9 syllables: Cho, lan, gi, o, pan, crea, to, graph, y. Stress on graph.
koh-lan-jee-oh-pan-kree-toh-GRAF-ee
/koʊ lan dʒi oʊ pæn kriː to ˈɡræfi/
Cholangiopancreatography is pronounced koh-lan-jee-oh-pan-kree-toh-GRAF-ee (/koʊ lan dʒi oʊ pæn kriː to ˈɡræfi/). It has nine syllables (Cho-lan-gi-o-pan-crea-to-graph-y), with the stress on "graph". Cholangiopancreatography is a medical imaging procedure that visualizes the bile ducts and pancreatic ducts using contrast material. It is typically performed to diagnose obstructions, stones, and other biliary or pancreatic disorders. The term combines multiple anatomical roots and is used predominantly in clinical contexts and scholarly writing.
nounCholangiopancreatography is a medical imaging procedure that visualizes the bile ducts and pancreatic ducts using contrast material. It is typically performed to diagnose obstructions, stones, and other biliary or pancreatic disorders. The term combines multiple anatomical roots and is used predominantly in clinical contexts and scholarly writing.
How to Pronounce Cholangiopancreatography
"The patient underwent cholangiopancreatography to assess a suspected biliary obstruction."
"During the ERCP session, cholangiopancreatography helped identify a choledocholithiasis."
"Researchers compared MRI and cholangiopancreatography findings to correlate ductal anatomy."
Break it into syllables: /ˌkɒ.læŋ.ɡi.oʊ.pen.kriˈæ.tɔː.ɡrə.fi/. Stress falls on the fourth syllable of the stem - pancrea- and the final -phy; you can feel it as cho-LAN-gee-oh-PEN-kree-AT-uh-gra-fee. Start with a light preceding schwa in the first two syllables, then a strong secondary stress on pan- and primary stress close to -graphy. Position the tongue: lips neutral to slightly rounded at oʊ; the “pan” segment uses a crisp tʃ or p sound? No—pan is plain p, then æ, then n. Audio reference: you can compare to “cholangiopancreatography” in medical pronunciation videos or standard medical dictionaries.”,
Most errors involve misplacing stress across the long word, and mispronouncing the palatal nasal sequence in -lian- and -gio-. Specifically: 1) stressing the wrong syllable, which makes the word sound like ‘chol-AN-gee-o-pan-CRE-a-to-graph-y’ rather than the intended rhythm; 2) mispronouncing the /ŋ/ as /n/ or vice versa in -angi-; 3) pronouncing -graphy as -gree-uh-fee or incorrectly stressing -gra-phy. Correction tips: practice with the YA pattern: cholaNG-gee-oh-PEN-kree-AT-uh-gra-fee; keep a steady pace and entrain the /ŋ/ sound in the “ng” cluster; emphasize the -graphy suffix lightly but clearly.
US: rhotics are pronounced; the final -ography has the /ɡrəfi/ ending, and the /oʊ/ in -gio- is pronounced as a long o. UK: non-rhotic tendencies may soften r in -graphy; /ˈkɒl.æŋ.dɪ.əʊˌpen.kriˈæt.ə.grə.fi/ with slightly different vowel colors; AU: similar to UK but with broader vowel qualities and more clipped rhythm. Across all, the -ography suffix remains /-ɡrəfi/. Practice by comparing minimal pairs: /ˌkɒ.læŋ.ɡi.oʊ.pɛn.kri.ˈæ.tɔː.ɡrə.fi/ vs US /ˌkɔː.læn.dʒi.oʊˌpen.kriˈæ.tɔ.ɡrə.fi/; listen to regional recordings for precise vowel shifts.
It’s a long, multi-morphemic word with several uncommon segments (cholangi-, -pancreato-, -graphy) that combine in a way many English speakers aren’t used to. Key challenges include the palatal nasal sequence in -lian-, the diphthong in -gio-, and maintaining correct stress across 7+ syllables. Additionally, the /ŋ/ sound should be clearly separated from the following vowel to avoid blending into -angi-. Slow, deliberate practice with phonetic cues and listening drills helps internalize the rhythm and reduce confusion between adjacent syllables.
No standard letters are silent in the normal, clinical pronunciation. Every morpheme contributes phonemes: chol- (cho-lan-), angio- (an-jee-oh), pancreato- (pen-kree-ah-to), -graphy (-grah-fee). The trick is not silent letters but the rapid, connected articulation across morpheme boundaries, particularly the transition between -angi o- and -pancreatography. In careful reading, you emphasize the boundary between the pan- and -crea- segments and keep the /ŋ/ distinct before the following /i/ or /o/ vowel.
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Cholangiopancreatography derives from Greek roots that describe the target anatomy and the act of recording images. Chol- (bile) from cholē, chole-; angi/o (vessel) from angeion; pancreat/o (pancreas) from pra n kreas; -graphy (process of recording) from graphe. The term literally stitches together cholangi(o) (bile ducts) + pancreat(o) (pancreas) + -ography (a recording procedure). The first elements refer to ductal anatomy (chol- and angi-), then the pancreatic component (pancreat-), concluding with a general imaging suffix. Usage in medicine began in the 20th century as imaging techniques advanced, especially with radiographic contrast agents enabling visualization of ductal trees. Within clinical lexicon, ERCP-based cholangiopancreatography emerged as a standard term, though imaging modalities expanded with MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) and other noninvasive methods. Early literature used broader descriptions like “ductal imaging of the hepatobiliary and pancreatic systems,” but the precise, combined term—cholangiopancreatography—became established in radiology and gastroenterology texts to name the diagnostic procedure that captures both biliary and pancreatobiliary ducts in one study. The evolution reflects shifts from purely radiographic contrast studies to endoscopic techniques and cross-sectional imaging, maintaining the core meaning of recording ductal structures for diagnostic purposes. First known use is documented in radiology literature mid-20th century as internal terms coalesced into a single compound name.
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Words that rhyme with "Cholangiopancreatography"
-phy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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