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Respiratory
System
9
Pulmonology
The medical specialty of pulmonology, also called pulmonary medicine, is the branch of medicine concerned with
the diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving the structures of the lower respiratory tract, including the
lungs, their airways and blood vessels, and the chest wall (thoracic cage). Medical doctors who treat respiratory
disorders are called pulmonologists.
Anatomy and Physiology Overview
The respiratory system consists of the upper and lower respiratory tracts. The upper tract includes the nose, pharynx, larynx, and
trachea. The lower tract includes the left and right bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, and the lungs. (See Figure 4-1.) The main
function of the respiratory system is to perform pulmonary ventilation of the body. Respiratory structures, along with the
structures of the cardiovascular system, transport oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (waste product) from the cells of the body.
This process is accomplished by events of respiration, exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the environmental air and
the blood circulating through the lungs. Secondary functions of the respiratory system include warming air as it passes into the
body and assisting in the speech function (providing air for the larynx and the vocal cords).
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Adenoids
Nasal cavity
Nasopharynx
Nose
Oropharynx
Palatine tonsils
Laryngopharynx
Larynx
Epiglottis
Glottis and vocal cords
Thyroid cartilage
Trachea
Right and left
primary bronchi
Apex of lung
Bronchiole
Mediastinum
Right lung
Left lung
Visceral pleura
Base of lung
Diaphragm
Pleural cavity
Parietal pleura
Deoxygenated
blood from heart
Bronchiole
Alveoli
Alveolus
O2
CO2
Pulmonary capillary
Oxygenated
blood to heart
Pulmonary capillaries
Figure 4-1 Anterior view of the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
Exchange of gases between an
alveolus and a pulmonary capillary
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RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Word Element
This section introduces combining forms (CFs) related to the respiratory system. Included key
suffixes; prefixes are defined in the right-hand column as needed.
Word Element
Meaning
Word Analysis
Combining Forms
U P P E R R E S P I R AT O R Y T R A C T
adenoid/o
adenoids
adenoid/ectomy (ăd-ĕ-noyd-ĔK-tō-mē): excision of the
adenoids
-ectomy: excision, removal
laryng/o
larynx (voice box)
laryng/o/scope (lăr-ĬN-gō-skōp): instrument for
examining the larynx
-scope: instrument for examining
nas/o
nose
nas/al (NĀ-zl): pertaining to the nose
-al: pertaining to
rhin/o/rrhea (rī-nō-RĒ-ă): watery discharge from the
nose
-rrhea: discharge, flow
Allergies and a common cold commonly cause rhinorrhea. It
may also be caused by flow of cerebrospinal fluid from the
nose after an injury to the head.
pharyng/o
pharynx (throat)
pharyng/itis (făr-ĭn-JĪ-tĭs): inflammation of the
pharynx, usually due to infection
-itis: inflammation
tonsill/o
tonsils
peri/tonsill/ar (pĕr-ĭ-TŎN-sĭ-lăr): pertaining to area
surrounding the tonsils
peri-: around
-ar: pertaining to
trache/o
trachea
(windpipe)
trache/o/stomy (trā-kē-ŎS-tō-mē): creation of an
opening into the trachea
-stomy: forming an opening (mouth)
Tracheostomy is performed to provide and secure an open
airway.
rhin/o
L O W E R R E S P I R AT O R Y T R A C T
alveol/o
alveolus (plural,
alveoli)
alveol/ar (ăl-VĒ-ō-lăr): pertaining to alveoli
-ar: pertaining to
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Medical Specialty
Word Element
Meaning
Word Analysis
bronchi/o
bronchus (plural,
bronchi)
bronchi/ectasis (brŏng-kē-ĔK-tă-sĭs): dilation of a
bronchus or bronchi
-ectasis: dilation, expansion
Bronchiectasis can be caused by damaging effects of a
long-standing infection.
bronch/o/scope (BRŎNG-kō-skōp): curved, flexible
tube with a light for visual examination of the
bronchi
-scope: instrument for examining
A bronchoscope is used to examine the bronchi, secure a
specimen for biopsy or culture, or aspirate secretions or a
foreign body from the respiratory tract.
bronch/o
bronchiol/o
bronchiole
bronchiol/itis (brŏng-kē-ō-LĪ-tĭs): inflammation of the
bronchioles
-itis: inflammation
pleur/o
pleura
pleur/itic (ploo-RĬT-ĭk): pertaining to pleurisy
-itic: pertaining to
pneum/o
air; lung
pneum/ectomy (nū-MĔK-tō-mē): excision of all or part
of a lung
-ectomy: excision, removal
pneumon/ia (nū-MŌ-nē-ă): acute inflammation and
infection of alveoli, which fill with pus or products
of the inflammatory reaction
-ia: condition
Pneumonia is most commonly caused by inhaled
pneumonococci and less commonly by staphylococci, fungi,
or viruses.
pulmon/o
lung
pulmon/o/logist (pŭl-mŏ-NŎL-ŏ-jĭst): physician who
specializes in treating pathological conditions of
the lungs
-logist: specialist in study of
thorac/o
chest
thorac/o/pathy (thō-răk-ŎP-ă-thē): disease of the
thorax or the organs it contains
-pathy: disease
pain
pleur/algia (ploo-RĂL-jē-ă): pain in the pleura
pleur: pleura
thorac/o/dynia (thō-răk-ō-DĬN-ē-ă): pain in the chest
thorac: chest
pneumon/o
SUFFIXES
-algia
-dynia
(continued)
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RESPIRATORY SYSTEM •
Word Element
Meaning
Word Analysis
-ectasis
dilation,
expansion
atel/ectasis (ăt-ĕ-LĔK-tă-sĭs): abnormal condition
characterized by collapse of alveoli
atel: incomplete; imperfect
Atelectasis is characterized by collapse of alveoli, preventing
respiratory exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in a part
of the lungs.
-osis
abnormal
condition;
increase (used
primarily with
blood cells)
cyan/osis (sī-ă-NŌ-sĭs): bluish discoloration of the skin
and mucous membranes
cyan: blue
Cyanosis is caused by deficiency of oxygen in the blood.
-osmia
smell
an/osmia (ăn-ŎZ-mē-ă): loss or impairment of the
sense of smell, which usually occurs as a temporary
condition
an-: without, not
-oxia
oxygen
hyp/oxia (hī-PŎKS-ē-ă): abnormally low level of
oxygen at the cellular level
hyp-: under, below, deficient
Because tissues have a decreased amount of oxygen, cyanosis
can result.
-phagia
swallowing, eating
aer/o/phagia (ĕr-ō-FĂ-jē-ă): swallowing air
aer/o: air
-pnea
breathing
a/pnea (ăp-NĒ-ă): temporary cessation of breathing
a-: without, not
Apnea may be a serious symptom, especially in patients with
other potentially life-threatening conditions. Some types of
apnea include newborn, cardiac, and sleep.
-spasm
involuntary
contraction,
twitching
pharyng/o/spasm (făr-ĬN-gō-spăzm): spasm of muscles
in the pharynx
pharyng/o: pharynx (throat)
-thorax
chest
py/o/thorax (pī-ō-THŌ-răks): accumulation of pus in
the thorax
py/o: pus