NBCMI Medical Terminology: Anatomy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organ primarily filters blood and produces urine?
- Liver
- Spleen
- Kidney (Correct answer)
- Pancreas
Correct answer: Kidney
The kidneys filter blood, remove waste, regulate fluid balance, and produce urine.
The kidneys receive about 20-25% of cardiac output. Functions include filtering waste, regulating electrolytes, maintaining acid-base balance, controlling blood pressure, producing erythropoietin, and activating vitamin D.
Question 2: The trachea is commonly known as the:
- Food pipe
- Windpipe (Correct answer)
- Voice box
- Breathing tube
Correct answer: Windpipe
The trachea (windpipe) connects the larynx to the bronchi as the primary airway.
The trachea is about 10-12 cm long with C-shaped cartilage rings. Interpreters encounter it in pulmonology, emergency medicine (tracheostomy), anesthesiology (intubation), and pediatrics (croup).
Question 3: What is the function of the diaphragm?
- Pumping blood
- Separating chest from abdomen and enabling breathing (Correct answer)
- Filtering toxins
- Producing digestive enzymes
Correct answer: Separating chest from abdomen and enabling breathing
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that drives breathing through contraction and relaxation.
During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, creating negative pressure drawing air in. During exhalation, it relaxes. Innervated by the phrenic nerve (C3-C5).
Question 4: The femur is located in which body part?
- Upper arm
- Lower leg
- Thigh (upper leg) (Correct answer)
- Forearm
Correct answer: Thigh (upper leg)
The femur is the thigh bone, the longest and strongest bone in the body.
The femur extends from the hip joint to the knee. It is a common fracture site in elderly patients with osteoporosis. Related terms include femoral neck fracture and total hip replacement.
Question 5: 'Cervical' in anatomy can refer to which TWO body areas?
- Chest and abdomen
- Neck region and the cervix of the uterus (Correct answer)
- Head and shoulders
- Arms and legs
Correct answer: Neck region and the cervix of the uterus
'Cervical' can refer to the neck region (cervical spine) or the cervix of the uterus.
This dual meaning is a common confusion source. 'Cervical pain' in orthopedics means neck pain; 'cervical biopsy' in gynecology refers to the uterine cervix. Context is critical.
Question 6: What is the peritoneum?
- A skull bone
- The membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering organs (Correct answer)
- A type of blood vessel
- The heart's outer layer
Correct answer: The membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering organs
The peritoneum is the largest serous membrane, with parietal (wall-lining) and visceral (organ-covering) layers.
Key terms: peritonitis (infection, surgical emergency), peritoneal dialysis, ascites (fluid accumulation), and retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum, where kidneys and pancreas are located).
NBCMI Medical Terminology: Anatomy 2
Which organ primarily filters blood and produces urine?