Which combining form means renal pelvis?

• A. Pyel/o
• B. Proct/o
• C. Phleb/o
• D. Phag/o

Answer: (A)

Combining forms in medical terminology name specific body parts, and they connect with suffixes to form terms. The renal pelvis is the funnel-shaped part of the kidney where urine collects before entering the ureter, and the combining form for that structure is pyel/o, from the Greek pyelos. That’s why this form is the best choice for meaning renal pelvis. You’ll see pyel/o in terms like pyelitis (inflammation of the renal pelvis), pyelonephritis (infection of the renal pelvis), and pyeloplasty (surgical repair of the renal pelvis or junction to the ureter). Other options point to different anatomy: proct/o refers to the rectum, phleb/o to veins, and phag/o to eating or engulfing.