Which term means a tumor of the bile duct?

Which term means a tumor of the bile duct?

• A. Alimentary canal
• B. Cholangioma
• C. Esophagocele
• D. Hematemesis

Answer: (B)

Understanding how medical terms name a tumor helps here. When a tumor’s name uses the organ root plus -oma, it indicates a mass arising from that organ. The bile ducts are called cholangi- in medical terminology, so a tumor of the bile duct is cholangioma. The other terms don’t fit because they refer to different things: the alimentary canal is the entire digestive tract; an esophagocele is a pouch or herniation of the esophagus; hematemesis is vomiting blood. If the specific cancer of the bile ducts is meant, you might also hear cholangiocarcinoma, but for a general tumor of the bile duct, cholangioma is the correct term.

Understanding how medical terms name a tumor helps here. When a tumor’s name uses the organ root plus -oma, it indicates a mass arising from that organ. The bile ducts are called cholangi- in medical terminology, so a tumor of the bile duct is cholangioma.

The other terms don’t fit because they refer to different things: the alimentary canal is the entire digestive tract; an esophagocele is a pouch or herniation of the esophagus; hematemesis is vomiting blood. If the specific cancer of the bile ducts is meant, you might also hear cholangiocarcinoma, but for a general tumor of the bile duct, cholangioma is the correct term.