Ace the CPCT Medical Terminology Challenge 2026 – Elevate Your Career in Healthcare!

Session length

1 / 20

The term CENTESIS denotes which definition?

Flow, discharge

Excision, removal

Cut, remove

Surgical puncture

The main idea here is that the suffix -centesis means a surgical puncture to drain or sample fluid from a body cavity. This describes procedures where a needle is inserted to puncture a space and withdraw fluid. That’s why it translates to surgical puncture. Examples include amniocentesis (amniotic fluid), thoracentesis (pleural fluid), and paracentesis (abdominal fluid). Other options refer to removing tissue (excision) or cutting into tissue (surgical incision or sectioning), which are different concepts.

Next Question
Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy