Introduction to Medical Terminology Practice Test

Hardening of tissue is described by sclerosis, which comes from the scler- root meaning hard, with the suffix -sclerosis indicating a process of hardening. This term is used in many conditions where tissues or vessels become harder and less flexible. Necrosis refers to tissue death, not hardness. Malacia means softening of tissue, the opposite of hardening. Centesis is a procedure involving puncture to withdraw fluid. So sclerosis is the term that denotes hardening of tissue.