MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY The study of words that pertain to body systems, anatomical structures, medical processes and procedures, and a variety of diseases. Provides a specialized language for the health care team so they may communicate in a concise and accurate way. A language created exclusively for the convenience of those who work in the health care industry.

pn in the middle of a word Pronounced with a hard p and hard n Examples: orthopnea hyperpnea

MEDICAL TERMS ARE FORMED FROM WORD ELEMENTS WORD ROOT The main part of the word Tells what the word is about The subject of the word you are going to build * ALL MEDICAL TERMS HAVE at least one WR Examples: cardio = “heart” gastro = “stomach” hepato = “liver”

PREFIX A word element always located at the beginning of a word. Placed before a word root or a suffix to change the meaning or to make it more specific. Examples: intra = “inside, within” brady = “slow” micro = “small” dys = “painful, difficult”

SUFFIX An element added to the end of the word or word root Changes or adds to the meaning Examples: gram = “record” itis = “inflammation” ectomy = “excision” algia = “pain”

COMBINING VOWEL Makes it possible to combine several word roots or a WR with a suffix. It makes the word easier to pronounce. Examples: electr/o/cardi/o/gram = “an electrical record of the heart” (WR/o/WR/o/suffix) hepat/o/rrhagia = “hemorrhage of the liver” (WR/o/suffix)

THREE BASIC RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN BUILDING MEDICAL TERMS 1.The combining vowel is usually an o oste/o: Oste = “bone,” and the o is the combining vowel. The o can be added to join a WR with another WR or a suffix. Sometimes an i, y, or u is used. Combining vowels make it easier to pronounce the term. e.g., osteomyelitis is easier to pronounce than ostemyelitis; hepatorrhagia vs hepatrrhagia

2.When the suffix begins with one of the vowels (a, e, i, o, u), the o on the WR is not used. Since oste/o ends in o and the suffix –itis begins with a vowel, the o is dropped. The word is oste/itis = “inflammation of the bone.” hyster/ectomy = “surgical removal of the uterus” poly/arthr/itis = “inflammation of many joints”

The combining vowel is usually retained if the suffix begins with a consonant. oste/o/tome = “instrument used to cut bone” aden/o/pathy = “disease of the glands”

3.The combining vowel is usually placed between two word roots, even if the second WR begins with a vowel. gastr/o/enter/itis = “inflammation of the stomach and intestines” dacry/o/aden/itis = “inflammation of the lacrimal gland (tear duct)” oste/o/arthr/o/pathy – “any disease involving the bones and joints”

When defining Medical Terms, read the definition as follows: 1.Define the suffix, or last part of the word. 2.Define the prefix, or first part of the word. 3.Define the middle part of the word. Example: gastr/o/enter/itis (2) (3) (1) = inflammation of the stomach and intestines (usually small intestines)

hyster/o/salping/ectomy (2) (3) (1) Surgical removal of the uterus and fallopian tubes

Changing words from Singular to Plural Use the rule for changing words from singular to plural that applies to the language the word comes from: – For English words, add an –s to the word to make it plural – arms, legs, cells, membranes, parts, electrolytes, proteins, carbohydrates, skeletons, etc.

Since many medical terms come from Greek or Latin, use the following rules: Add an –e to a word ending in –a – axilla to axillae – vertebra to vertebrae – coxa to coxae – pleura to pleurae

Drop the –ax at the end of a word and add -aces – thorax to thoraces Change the –x to –g in a word that ends in –nx and add –es – phalanx to phalanges Drop the –ix or –ex at the end of the word and add –ices – appendix to appendices – apex to apices

Drop the –y at the end of a word and add –ies – myringotomy to myringotomies – myelopathy to myelopathies – neuropathy to neuropathies – nephropathy to nephropathies – pathology to pathologies – anomaly to anomalies

Drop the –us at the end of a word and add an –i: – alveolus to alveoli – villus to villi Drop the –on at the end of a word and add an –a: – ganglion to ganglia – spermatozoon to spermatozoa

Drop the –is at the end of a word and add –es – metastasis to metastases – anastomosis to anastomoses – epiphysis to epiphyses – prosthesis to prostheses Drop the –um at the end of a word and add –a – ischium to ischia – ovum to ova – bacterium to bacteria Drop the –ma at the end of the word and add –mata – Stoma to stomata – blastoma to blastomata – fibroma to fibromata

Common Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Pg. 266

abbreviations Shortened form of words Efficient way of communicating quickly and concisely with other health care workers Saves time and space on medical documents Always use standard abbreviations If unsure, write out the word

Common Abbreviations in Health Care P. 272