Medical Terminology Chapter 1 Confusing and Sound Alike Words and Word Parts

arteri/o, ather/o, arthr/o  arteri/o = artery  ather/o = fatty substance, plaque  arthr/o = joint

ileum, ilium  ileum: part of small intestine  ilium: part of the hip bone

inflammation, infection  inflammation: localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues Signs: redness, heat, swelling, pain  infection: invasion of the body by a pathogenic organism

laceration, lesion  laceration: torn, ragged wound  lesion: pathologic change of tissues due to disease or injury

mucous, mucus  mucous: an adjective that describes the specialized membranes that line the body cavities  mucus: name of fluid secreted by the mucous membranes, noun

myc/o, myel/o, my/o  myc/o = fungus  myel/o = bone marrow or spinal cord  my/o = muscle

-ologist, -ology  -ologist: specialist  -ology: study

-ostomy, -otomy  -ostomy: surgically create an artificial opening  -otomy: cutting into or surgical incision

Palpation, palpitation  palpation: examination by feeling  palpitation: pounding or racing heart

suturing, ligation  suturing: act of closing a wound or incision  ligation: act of binding or tying off blood vessels or ducts

triage, trauma  triage: medical screening to determine priority of treatment  trauma: wound or injury

py/o, pyr/o, pyel/o  py/o = pus  pyr/o = fever, fire  pyel/o = renal pelvis

sign, symptom, syndrome  sign: evidence of disease that can be observed by patient & others  symptom: can be observed only by patient  syndrome: set of signs & symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process

objective, subjective  objective: can be measured, a sign is objective  subjective: can only be measured or evaluated by the patient, a symptom is subjective

diagnosis, prognosis  diagnosis: the identification of the disease  prognosis: prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disorder

acute, chronic, remission  acute: rapid onset, short duration  chronic: longer duration  remission: partial or complete disappearance of disease without having achieved a cure

acronym, eponym  acronym: word formed from the initial letter or letters of the major parts of a compound term ex: AIDS  eponym: disease, structure, or procedure named for a person ex: Alzheimer’s disease

Words Indicating Color Cyan/o- means blue, Cyanosis Erythr/o- means red, Erythrocytes Leuk/0- means white, Leukocytes Melan/o- means black, Melanosis is a condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in different parts of the body. Poli/0- means gray, Poliomyelitis is a vital infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Taking Terms Apart Otorhinolaryngology- Otorhinolaryngology- Ot/0- ear Ot/0- ear Rhino/o- nose Rhino/o- nose Laryng/0- throat Laryng/0- throat Ology- study of Ology- study of Study of the ears, nose, and throat. Doctors who specialize in this use the Abbrev. ENT Study of the ears, nose, and throat. Doctors who specialize in this use the Abbrev. ENT

Education and level of Training Aide or Assistant- one or more years of combined classroom and/or on the job training. Dental assistant, medical assistant. Nurse or Technician- Two year associate’s degree, special health occupations education, or three to four years of on- the-job training. Dental Hygienist or surgical technician. Registered nurse, Technologist- 3-4 years of college plus work experience. Usually get a bachelor’s degree. Physical therapist or speech therapist. Professional- Postgraduate education in medical specialty. Usually get a masters and or a doctorate degree. Dentist, medical doctor, and a Psychologist.