Angio

Angio is a combining form used in biological and medical terminology to denote a vessel, typically a blood or lymphatic vessel, or a vascular structure more generally. It derives from the Greek angeion, meaning vessel or container. In clinical and biomedical terms, angio- appears in many compounds that describe vessel-related concepts.

In medicine, angio- prefixes create terms for techniques, processes, or conditions involving vessels. Angiography is the imaging of blood or lymphatic vessels using contrast material. Angioplasty refers to procedures that widen narrowed or blocked vessels, usually arteries. Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel formation, a crucial feature in growth, wound healing, and various diseases. Antiangiogenic therapy aims to suppress vessel growth to treat cancer or eye disorders. Angioedema denotes swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and mucous membranes, which can affect the face or airway.

In botany, angio- appears in angiosperms, the group of flowering plants whose seeds are enclosed within an ovary, a defining trait distinct from gymnosperms. The term reflects historical use of vessel- or vessel-like structures in plant tissues as part of the plant’s vascular system.