Health Sciences 1101 Medical Terminology Module 1 Introduction 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 rootSuffixTerm Gastr-itisgastritis Append-ectomyappendectomy Leuk-emialeukemia

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 rootSuffixTerm Therm-meterthermometer Hepat-toxichepatotoxic Ureter-lithureterolith

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 RootSuffixTerm 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.

Pronunciation Macrons 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 Emphasis Capital 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: RecordingMeasuringViewing A record:-gram Instrument:-graph-meter-scope Act 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.

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 12

Suffixes - Pathological -stenosisnarrowing -malaciasoftening -megalyenlargement -peniadecrease, deficiency -omatumor -lithstone -emiablood condition -emesisvomiting -phobiafear

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: -tomecutting instrument -tomyan incision -ectomysurgical removal, excision -stomyprocedure that forms an opening (from Latin “stoma” = mouth)

Suffixes - Pathological The rrh suffixes: -rrheadischarge, flow(diarrhea) -rrhexisrupture -rrhage, rrhagiabursting of, burst out in rage And from the surgical suffixes, -rrhaphysuturing

Suffixes - Surgical Physical changes: -centesissurgical puncture to remove fluid -plastysurgical repair -desisfixation, immobilization of a bony joint -pexyfixation of an organ -tripsycrushing (like kidney stones) -rrhaphysuturing -lysisseparation, destruction, dissolving -clastto 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, below Super- above, over Dia, Trans- across, through Circum, Peri-around Endo, Intra- in, within Retro- behind

Prefixes A, An- without Mono, Uni-one Dipl, Diplo-double Primi-first Homo, Homeo-same

Analyzing Words 1.Define the suffix. 2.Define the prefix. 3.Define the middle of the word. 21

Singular/Plural Word Endings SingularPluralExamples -us-ithrombus / thrombi -a-aevertebra /vertebrae -um-adiverticulum / diverticula -is-esdiagnosis / diagnoses -ax-cesthorax / thoraces -ix, ex-icesappendix / appendices -en-inalumen / lumina -on-aspermatozoon/ spermatozoa -ma-matasarcoma / sarcomata -y-iesovary / ovaries 22