Demonstrate knowledge of a particular body system. Describe the bodily components of the system; describe the pathology of the system; and teach word components and abbreviations.

2. CHAPTER GOALS
• Name the organs of the digestive system and
describe their locations.
• Define combining forms for organs and know
the meaning of related terminology.
• Describe signs, symptoms and disease
conditions affecting the digestive system.

3. INGESTION AND DIGESTION
• Ingestion – food materials taken into the mouth
• Digestion – food is broken down, mechanically and
chemically, as it travels through the gastrointestinal
tract.
 Digestive enzymes aid the breakdown of complex nutrients.
Proteins → amino acids
Sugars → glucose
Fats → fatty acids or triglycerides

4. ABSORPTION
• Digested food passes into the bloodstream
through lining cells of the small intestine.
• Nutrients travel to all cells of the body.
• Cells burn nutrients to release the energy
stored in food.

5. ELIMINATION
• The body eliminates solid waste materials
that cannot be absorbed into bloodstream.
• The large intestine concentrates feces.
• The wastes pass out of the body through
the anus.

6. THE DIGESTIVE TRACT

7. PATHOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Signs and symptoms
• Anorexia – lack of appetite
• Ascites – abnormal accumulation of fluid in the
abdomen
• Borborygmus (plural: borborygmi) – rumbling or
gurgling noise produced by the movement of gas, fluid,
or both in the GI tract
• Constipation – difficulty in passing stools
• Diarrhea – frequent passage of loose, watery stools

8. PATHOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• Dysphagia – difficulty in swallowing
• Eructation – gas expelled from the stomach through the
mouth
• Flatus – gas expelled through the anus
• Hematochezia – passage of fresh, bright red blood from the
rectum
• Jaundice (icterus) – yellow-orange coloration of the skin
and whites of the eyes caused by high levels of bilirubin in
the blood

9. PATHOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• Melena – black, tarry stools; feces containing
digested blood
• Nausea – unpleasant sensation in the stomach
associated with a tendency to vomit
• Steatorrhea – fat in the feces; frothy, foul-smelling
fecal matter

10. ORAL CAVITY

11. ORAL CAVITY

12. ORAL CAVITY

13. ORAL CAVITY: SALIVARY GLANDS

14. PHARYNX: DEGLUTITION

15. PATHOLOGIC CONDITIONS:
ORAL CAVITY AND TEETH
• Aphthous stomatitis – inflammation of the mouth with small, painful
ulcers
• Dental caries – tooth decay
• Herpetic stomatitis – inflammation of the mouth by infection with the
herpes virus
• Oral leukoplakia – white plaques or patches
• Periodontal disease – inflammation and degeneration of the gums,
teeth and surrounding bone

16. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Achalasia – failure of the lower esophagus sphincter (LES)
muscle to relax

17. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

18. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Esophageal cancer – malignant tumor of the
esophagus
• Esophageal varices – swollen, varicose veins at
the lower end of the esophagus
• Gastric carcinoma – malignant tumor of the
stomach

19. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
Gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD) – solids
and fluids return to the
mouth from the stomach
Peptic ulcer – open sore
or lesion of the mucous
membrane of the stomach
or duodenum

20. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Hernia – protrusion of an organ or part through the muscle
normally containing it

21. QUICK QUIZ:
3. Which terms means swallowing
A. Mastication
B. Deglutition
C. Emulsification
D. Peristalsis

22. PARTS OF THE STOMACH

23. SMALL INTESTINE
Villi in the lining of the small intestine

24. LARGE INTESTINE

25. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
[Small and Large Intestines]
• Anal fistula – abnormal tube-like
passageway near the anus
• Colonic polyposis – polyps protrude
from the mucous membrane of the
colon

26. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
Colorectal cancer – adenocarcinoma of the colon or
rectum or both

27. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Crohn disease – chronic inflammation of the
intestinal tract
• Diverticulosis – abnormal side pockets
(outpouchings) in the intestinal wall

28. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Dysentery – painful, inflamed intestines
• Hemorrhoids – swollen, twisted, varicose veins in
the rectal region
• Ileus – failure of peristalsis with resulting
obstruction of the intestines
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – inflammation
of the colon and small intestine

29. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
• Intussusception – telescoping of the intestines
• IBS – irritable bowel syndrome – group of
gastrointestinal symptoms associated with stress
and tension
• Ulcerative colitis – chronic inflammation of the
colon with the presence of ulcers
• Volvulus – twisting of the intestines on itself

30. QUICK QUIZ:
2. Which term is the first part of the large
intestine?
A. Cecum
B. Duodenum
C. Jejunum
D. Pylorus

31. LIVER, GALLBLADDER & PANCREAS

32. LIVER, GALLBLADDER & PANCREAS
The pancreas and its functions

33. LIVER, GALLBLADDER & PANCREAS
Besides producing bile, the
liver:
• Helps maintain normal blood
glucose levels
• Manufactures blood proteins
necessary for clotting
• Releases bilirubin, a pigment in
bile
• Removes toxins and poisons from
the blood

34. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LIVER, GALLBLADDER & PANCREAS
Cholelithiasis – gallstones in the gallbladder

35. PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
LIVER, GALLBLADDER & PANCREAS
• Cirrhosis – chronic degenerative disease of the
liver
• Pancreatic cancer – malignant tumor of the
pancreas
• Pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas
• Viral hepatitis – inflammation of the liver caused by
a virus

36. QUICK QUIZ
1. What happens if bilirubin cannot leave
the body and remains in the bloodstream?
A. Gluconeogenesis
B. Emulsification
C. Hyperbilirubinemia
D. Glycogenolysis

37. FOOD PATHWAY THROUGH THE GI TRACT
Food enters
through the oral
cavity and exits
through the
anus.

38. VOCABULARY
absorption
amino acids
amylase
anus
Passage of materials through the walls of the
small intestine into the bloodstream
Small building blocks of proteins; released
when proteins are digested
Enzyme secreted by the pancreas and
salivary glands to digest starch
Terminal end or opening of the digestive
tract to the outside of body

39. VOCABULARY
appendix
bile
bilirubin
bowel
Blind pouch hanging from the cecum
Digestive juice made in the liver and stored in
the gallbladder; breaks up large fat globules;
composed of bile pigments, cholesterol, and
bile salts
Pigment released by the liver in bile
Intestine

40. VOCABULARY
canine teeth
cecum
colon
common
bile duct
Pointed, dog-like teeth next to the incisors;
also called cuspids or eyeteeth
First part of the large intestine
Consists of the ascending, transverse,
descending, and sigmoid segments
Carries bile from the liver and gallbladder
to the duodenum; also called the
choledochus

41. VOCABULARY
defecation
deglutition
dentin
digestion
Elimination of feces from the digestive tract
through the anus
Swallowing
Primary material found in teeth; covered by
the enamel in the crown and a protective
layer of cementum in the root
Breakdown of complex foods to simpler forms

42. VOCABULARY
duodenum
elimination
emulsification
enamel
First part of the small intestine; measures
12 inches long
Act of removal of materials from the body
Physical process of breaking up large fat
globules into smaller globules
Hard, outermost layer of a tooth

43. VOCABULARY
enzyme
esophagus
fatty acids
feces
Chemical that speeds up reactions between
substances; enzyme names end in –ase
Tube connecting the throat to the stomach
Substances produced when fats are digested;
a category of lipids
Solid wastes; stool

44. VOCABULARY
gallbladder
glucose
glycogen
hydrochloric acid
Small sac under the liver; stores bile
Simple sugar
Starch; glucose is stored in the form of
glycogen in liver cells
Substance produced by the stomach;
necessary for digestion of food

45. VOCABULARY
ileum
incisor
insulin
jejunum
Third part of the small intestine
One of four front teeth in the dental arch
Hormone produced by endocrine cells of the
pancreas; transports sugar from the blood into
cells and stimulates glycogen formation by the
liver
Second part of the small intestine

46. VOCABULARY
• lipase
• liver
• lower esophageal
sphincter (LES)
Pancreatic enzyme needed to digest fats
Large organ located in the RUQ of the
abdomen; secretes bile; stores sugar,
iron, and vitamins; produces blood
proteins; destroys worn-out RBCs; filters
out toxins; normal adult liver weighs
about 2 ½ to 3 pounds
Ring of muscles between the esophagus
and stomach; cardiac sphincter

47. VOCABULARY
mastication
molar teeth
palate
pancreas
Chewing
Sixth, seventh, and eighth teeth from the
middle on either side of the dental arch
Roof of the mouth
Organ under the stomach; produces insulin
and enzymes

