The morpheme -megaly indicates which concept?

Prepare for the Briggs Bridging the Gap Medical Interpreter Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question includes hints and explanations. Ensure your success!

Multiple Choice

The morpheme -megaly indicates which concept?

Explanation:
The main idea is that the suffix -megaly signals enlargement of an organ or body part. It’s used by attaching to the name of the structure to indicate it is enlarged, as in hepatomegaly (liver enlarged), cardiomegaly (heart enlarged), or splenomegaly (spleen enlarged). This suffix does not denote infection (that’s usually -itis) or pain (that’s -algia). While growth is a general term for size increase, -megaly specifically denotes enlargement of a particular organ or structure.

The main idea is that the suffix -megaly signals enlargement of an organ or body part. It’s used by attaching to the name of the structure to indicate it is enlarged, as in hepatomegaly (liver enlarged), cardiomegaly (heart enlarged), or splenomegaly (spleen enlarged). This suffix does not denote infection (that’s usually -itis) or pain (that’s -algia). While growth is a general term for size increase, -megaly specifically denotes enlargement of a particular organ or structure.

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