Clinical Diagnosis · Nervous System · Medium

Dysmetria

Meaning: Inability to judge the distance or range of a movement, causing over- or undershooting.

In practice: On finger-to-nose testing the patient repeatedly overshoots the target, pointing to cerebellar disease.

Word parts

Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.

Two questions on related clinical diagnosis words.

Which word means: Infection of the lung tissue causing inflammation and fluid-filled alveoli.

Which word means: Non-pitting swelling of the skin from mucopolysaccharide deposits, typical of severe hypothyroidism.

One medical word a day, then a quick three-question quiz. Free on iPhone, or play in your browser on Android and computer.