48. VOCABULARY
papillae (singular:
papilla)
parotid gland
Peristalsis
pharynx
Small, nipple-like elevations on the tongue
Salivary gland within the cheek, just anterior
to the ear
Rhythmic contractions of the tubular organs
Throat, the common passageway for food
from the mouth and for air from the nose

49. VOCABULARY
portal vein
Protease
pulp
pyloric sphincter
Large vein bringing blood to the liver from
the intestines
Enzyme that digests protein
Soft tissue within a tooth, containing
nerves and blood vessels
Ring of muscle at the end of the stomach,
near the duodenum; opens when a wave
of peristalsis passes over it

50. VOCABULARY
pylorus
rectum
rugae
saliva
Distal region of the stomach, opening to the
duodenum
Last section of the large intestine, connecting the
end of the colon and the anus
Ridges on the hard palate and the wall of the
stomach
Digestive juice produced by salivary glands;
contains the enzyme amylase

51. VOCABULARY
salivary glands
sigmoid colon
sphincter
stomach
Parotid, sublingual, and submandibular
glands
Fourth and last, S-shaped segment of the
colon, just before the rectum; empties into
the rectum
Circular ring of muscle that constricts a
passage or closes a natural opening
Muscular organ that receives food from the
esophagus

52. VOCABULARY
triglycerides
uvula
villi (singular: villus)
Fat molecules composed of three parts
fatty acids and one part glycerol;
subgroup of lipids
Soft tissue hanging from the middle of the
soft palate
Microscopic projections in the wall of the
small intestine that absorb nutrients into
the bloodstream

53. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
PARTS OF THE BODY
• an/o
• append/o, appendic/o
• bucc/o
• cec/o
• celi/o
• cheil/o
• cholecyst/o
• choledoch/o
anus
appendix
cheek
cecum
belly,abdomen
lip
gallbladder
common bile duct
Combining Form Meaning

54. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
PARTS OF THE BODY (PT. 2)
• col/o colon
• colon/o colon
• dent/i tooth
• duoden/o duodenum
• enter/o intestines, usually small intestine
• esophag/o esophagus
• faci/o face
• gastr/o stomach
• gingiv/o gums
Combining Form Meaning

55. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
PARTS OF THE BODY (PT. 3)
• gloss/o tongue
• hepat/o liver
• ile/o ileum
• jejun/o jejunum
• labi/o lip
• lapar/o abdomen
• lingu/o tongue
• mandibul/o lower jaw, mandible
• odont/o tooth
Combining Form Meaning

56. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
PARTS OF THE BODY (PT. 4)
• or/o mouth
• palat/o palate
• pancreat/o pancreas
• peritone/o peritoneum
• pharyng/o throat
• proct/o anus and rectum
• pylor/o pyloric sphincter
• rect/o rectum
• sialaden/o salivary gland
Combining Form Meaning

57. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
PARTS OF THE BODY (PT. 5)
• sigmoid/o sigmoid colon
• stomat/o mouth
• uvul/o uvula
Combining Form Meaning

58. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
SUBSTANCES
• amyl/o starch
• bil/i gall, bile
• bilirubin/o bilirubin (bile pigment)
• chol/e gall or bile
• chlorhydr/o hydrochloric acid
• gluc/o sugar
• glyc/o sugar
Combining Form Meaning

59. TERMINOLOGY – COMBINING
FORMS
SUBSTANCES (PT. 2)
• glycogen/o glycogen, animal starch
• lip/o fat
• lith/o stone
• prote/o protein
• py/o pus
• sial/o saliva, salivary
• steat/o fat
Combining Form Meaning

60. TERMINOLOGY – SUFFIXES
-ase enzyme
-chezia defecation, elimination of wastes
-iasis abnormal condition
-prandial meal
Suffix Meaning

61. QUICK QUIZ:
4. Which term means inflammation of
the lip?
A. Cholecystitis
B. Celiac
C. Appendicitis
D. Cheilitis

62. THREE TYPES OF ANASTOMOSOMES

64. CHAPTER GOALS
• Define new suffixes and use them with digestive
system combining forms.
• List and explain laboratory tests, clinical
procedures, and abbreviations common to the
digestive system.
• Apply your new knowledge to understanding
medical terms in their proper context, such as
medical reports and records.

