Which term means deficiency of calcium?

• A. Carcinogen
• B. Baroreceptor
• C. Calcipenia
• D. Bifurcation

Answer: (C)

Understanding medical word parts helps decipher meanings quickly. The suffix -penia means deficiency or paucity, and the root calci- refers to calcium. When these are combined, calcipenia denotes a deficiency of calcium.

The other terms don’t relate to calcium. A carcinogen is an agent that causes cancer; a baroreceptor is a sensor that detects blood pressure changes; a bifurcation is a split into two branches. In this list, calcipenia is the term that directly expresses calcium deficiency. In clinical practice you might also hear hypocalcemia for low calcium in the blood, but calcipenia is the exact term used here.