NBCMI - National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters Medical Terminology: Anatomy Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician describes a patient's rash as being 'distal' to the knee. For accurate interpretation, where should the interpreter understand the rash is located?
- On the lower leg or foot (Correct answer)
- On the thigh
- On the hip
- On the abdomen
Correct answer: On the lower leg or foot
The anatomical term 'distal' refers to a position farther from the center of the body or from the point of attachment. In this case, the area distal to the knee is down the leg, which includes the lower leg and foot.
Question 2: During an intake, a patient points to their lower back and complains of pain. The provider documents this as pain in the 'lumbar region.' Which part of the body does this term specify?
- The area of the spine in the neck
- The area of the spine corresponding to the chest
- The area of the spine in the lower back, between the ribs and the pelvis (Correct answer)
- The tailbone area
Correct answer: The area of the spine in the lower back, between the ribs and the pelvis
The term 'lumbar' refers to the lower part of the back, specifically the five vertebrae (L1-L5) located between the thoracic (rib) cage and the sacrum (pelvis). It is the area commonly referred to as the lower back.
Question 3: Which of the following organs is located within the thoracic cavity?
- Stomach
- Liver
- Lungs (Correct answer)
- Kidneys
Correct answer: Lungs
The thoracic cavity, enclosed by the rib cage, primarily contains the heart and the lungs. The stomach, liver, and kidneys are located inferior to the diaphragm in the abdominopelvic cavity.
Question 4: A radiology report for a CT scan states that images were taken in the 'coronal plane.' How does this plane divide the body?
- Into right and left halves
- Into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections (Correct answer)
- Into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections
- Into diagonal or oblique sections
Correct answer: Into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections
The coronal plane, also known as the frontal plane, is a vertical plane that divides the body or any of its parts into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions. This is distinct from the sagittal plane (left/right) and the transverse plane (upper/lower).
Question 5: A patient is diagnosed with 'cholecystitis.' Based on the root word 'cholecyst,' the interpreter should understand this is an inflammation of which organ?
- The kidney
- The liver
- The stomach
- The gallbladder (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The gallbladder
The medical root 'cholecyst/o' refers to the gallbladder. The suffix '-itis' means inflammation. Therefore, cholecystitis is the inflammation of the gallbladder.
Question 6: A pathologist's report mentions the examination of 'hepatocytes.' This terminology refers to the primary cells of which organ?
- The heart
- The brain
- The liver (Correct answer)
- The skin
Correct answer: The liver
The prefix 'hepato-' is the medical term for the liver. The suffix '-cyte' means cell. Therefore, hepatocytes are the main functional cells of the liver.
NBCMI - National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters Medical Terminology: Anatomy Questions and Answers
A physician describes a patient's rash as being 'distal' to the knee.
For accurate interpretation, where should the interpreter understand the rash is located?