • drooping kidney
  26. nephrectomy
    • nephr/ectomy
    • excision of the kidney
  27. nephrolitotomy
    • nephr/o/lith/o/tomy
    • incision into the kidney to remove stone(s)
  28. nephrolithotripsy
    • nephr/o/lith/o/tripsy
    • surgical crushing of stone(s) in the kidney
  29. nephrolysis
    • nephr/o/lysis
    • separating the kidney (from body structures)
  30. nephropexy
    • nephr/o/pexy
    • surgical fixation of the kidney
  31. nephrostomy
    • nephr/o/stomy
    • creation of an artificial opening into the kidney
  32. nephrography
    • nephr/o/graphy
    • radiographic imaging of the kidney
  33. nephroscopy
    • nephr/o/scopy
    • process of viewing the kidney
  34. nephrosonography
    • nephr/o/son/o/graphy
    • process of recording the kidney using sound
  35. nephrologist
    • nephr/o/logist
    • specialist who studies and treats disease and disorders of the kidney
  36. nephrology
    • nephr/o/logy
    • study of the kidney
  37. nocturia
    • noct/uria
    • night urination
  38. oliguria
    • olig/uria
    • scanty urine (output)
  39. pyelitis
    • pyel/itis
    • inflammation of the renal pelvis
  40. pyelonephritis
    • pyel/o/nephr/itis
    • inflammation of the renal pelvis and the kidney
  41. pyelolithotomy
    • pyel/o/lith/o/tomy
    • incision into the renal pelvis
  42. pyeloplasty
    • pyel/o/plasty
    • surgical repair of the renal pelvis
  43. renogram
    • ren/o/gram
    • radiogrphaic record of the kidney
  44. ureteritis
    • ureter/itis
    • inflammation of the ureter
  45. ureterectomy
    • ureter/ectomy
    • excision of the ureter
  46. ureterostomy
    • ureter/o/stomy
    • creation of an artificial opening into the ureter
  47. ureterocele
    • ureter/o/cele
    • protrusion of a ureter
  48. ureterolithiasis
    • ureter/o/lith/iasis
    • condition of stone(s) in the ureter
  49. ureterostenosis
    • ureter/o/stenosis
    • narrowing of the ureter
  50. ureteroscopy
    • ureter/o/scopy
    • visual examination of the ureter(s)
  51. urethrocystitis
    • urethr/o/cyst/itis
    • inflammation of the urethra and the bladder
  52. anuria
    • an/uria
    • absence of urine
  53. diuresis
    • di/ur/esis
    • condition of urine passing through
      (increased excretion of urine)
  54. dysuria
    • dys/uria
    • difficult or painful urine
  55. urinary
    • urin/ary
    • pertaining to urine
  56. retrograde urogram
    • retrograde ur/o/gram
    • radiographic image of the urinary tract
  57. ureteroscopy
    • ureter/o/scopy
    • visual examination of the ureter(s)
  58. urogram
    • ur/o/gram
    • radiographic image of the urinary tract
  59. hematuria
    • hemat/uria
    • blood in the urine
  60. polyuria
    • poly/uria
    • excessive urine
  61. pyuria
    • py/uria
    • pus in the urine
  62. urinary
    • urin/ary
    • pertaining to urine
  63. urologist
    • ur/o/logist
    • physician who studies and treats diseases of the urinary tract
  64. urology
    • ur/o/logy
    • study of the urinary tract
  65. vesicotomy
    • vesic/o/tomy
    • inciscion into the bladder

Activity Source: Urinary System Medical Terms by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation, licensed under CC BY 4.0./ Text version added.

Pronouncing and Defining Urinary System Medical Terms

Urinary System Medical Terms Not Easily Broken into Word Parts (Text version)
  1. deamination
    • dē-am-ĭ-NĀ-shŏn
    • The removal of an amino group from a molecule.
  2. distended
    • dis-TEN-ded (Original Term)
    • stretch out
  3. enuresis
    • en-ū-RĒ-sĭs (Original Term)
    • involuntary urination
  4. hemodialysis (HD)
    • hē-mō-dī-ĂL-ĭ-sĭs
    • procedure for removing impurities from the blood due to an inability of the kidney to function
  5. hydrostatic
    • hī-drō-STAT-ik
    • Relating to the equilibrium of liquids and the pressure exerted by liquid at rest
  6. incontinence
    • in-KONT-ĭn-ĕns (Original Term)
    • inability to control the bladder and/or bowels
  7. micturate
    • MĬK-tū-rāt (Original Term)
    • to pass urine
  8. sphincter
    • SFĬNK-tĕr
    • A circular muscle constricting an orifice
  9. stricture
    • STRIK-chŭr (Original Term)
    • abnormal narrowing
  10. urinal
    • Ū-rĭn-ăl (Original Term)
    • receptacle for urine
  11. void
    • VOYD (Original Term)
    • empty or evacuate waste material, urinate

Activity Source: Urinary System Medical Terms not easily broken into word parts from Medical Terminology. by Grimm et al., licensed under CC BY 4.0. / Some H5P audio re-recorded by David McCuaig and text version added.

