RCS 6080 Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of

Rehabilitation Counseling

Medical Terminology

POSITION IN TIME OR SPACEPre- means before or in front of

prenatal: before birth

Peri- means around or aboutperinatal: around the time of the birthperithoratic: around the thorax

Post- means behind, after, or followingpostnatal: following birthposterior: toward the back

POSITION IN TIME OR SPACE

Ab- means away fromabnormal: away from normal

abduction: drawing away from the mid-line of the body by the arm or leg

Circum- means aroundcircumaticular: around a joint

QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION

A- or An- means withoutanorexia: without appetite

anoxia: without enough oxygen

Hemi- means halfhemiplegia: paralysis of one lateral half of the body

QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION

Diplo- means doublediploplia: double vision

Quad- means fourquadriplegia: paralysis of all four extremities

QUALITATIVE INFORMATION

Mal- means bad or illmalfunction: defective functioning

malocclusion: faulty positioning of the upper or lower teeth in relation to the other

Eu- means good or healthyeuphoria: sense of well-being or condition of good health

euthanasia: easy or painless death

SAMENESS AND DIFFERENCE

Hetero- means differentheterogeneous: differing in kinds or nature

heterosexual: sexual orientation directed to the opposite sex

Homo- means samehomogeneous: of the same kind

homosexual: sexual orientation directed to the same sex

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Micro- means smallmicrocephalia: abnormal smallness of the head

micromelia: abnormal smallness or shortness of the extremities

Brachy- means shortbrachycephalia: having a short head

brachydactylia: having abnormally short fingers and toes

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Oxy- means pointed or sharpoxycephaly: having a high and pointed head

Albo- means whitealbinism: absence of pigmentation

FORM ADJECTIVES

-al means pertaining toperitoneal: pertaining to the peritoneum

arterial: pertaining to an artery

-ible or -able means abilitydigestible: capable of being digested

operable: subject to being operated

EXPRESS DIMINUTIVE SIZE

A number of suffixes serve this purpose, including -cule, -icle, -ium, -ole, -ule, and variations

diverticulum: a small outpocketing from a hollow organ

arteriole: a small artery

granule: a small grain

INDICATE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE

-ectomy means removal of an organ or partappendectomy: removal of the appendix

-lysis means loosening, usually of adhesions

cardiolysis: freeing of the heart of pericardial adhesions

INDICATE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE

-ostomy means an operation in which an artificial opening is formed between two hollow organs or between one or more such viscera and the abdominal wall for discharge of intestinal content or urine

colostomy: the surgical creation of an opening between the colon and the exterior of the body

-pexy means fixationnephropexy: the surgical attachment of a floating kidney

INDICATE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE

-plasty means plastic surgeryblepharoplasty: plastic surgery of the eyelids

-rrhaphy means suture or operative repairtenorrhaphy: the suturing of a tendon

-scopy means viewing or examining, usually with an instrument

endoscopy: visual inspection of any body cavity by means of an endoscope

INDICATE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE

-tomy means cutting or incisionlaparotomy: the surgical opening of the abdomen

-tripsy means the intentional surgical crushing of a structure

lithotripsy: the disintegration of a kidney stone by a high-energy shockwave

EXPRESS CONDITIONS OR CHANGES

-mania means excessive excitement or obsessive preoccupation

pyromania: an irrational compulsion to set fires

-sis means an action, process, or conditionsilicosis: a fibrotic disorder of the lungs following inhalation of dust containing silicon dioxide