65. SUFFIXES
• -ectasis, -ectasia dilation, widening
• -emesis vomiting
• -pepsia digestion
• -phagia eating, swallowing
• -plasty surgical repair
• -ptysis spitting
Suffix Meaning

66. SUFFIXES
• -rrhage, -rrhagia bursting forth (of blood)
• -rrhaphy suture
• -rrhea flow, discharge
• -spasm involuntary contraction of
muscles
• -stasis stopping; controlling
• -stenosis narrowing, tightening
• -tresia opening
Suffix Meaning

67. QUICK QUIZ:
1. Which term means difficulty in swallowing?
A. Dysphasia
B. Dysphagia
C. Dysplasia
D. Polyphagia

68. QUICK QUIZ:
2. Which term means to control or stop
bleeding?
A. Hemostasis
B. Hematoma
C. Hemoptysis
D. Cholestasis

69. COMBINING FORMS
AND TERMINOLOGY
• bucc/o cheek
• cec/o cecum
• celi/o abdomen
• cheil/o lip
• chol/e gall, bile
• cholangi/o bile duct (vessel)
• cholecyst/o gallbladder
• choledoch/o common bile duct
Combining Form Meaning

70. COMBINING FORMS AND
TERMINOLOGY
• col/o colon
• colon/o colon
• dent/i tooth
• duoden/o duodenum
• enter/o intestines
• esophag/o esophagus
• gastr/o stomach
• gingiv/o gums
Combining Form Meaning

71. COMBINING FORMS AND
TERMINOLOGY
• gloss/o tongue
• gluc/o sugar
• glyc/o sugar
• hepat/o liver
• herni/o hernia
• ile/o ileum
• jejun/o jejunum
• labi/o lip
Combining Form Meaning

72. COMBINING FORMS AND
TERMINOLOGY
• lingu/o tongue
• lip/o fat
• lith/o stone
• odont/o tooth
• or/o mouth
• palat/o palate
• pancreat/o pancreas
Combining Form Meaning

73. COMBINING FORMS AND
TERMINOLOGY
• proct/o anus and rectum
• pylor/o pyloric sphincter
• rect/o rectum
• sialaden/o salivary gland
• splen/o spleen
• steat/o fat
• stomat/o mouth
Combining Form Meaning

74. QUICK QUIZ:
3. Which term means enlarged liver?
A. Acromegaly
B. Cardiomegaly
C. Hepatomegaly
D. Hepatitis

75. LABORATORY TESTS
Liver function tests (LFTs): tests for enzymes
and bilirubin in blood
Stool culture: test for microorganisms in stool
Stool guaiac test or Hemoccult test: test to
detect blood in feces

76. QUICK QUIZ:
4. Which of the following tests for the clear fluid that
remains after blood has clotted (serum)?
A. Stool guaiac
B. Hemoccult
C. Stool culture
D. LFTs

77. LABORATORY TESTS: X-RAYS
• Lower gastrointestinal
series (barium enema)
• Upper gastrointestinal
series
• Cholangiography
• Computed tomography
(CT scan)

78. CLINICAL PROCEDURES
 Ultrasound examination
• Abdominal
ultrasonography
• Endoscopic
ultrasonography (EUS)
 Magnetic resonance techniques
• Magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI)
 Nuclear medicine test
• Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic
acid scan (HIDA scan)

79. MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES
Gastric bypass or bariatric surgery: reduces stomach
size
Gastrointestinal endoscopy: visual examination of the GI
tract
Laparoscopy: visual examination of the abdomen
Liver biopsy: removal of liver tissue for microscopic
examination
Nasogastric intubation: insertion of a tube through the
nose into the stomach
Paracentesis (abdominocentesis): puncture to remove
fluid from abdomen

80. QUICK QUIZ:
5. Which procedure is a surgical puncture to
remove fluid from the abdomen?
A. Laparoscopy
B. Laparotomy
C. Abdominectomy
D. Abdominocentesis

81. ABBREVIATIONS
• BRBPR
• EGD
• G tube
• GERD
• GI
• LAC
• NPO
Bright red blood per rectum
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Gastrostomy tube; PEG tube
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastrointestinal
Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy
Nothing by mouth

82. LA FINE