Pronouncing and Defining Commonly Abbreviated Urinary System Terms

Practice pronouncing and defining these commonly abbreviated urinary system terms:

  • ARF (acute renal failure)
  • BUN (blood urea nitrogen)
  • cath (catheter, catheterization)
  • CKD (chronic kidney disease)
  • ESRD (end-stage renal disease)
  • ESWL (extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy)
  • HD (hemodialysis)
  • KUB xray (kidney, ureter, and bladder xray)
  • OAB (overactive bladder)
  • SG (specific gravity)
  • UA (urinalysis)
  • UTI (urinary tract infection)
  • VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram)

Sorting Terms

Sort the terms from the word lists above into the following categories:

  • Disease and Disorder (terms describing any deviation from normal structure and function)
  • Diagnostic (terms related to process of identifying a disease, condition, or injury from its signs and symptoms)
  • Therapeutic (terms related to treatment or curing of diseases)
  • Anatomic (terms related to body structure)

Urinary System Anatomy

Label the following urinary system bladder anatomy:

Urinary System Bladder Anatomy (Text Version)

Label the diagram correctly with the following words:

  1. Peritoneum
  2. Detrusor muscle
  3. External urethral sphincter
  4. Ureter
  5. Internal urethral sphincter
  6. Ureteral opening

Anterior cross section of the bladder illustration. Text boxes containing the bladder structure names are found. The text boxes are available and can be arranged to label the corresponding structure. Lines extend from each structure for labelling purposes.

Urinary System Bladder Anatomy Diagram (Text Version)

This figure shows the cross section of the bladder, and the major parts are identified from top to bottom. The tube leading to the bladder is known as the ________[Blank 1]. Surrounding the bladder is a membranous cover called the ________[Blank 2]. The walls of the bladder are formed by _________[Blank 3], which allows the bladder to contract to excrete urine or relax to hold urine The right panel shows a micrograph of the bladder. The _________[Blank 4] are found inside the bladder wall allowing for the ureters to enter and deposit urine formed from the kidneys. In the lower portion of the bladder is two sphincter muscles the internal one is the __________[Blank 5] and the __________[Blank 6]. These sphincter muscles open and close controlling the flow of urine out of the bladder and into the urethra to be carried to the outside of the body.

 

Check your answers: [1]

Activity source: Urinary System Bladder Anatomy by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation, illustration from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax), licensed under CC BY 4.0./ Text version added.

Medical Terms in Context

Place the following medical terms in context to complete the scenario below:

Urinary System Operative Report (Text Version)

Fill in the consultation report with correct words listed below:

  • Ureteral
  • bladder
  • recovery
  • draped
  • prepped
  • fragmented
  • lumen
  • proximal

URINARY SYSTEM – OPERATIVE REPORT

PATIENT NAME: Cindy WARD

AGE: 48

DOB: September 19

SEX: Female

DATE OF SURGERY: January 8

SURGEON: Steve Foster, MD, Urologist

ASSISTANT: Michelle Stevenson, MD

ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Ryan Haywood, MD

ANESTHESIA: General

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Left proximal ureteral stones.

POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Left proximal ureteral calculi.

INDICATIONS: The patient is a 48-year-old female with a history of kidney stone disease, who has severe left flank pain and was found to have an obstructing large left proximal _____[Blank 1] stone.

OPERATIVE PROCEDURE: After induction of general anesthesia, the patient was placed in the lithotomy position. Patient was _____[Blank 2] and _____[Blank 3] in the usual sterile fashion. A #19-French cystoscope was inserted under camera vision. The urethra was unremarkable. The scope was passed into the bladder. The _____[Blank 4] mucosa was normal throughout. Under fluoroscopic control, a guidewire was placed up the left ureter and bypassed the stone. This was difficult at first, but the guidewire was eventually manipulated around the stone into the _____[Blank 5] collecting system. A rigid ureteroscope was then negotiated up the left ureter alongside the guidewire up to the stone, which was at the junction.

The stone was quite large and occupied the entire _____[Blank 6] of the ureter. Lithotripsy was then performed under camera vision. Using the Holmium laser, the stone was _____[Blank 7] into multiple fragments, all of which were then individually basketed. Some of the stones were sent for analysis. Further ureteroscopy up to the kidney failed to reveal any significant sized fragments. Therefore, the ureteroscope was removed.

The procedure was tolerated by the patient without complications. The patient was taken to the _____[Blank 8] room in stable condition.

________________________
Steve Foster, MD, Urologist

Note: Report samples (H5P and Pressbooks) are to encourage learners to identify correct medical terminology and do not represent the Association for Health Documentation Integrity (AHDI) formatting standards.

 

Check your answers:[2]

Activity source: Urinary System – Operative Report by Heather Scudder, licensed under CC BY 4.0./Text version added.