thoracentesis: surgical puncture of the chest wall for removal of fluid

EXPRESS CONDITIONS OR CHANGES

-itis means inflammationappendicitis: an inflammation of the appendix

BASIC TERMS

-algia means painneuralgia

angio- means blood vesselangiogram

ante- means beforeantecubital

BASIC TERMS

arth- means jointarthroscopy

blephar- means eyelidblepharospasm

cardi- means heartelectrocardiogram

BASIC TERMS

-cele means either a swelling or a herniavaricocele, rectocele

cerebro- means cerebrumcerebral

chole- means gall or bilecholecystectomy

BASIC TERMS

chondr- means cartilagechondrocostal

contra- means opposed tocontraception

cost- means ribintercostal

BASIC TERMS

cysto- means bladdercystitis

-desis means fusionarthrodesis

derm- means skindermatology

BASIC TERMS

dys- means difficult or abnormaldyspnea

ect- means outsideectomorph

-ectomy means removalsplenectomy

BASIC TERMS

-emia means condition of the bloodpolycythemia

enceph- means brainencephalitis

end- means withinendocrine

BASIC TERMS

enter- means intestineenterostomy

epi- means upon or aboveepithelium

-genic means giving rise topsychogenic

BASIC TERMS

glyco- means sugarglycosuria

hemi- means halfhemiplegia

hepat- means liverhepatitis

BASIC TERMS

hyper- means in excesshypertension

hyster- means uterushysterectomy

-iosis means a pathological conditionamebiosis

BASIC TERMS

-itis means inflammationtonsillitis

luek- means whiteleukocyte

lip- means fathyperlipemia

BASIC TERMS

-lith means stonenephrolithiasis

-megaly means a state of largenesshepatomegaly

myel- means either bone marrow or spinal cordmyelocyte

BASIC TERMS

myo- means musclemyocardium

neph- means kidneynephrosis

-oid means resemblingthyroid

BASIC TERMS

-oma means tumor or swellingcarcinoma

-oscopy means visual examinationlaparoscopy

-osis means disease process or conditionnecrosis

BASIC TERMSosteo- means bone

osteoarthritis

-ostomy means creation of an artificial opening in an organ

tracheostomy

-otomy means incisioncraniotomy

BASIC TERMS

para- means near, alongside, beyond, or outsideparavertebral

-pathy means disease ofcardiomyopathy

-penia means lack ofleukopenia

BASIC TERMS

-plasty means reparative or reconstructive surgeryrhinoplasty

pneumo- means airpneumothorax

pre- means beforeprecancerous

BASIC TERMS

pro- means in front of or beforeprognathism

proct- means rectum or anusproctology

-ptosis means lowering of an organ or partnephroptosis

BASIC TERMS

pyel- means pelvispyelogram

pyo- means puspyorrhea

spondyl- means vertebraspondylolysis

BASIC TERMS

sub- means undersubmandibular

super- means above or excessivesupersensitivity

supra- means abovesupraventricular

BASIC TERMS

syn- means togethersynarthrosis

trans- means acrosstransurethral

tri- means threetriceps

LANDMARKSlateral - to the side (used in contradistinction to medial)

medial - to the center

superior - above (used in contradistinction to inferior)

inferior - below

LANDMARKSanterior - before or in front (used in contradistinction to posterior)

posterior - behind or in back

dorsal - pertaining to the back (used in contradistinction to ventral)

ventral - pertaining to the front or abdominal surface

LANDMARKS

palmar - pertaining to the palm of the hand

plantar - pertaining to the sole of the foot

BODY AREASabdominal - pertaining to the stomach and intestinal area

carpal - pertaining to the wrist

cervical - pertaining to the seven vertebrae in the neck

costal - pertaining to the ribs

BODY AREAScranial - pertaining to the skull

femoral - pertaining to the thigh

frontal - pertaining to the forehead

lumbar - pertaining to the five vertebrae in the lower portion of the back

pelvic - pertaining to the pelvic girdle

BODY AREASrenal - pertaining to the kidney area

sacral - pertaining to the five vertebrae in the lowest portion of the back

sternal - pertaining to the sternum or breastbone

thoracic - pertaining to the twelve vertebrae in the upper portion of the back

ABBREVIATIONSa.c. - before mealsb.i.d. - twice dailyB.P. - blood pressureC-1, C-2, C-3 - cervical vertebrae by numberCBC - complete blood countC.C. - chief complaintC.N. - cranial nerveC.N.S. - central nervous systemCPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitationCT - computed tomography

ABBREVIATIONSCVA - cerebrovascular accidentdB - decibelDX - diagnosisESR - erythrocyte sedimentation rateF.H. - family historyFX - fractureGI - gastrointestinalHg - hemoglobinGU - genitourinaryHBV - hepatitis B virus

ABBREVIATIONSHDL - high density lipoproteinHg - mercuryh.s. - at bedtimeH & P - history and physical examinationHX - historyL-1, L-2, L-3 - lumbar vertebrae by numberL.L.Q. - left lower quadrantL.M.P. - last menstrual periodL.U.Q. - left upper quadrantMRI - magnetic resonance imaging

ABBREVIATIONSOA - osteoarthritisO.D. - right eyeO.S. - left eyep.c. - after mealsP.H. - past historyP.I. - present illnessp.r.n. - as neededq.i.d. - four times dailyRA - rheumatoid arthritisR.B.C. - red blood count

ABBREVIATIONSR.L.Q. - right lower quadrantR/O - rule outR.U.Q. - right upper quadrantRX (or TX) - treatmentS-1, S-2, S-3 - sacral vertebrae by numberSOAP - subjective findings, objective findings, assessment, planT-1, T-2, T-3 - thoracic vertebrae by numbert.i.d. - three times dailyW.B.C. - white blood count