One of the challenges in medical transcription is that the audio quality is not always of optimal quality. There are many words that sound alike, and some can be difficult to understand, even in context. Below is Part 2 (D – L) listing sound alike words that are encountered by medical professionals, along with a brief definition. It’s helpful for both health care professionals and transcriptionists to review them to make sure they are deliberate in their pronunciation as well as to understanding the context in which they are used.
decision a choice made among options
discission an incision or cutting into
denervation loss of nerve supply
enervation loss of nervous energy
innervation supply of nerves to a part
dental relating to teeth or dentistry
dentil one of a series of small rectangular blocks forming a molding
denticle a conical pointed projection
identical the same
desperate frantic
disparate markedly distinct in quality
device equipment or mechanism designed for a purpose
devise to plan, design, or contrive
diaphysis the body or shaft of a long bone that ossified from a primary center
diathesis an inborn tendency to develop certain diseases or other abnormal conditions
diarrhea abnormally loose and frequent bowel movements
diuria a crystalline substance derivable from two molecules or urea
diuresis excretion of abnormally high amounts of urine
discreet a judicious reserve in one’s speech or behavior
discrete separate or individually distinct, as in discrete mass
dissension strong disagreement; discord
distention state of being distended or enlarged
dysphagia difficulty in swallowing
dysphasia difficulty in speaking
dystaxia difficulty in controlling voluntary movement
dystectia defective closure of the neural tube, resulting in malformation
Ebstein angle; anomaly; disease
Epstein Epstein-Barr virus, disease
eczema a type of dermatitis
exemia loss of fluid from blood vessels
ejection expelling, throwing out
ingestion taking of food or liquid into the body through the mouth
injection a shot; congestion
elicit to bring out, as in elicit a response
illicit illegal, as in illicit drugs
emanate to flow out or proceed from; to originate from
eminence a prominence or projection, particularly of bone
eminent important, well known, prominent
imminent likely or about to occur
enema injection of fluid into the rectum
intima innermost structure
intimal pertaining to the inner layer of a blood vessel
ephedrine an alkaloid
epinephrine a catecholamine
Excedrin a pain reliever for headaches
erasable removable with an eraser
irascible easily provoked to anger
ethanal acetaldehyde
ethinyl ethynyl
ethanol alcohol
ethenyl vinyl
eyes and nose parts of the anatomy above the lips
I’s & O’s intake and output
facial pertaining to the face
fascial pertaining to or of the nature of fascia
faucial pertaining to the passage from the mouth to the pharynx
false not true
falx a sickle-shaped organ or structure, as in falx cerebri
farther physical distance, as in driving farther than planned
further extension of time or degree, as in further care before discharge
fascicle a band or bundle of fibers, as in muscle or nerve
vesical pertaining to the bladder
vesicle a small sac containing fluid, as in the lesions seen in chickenpox
faze to cause to be disconcerted, as in the problem didn’t faze him
phase a stage of development
phrase a group of words
fibers slender structures or filaments
fibrose to form fibrous tissue
fibrous composed of or containing fibers
filamentous composed of long threadlike structures
velamentous in the form of a sheet or veil
filiform thread-shaped; a slender bougie
phalliform shaped like a penis
piliform shaped like or resembling hair
flanges projecting borders or edges
phalanges plural of phalanx; bones of the fingers or toes
fornix arch-shaped roof of an anatomical space
pharynx the throat
fovea a cup-shaped pit or depression
folia plural of folium, a leaf-like structure
phobia a fear or morbid dread
gaited walking or running in a certain manner, as in a gaited horse
gated an entrance or opening, as in gated magnetic resonance cardiac imaging
glands cells that function as secretory or excretory organs
glans a conical-shaped structure, as in glans penis
Gleason score for grading prostate carcinoma
Glisson capsule; tissue covering the liver
glisten to sparkle
glucoside a glycoside in which the sugar content is glucose
glycoside any of the class of compounds that yield a sugar and an aglycon upon hydrolysis, as in cardiac glycoside
graft tissue implanted from one point to another
graph a diagram with connecting points
hear to listen
here where you are right now
hemolysis disruption of the integrity of the erythrocyte membrane causing release of hemoglobin
homolysis lysis of a cell by extracts of the same type of tissue
Hertel rigid dilator stone forceps; exophthalmometer
Hurthle as in Hurthle cell adenoma, Hurthle cell carcinoma, Hurthle cell tumor
heterotopia displacement of parts or organs; presence of tissue in an abnormal location
heterotrophia nutritional disorder
heterotropia strabismus
holder a container; a device for immobilizing a part of the body, as in head holder
Holter a heart monitor
HNP herniated nucleus pulposus
H&P history and physical
humerus long bone in upper arm
humorous funny
ileac pertaining to the distal portion of the colon
iliac pertaining to the superior portion of the hip bone
ileum distal portion of the colon
ilium superior portion of the hip bone
inanimate without life or spirit, as in an inanimate object
innominate nameless, as in an innominate artery
inanition loss of vitality
inattention failure to pay attention
inhibition self-restriction of freedom of activity
incidence rate or frequency of occurrence
incidents single occurrences, events, or happenings
instance case or example
incision a wound made in surgery
schism disunion or discord
scission cleavage; splitting
infarction necrosis caused by obstruction, as in myocardial infarction
infection invasion of the body by organisms that can cause disease
inflection change in vocal pitch or loudness; bending forward
infraction incomplete fracture; breaking of a rule
installation placing in a position or office
instillation injecting slowly
irradiate to treat with radioactivity
radiate to spread out from a center, as in the pain radiates into the lower leg
jewel a precious stone
joule a unit of energy
jowl a fold of flesh hanging from the jaw
karyon nucleus
kerion a secondarily infected granulomatous lesion
keloid a hyperplastic scar
keroid resembling horn or corneal tissue
kempt referring to a neat appearance
kept past tense of keep
labial pertaining to a lip or lip-like structure
labile unstable, as in labile blood pressure
lassitude listlessness
latitude freedom of choice; plane of reference
leak an accidental opening that permits substance or information to escape
LEEP loop electrosurgical procedure (gyn)
LLETZ laparoscopic laser excision of the transformation zone (gyn)
Leiden genetic mutation associated with clotting factor V
Leyden genetic mutation associated with clotting factor IX
lesser smaller when comparing two things, as in lesser evil
lessor one who conveys property by a lease
liable responsible for
libel defamation by written or printed words
libido sexual desire
livedo bluish discoloration of skin
lice parasites
lyse to break up or disintegrate, as in lysis of adhesions
lightening decreasing in weight
lighting illumination
lightning a flash of light produced by electricity in the atmosphere, as in thunder and lightning
liver large gland in the abdomen
livor discoloration appearing on the body after death
loop an oval or circular ring formed by bending a vessel or cylindrical organ
loupe a magnifying glass
loose not securely attached
lose to misplace
2Ascribe Inc. is a medical transcription services agency located in Toronto, Ontario Canada, providing medical transcription services to physicians, clinics and other healthcare providers across Canada. With WEBscribe, a client interface portal for document management, 2Ascribe continues to implement and develop technology to assist and improve the transcription process for physicians and other healthcare providers. As a service to our clients and the healthcare industry, 2Ascribe offers articles of interest to physicians and other healthcare professionals, medical transcriptionists and office staff, as well as of general interest. Additional articles may be found at http://www.2ascribe.com/category/articles/dictation-tips and http://www.2ascribe.com/category/articles.
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