Which term denotes the surgical removal of a kidney?

• A. Nephrectomy
• B. Nephology
• C. Nephronectomy
• D. Nephroectomy

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is how medical terms for procedures are formed. The kidney is represented by the prefix nephro-, and the suffix -ectomy means surgical removal. When you combine them, nephrectomy exactly denotes the surgical removal of a kidney, and this is the standard term used in medicine for that procedure.

Other terms describe different ideas: nephology is the study of kidneys, not their removal; nephronectomy would imply removing a nephron, the tiny functional unit of the kidney, which does not remove the whole organ; nephroectomy, while it sounds like it could mean kidney removal, is not the established term for removing an entire kidney.