Medical Terminology An Introduction

Using Medical Abbreviations Shortened forms for convenience Usually just letters Agencies have their approved lists of abbreviations—if not on list, do not use Health care workers are expected to recognize most common abbreviations

Medical Terminology was derived primarily from Greek & Latin --these were the languages of scholarly people in ancient times

Greeks: founders of modern medicine Hippocrates— Four body humors: black bile, yellow bile, blood & phlegm Too much black bile caused depression Called condition melancholy Literally means condition of black bile

Because of this use of two languages, you might see different terms & acronyms that mean the same thing. Example: EKG ECG - “K” (kardia) = heart --Greek electro/kardio/gram -“C” (cardia) = heart -- Latin electro/cardio/gram

Impossible to memorize all the medical words individually, so determine meaning of words by breaking it into parts These word parts are used over and over in different combinations If the word parts are known, then the word can be broken down and interpreted

Medical terminology is very interesting & insightful.

Take the word Amazon. Greek mythology tells us of beautiful, fierce woman warriors. They were excellent in archery & fighting. They fought oppression of men. Men called them Amazon warriors.

What does the Greek word amazon mean? Amazon comes from the Greek word: amazos The “a” is a prefix that means “without” “mazos” is the word root, which means “breast” Translated, Amazon refers to “without a breast” Greek mythology has it that these fierce women cut off their right breast in order to better handle their bows and arrows.

Another interesting medical root is gastr/o This root means stomach gastr/itis = inflamed stomach Gastr/ologist = stomach doctor

How is it, then, that the calf muscle is called the gastrocnemius muscle? In ancient times, gastr/o was a Greek word meaning “belly” Since calf muscle “bellied” out, the root gastr/o was used to describe it.

Now for the basics---

Medical words are like individual jigsaw puzzles-- each piece is a word part that comes together to form a medical term. prefix suffix root

dermatologist = skin doctor Example: ologist dermat dermatologist = skin doctor

Medical terms may have 4 word parts: Root Prefix Suffix Combining form

Example: heart - cardi/ 1. the word root Gives basic meaning of term each medical term contains one or more roots Unlike English roots, which can stand alone, most medical roots are meant to be used in combinations. Example: heart - cardi/

In medical terminology roots usually indicate a body part: pulmon/o dent/o cardi/o enter/o

2. the prefix is a word part added before a root to modify its meaning many medical terms do not have a prefix Example: pretest

A prefix usually indicates a: Number Time Position Sense of negation

Prefix examples: “number” prefixes uni- (uni/corn) bi- (bi/lateral) tri- (tri/athlon) “time” prefixes pre- (pre/test) post- (post/test)

“position” prefixes sub- (sub/marine) trans- (trans/atlantic) hypo- (hypo/dermic) “negation” prefixes a- (a/moral) an- (an/aerobic)

a word part added to end of root to modify its meaning 3. the suffix is a word part added to end of root to modify its meaning most medical terms have a suffix Example: root--teach to teacher

In medical terminology, a suffix often times indicates: a procedure ( -ectomy = surgical removal of) append/ectomy a condition ( -osis = abnormal condition of) halit/osis a disease ( -itis = inflammation of) tonsill/itis

root / prefix / suffix examples: Root example: write Suffix example: writer Prefix example: rewrite See how both the suffix & prefix modify the root?

4. Combining Vowel usually an “o” that is used between word parts eases pronunciation Examples: therm/o/meter

“i” or “e” occasionally other vowels are used: pelv/i or chol/e A root word plus a vowel is referred to as a “combining form”. combining form = root = hepat/ hepat/o

Roots & combining forms are indicated by slash “/ ” between root and vowel. cardi/o

Difficult to pronounce: gastr IMPORTANT: Try to learn combining forms rather than word roots because: combining forms are easier to pronounce. Example: Difficult to pronounce: gastr Easier to pronounce: gastr/o

Guidelines For Using Combining Vowels Rule 1 If a suffix begins with a vowel, only use word root—not the combining form. Example suffix: -itis root + suffix hepat + -itis = hepat/itis

Rule 2 -If a suffix begins with a consonant, use the combining vowel Example: word root combin. vowel suffix therm/ o -meter

Rule 3 To link two root words, always use a combining vowel. Example: word roots combin. vowel suffix splen/ o hepat/ -itis

In most instances, the combining vowel is retained between two roots -even if the 2nd root begins with a vowel. word roots combin. vowel suffix chondr/ o arthr/ -algia

even if the last letter of the 1st root ends with a vowel (oste/) & the 1st letter of the 2nd root begins with a vowel (arthr/), you must still use the combining “o” Example: oste/ + o + arthr/ + -itis

Rule 4 Never use a combining vowel after a prefix, even if root begins with a consonant. Example: Never, never, NEVER!!! NO “O” HERE! prefix word root suffix post/ rhin/o -plasty

Three Basic Steps to Defining & Interpreting Medical Words: First, define the suffix Second, define the prefix (if one is used) Last, define the middle part (root) of word

Example 1: sub/gastr/algia + gastr/ + -algia (under) (stomach) (pain) prefix root suffix 2 3 1

Example 2: trans/cardi/o/pulmon/itis + + + (across) (heart) (lungs) (inflam.) prefix root root suffix 4 1 2 3

Example 3: peri/oste/o/arthr/o/megaly + + + (around) (bone) (joints) (enlargement) prefix root root suffix 4 1 2 3

carditis little note… the root for heart = cardi/ when you put this root with suffix, -itis, drop one “i” instead of cardi/itis you would have: carditis

Time to practice!