Medical Terms in Context

Place the following medical terms in context to complete the scenario below:

Urinary System Consultation Report (Text Version)

Fill in the consultation report with correct words listed below:

  • Urine
  • shortness
  • pain
  • leukorrhea
  • dysuria
  • foul
  • urinalysis
  • nausea
  • UTIs

URINARY SYSTEM – CONSULTATION REPORT

PATIENT NAME: Renee WOODS

AGE: 32

SEX: Female

DOB: June 17

DATE OF CONSULTATION: January 8

CONSULTING PHYSICIAN: Steve Foster, MD, Urology

REASON FOR CONSULTATION: Urinary Tract Infection.

HISTORY: The patient is a 32-year-old female who is complaining of pain on urinating. Patient states it began approximately 3 days ago. The patient describes symptoms of  _____[Blank 1] and increased frequency to the washroom. Patient states they usually go to the washroom to urinate 4-5 times a day, but starting 3 days ago, she started going 10-12 times per day. Sometimes no _____[Blank 2] comes out. The urine has a _____[Blank 3] odor and is cloudy. States there has been lower abdomen _____[Blank 4] since yesterday, and says it is worse when she tries to go with no result. Patient has had the same sexual partner for 10 years. She has a history of _____[Blank 5] and feels this is the same.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: GENERAL: No weakness, or tiredness. VITALS: Blood pressure 120/80, heart rate 70 and respirations 16. Patient weighs 150 pounds. LUNGS: No cough or _____[Blank 6] of breath. GASTRO: Denies _____[Blank 7], vomiting or change in bowel habits. URINARY/REPRODUCTIVE: Denies hematuria, or any _____[Blank 8].

ASSESSMENT: Did a urinalysis on patient. _____[Blank 9] revealed leukocytes 3+.

PLAN

  1. Treat with Ampicillin 400 mg q.i.d.
  2. Return to office if no improvement within 48 hours.

______________________________
Steve Foster, MD, Urology

Note: Report samples (H5P and Pressbooks) are to encourage learners to identify correct medical terminology and do not represent the Association for Health Documentation Integrity (AHDI) formatting standards.

Check your answers: [3]

Activity source: Urinary System Consultation Report by Heather Scudder and Sheila Bellefeuille, licensed under CC BY 4.0./Text version added.

Test Your Knowledge

Urinary System Glossary Reinforcement Activity (Text Version)
  1. The removal of an amino group from molecule is called the _____[Blank 1].
    1. Voiding
    2. Deamination
    3. Calyces
  2. _____[Blank 2] is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is, as determined by the number of free hydrogen ions in the substance.
    1. pH
    2. Apical
    3. Osmosis
  3. _____[Blank 3] relates to the equilibrium of liquids and the pressure exerted by liquid at rest.
    1. Solutes
    2. Hydrostatic
    3. Mitochondria
  4. The outermost layer of the wall of a blood vessel is called the ____[Blank 4].
    1. Hydrostatic
    2. Pseudostratified
    3. Adventitial
  5. Any of a group of compounds with varying hormone-like effects is referred to as _____[Blank 5].
    1. Solutes
    2. Excretion
    3. Prostaglandins

Check your answers: [4]

Activity source: Urinary System Glossary Reinforcement Activity by GTuzon, licensed under CC BY 4.0./Text version added.

Downloadable Worksheets

View or download & print the PDF or Word format worksheets below:

Worksheet – Urinary System – Chapter 5 [Word]

5. Urinary – Scenario [Word]

5. Urinary – Abbreviations [Word]

5. Urinary – Definitions Using Word Parts [Word]

Attribution

Except where otherwise noted, this book is adapted from Medical Terminology by Grimm et al. (2022), Nicolet College, CC BY 4.0 International. / A derivative of Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Carter & Rutherford (2020), and Anatomy and Physiology by Betts, et al., CC BY 4.0, which can be accessed for free at OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology.

  1. Anterior cross section of the bladder illustration. Structures are labelled with text boxes to identify their location anatomical names.
    Check your Answer: Urinary System Bladder Anatomy Diagram (Text Version)This figure shows the cross section of the bladder, and the major parts are identified from top to bottom. The tube leading to the bladder is known as the ureter. Surrounding the bladder is a membranous cover called the peritoneum. The walls of the bladder are formed by detrusor muscle, which allows the bladder to contract to excrete urine or relax to hold urine The right panel shows a micrograph of the bladder. The ureteral openings are found inside the bladder wall allowing for the ureters to enter and deposit urine formed from the kidneys. In the lower portion of the bladder is two sphincter muscles the internal one is the internal urethral sphincter and the external urethral sphincter. These sphincter muscles open and close controlling the flow of urine out of the bladder and into the urethra to be carried to the outside of the body.
    ↵
  2. 1. Ureteral, 2. Prepped, 3. Draped, 4. Bladder, 5. Proximal, 6. Lumen, 7. Fragmented, 8. Recovery. ↵
  3. 1. Dysuria, 2. Urine, 3. Foul, 4. Pain, 5. UTIs, 6. Shortness, 7. Nausea, 8. Leukorrhea, 9. Urinalysis ↵
  4. 1. Deamination, 2.pH, 3. Hydrostatic, 4. Adventitial, 5. Prostaglandins ↵

License

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Building a Medical Terminology 2e - Student Companion Workbook Copyright © 2024 by Kimberlee Carter; Marie Rutherford; and Connie Stevens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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