Health Sciences 1101

Medical Terminology

Module 1Introduction and Basic Medical Terms

Building Medical Terms

Word Root: The main part of the medical term. Typically reflects the body part involved

Combining form: The word root + a vowel. The vowel allows the root to be combined with a prefix, suffix or another word root.

Prefix: Word element located at the beginning of a word. Usually indicates a number, time, position etc.

Suffix: Word element located at the end of a word. Usually indicates a procedure, condition or disease.

Word Building Rules

1. If the word root links directly to a suffix that begins with a vowel, then you can just mash the two together.

Word root Suffix Term

Gastr -itis gastritis

Append -ectomy appendectomy

Leuk -emia leukemia

Word Building Rules

2. If the suffix you are adding to a word root begins with a consonant, then you need the combining form of the word root (root + vowel)

Word root Suffix Term

Therm -meter thermometer

Hepat -toxic hepatotoxic

Ureter -lith ureterolith

Word Building Rules

3. When combining 2 or more roots, you always use the combining form, even if the second word starts with a vowel.

Word root Word Root SuffixTerm

Oste chondr -itis osteochondritis

Leuk cyte -penia leukocytopenia

Gastr enter -itis gastroenteritis

Examples

Therapy using chemicals

Chem + -therapy

chemotherapy

The study of the skin

dermat + -ology

dermatology

Excessive amount of lipids in the blood

hyper- + lipid + -emia

hyperlipidemia

The measurement of heart function using electricity

Electr- + cardi- + -gram

Electrocardiogram

A shortness of white blood cells in the blood

leuk- + cyt + -penia

dermatology

Inflammation in the lungs caused by the inhalation of of fine silica dust?

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

You probably don’t need to remember that guy.

PronunciationMacrons and breves

The macron: Ā, Ē, Ī, Ō, Ū

The macron gives the long sound of the vowel, like in rate, rebirth, side, over, and unite.

The breve: Ă, Ĕ, Ĭ, Ŏ, Ŭ

The breve gives the short sound of the vowel, like in apple, ever, it, not, and hut.

Vowel Sound Examples

Ēlephant

Tăble

Păpēr

Pencīl

Găs trek tō mē (gastrectomy)

Sĕf-ă-lăl-jē-ă (cephalalgia)

Accent or Syllable EmphasisCapital letters indicate the primary accent for the

medical term. This is the syllable that receives the emphasis.

CapiTAL letTERS inDICate the priMARy accENT for the mediCAL term.

Hippopotamus?

HippoPOtamus

HippopoTAMus

Suffixes

Diagnostic:

RecordingMeasuringViewingA record: -gramInstrument: -graph -meter -scopeAct of: -graphy -metry-scopy

A telegram is a printed message sent using a telegraph. You look at tiny things using a microscope and the act of using a microscope is microscopy.

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Suffixes - Pathological(Pathological = having to do with abnormal conditions):

-trophy nourishment, development (dys/trophy = bad

development)-osis abnormal condition (primarily blood

cells)-iasis abnormal condition (specific cause)-pathy disease-toxic poisonous-itis inflammation-plegia paralysis-algia, -dynia pain

Suffixes - Pathological

-stenosis narrowing-malacia softening-megaly enlargement-penia decrease, deficiency-oma tumor-lith stone-emia blood condition-emesis vomiting-phobia fear

Suffixes - Pathological

Swelling, enlargement-

-edema swelling due to fluid retention-cele a swelling or hernia-ectasis expansion or dilation of an existing

space

Suffixes - Surgical

Cutting suffixes:

-tome cutting instrument-tomy an incision-ectomy surgical removal, excision-stomy procedure that forms an opening

(from Latin “stoma” = mouth)

Suffixes - Pathological

The rrh suffixes:

-rrhea discharge, flow(diarrhea)

-rrhexis rupture

-rrhage, rrhagia bursting of, burst out in rage

And from the surgical suffixes, -rrhaphy suturing

Suffixes - Surgical

Physical changes:-centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid-plasty surgical repair-desis fixation, immobilization of a bony joint-pexy fixation of an organ-tripsy crushing (like kidney stones)-rrhaphy suturing-lysis separation, destruction, dissolving-clast to break

Prefixes

Size:Micro- small(micro/scope)Macro- large (macro/cyte)

Time:Pre, Pro- before(pre/natal)Post- after (post/mortem)

Prefixes

Relative position:Hypo- under,

belowSuper- above,

overDia, Trans- across,

through Circum, Peri- around

Endo, Intra- in, within

Retro- behind

Prefixes

A, An- without

Mono, Uni- oneDipl, Diplo- doublePrimi-

firstHomo, Homeo- same

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Analyzing Words

1. Define the suffix.2. Define the prefix.3. Define the middle of the

word.

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Singular/Plural Word EndingsSingular Plural Examples-us -i

thrombus / thrombi-a -ae vertebra

/vertebrae-um -a

diverticulum / diverticula

-is -esdiagnosis / diagnoses

-ax -ces thorax / thoraces

-ix, ex -ices appendix / appendices

-en -ina lumen / lumina

-on -aspermatozoon/

spermatozoa-ma -mata sarcoma /

sarcomata-y -ies ovary

/ ovaries