Which term means enlargement of the heart?

• A. Cardiomegaly
• B. Cephalic
• C. Carpals
• D. Cardiomyopathy

Answer: (A)

Enlargement of the heart is described by the term cardiomegaly. The prefix cardio- means heart, and -megaly means enlargement, so together they specify an enlarged heart. This condition shows up on imaging like chest X-rays or echocardiograms and can arise from various causes, such as high blood pressure, heart valve problems, or heart failure. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle itself and, while it can lead to an enlarged heart, the term refers to a muscle disease rather than the enlargement alone. Cephalic means related to the head, and carpals are the wrist bones, so both are unrelated to heart size.