M EDICAL T ERMINOLOGY

W ORD P ARTS Root Words / Combining Forms Foundation of the word Usually indicates a body part or structure Combining form is a root plus a vowel to allow elements to be combined Use the combining form when adding a suffix starting with a consonant Use the root word alone when adding a suffix starting with a vowel Prefixes At the beginning of a word to change the meaning Usually indicates a number, time, position, or negative Suffixes At the end of the word to change the meaning Usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech

R OOT W ORDS Erythr/o- red Melan/o- black Cyan/o- blue Leuk/o- white Xanthr/o- yellow Therm/o- heat Cry/o- cold Abdomin/o- abdomen Caud/o- tail Cephal/o- head Cardi/o- heart Bi/o- life Cervic/o- neck Inguin/o- groin Pelv/i- or pelv/o- pelvis Spin/o- spine Thorac/o- thoracic Umbilic/o- umbilicus / naval Rhin/o- nose Crani/o- cranium Arthr-o joint Gastr/o- stomach My/o- muscle Surgic/o- surgery

P REFIXES Hypo- under, below, deficient Epi- above, upon A- or An- without or not Pre- before, in front of Pro- before, in front of, an advantage for Post- after, behind Anti- opposite or against Contra- opposite or against Syn- or Sym- union, together, joined

S UFFIXES –osis condition –ectomy excision, removal –rrhea flow or discharge –itis inflammation of –cyte cell –oma tumor –megaly enlargement -logy study of -logist specialist in the study of -therapy treatment -algia pain -dynia pain -ic pertaining to -al pertaining to -ar pertaining to -tic pertaining to

A NATOMICAL P OSITION Standing erect, looking forward, arms at the side, palms facing forward. Reference Point- all descriptions use this position as their reference

B ODY P LANES Sagittal or Median- cuts the body into right and left Midsagittal= perfect halves Frontal or Coronal - cuts the body into front and back Transverse or Horizontal - cuts the body into upper and lower Sagittal Median Transverse Horizontal Frontal Coronal

Prone- lying face down Supine- lying face up

B ODY C AVITIES Cranial Spinal/ Vertebral Thoracic Diaphragm * Abdominal Pelvic DORSALDORSAL VENTRALVENTRAL

A BDOMINAL Q UADRANTS RUQ Liver Gallbladder R. Kidney LUQ Stomach Pancreas Spleen L. Kidney RLQ Cecum ( junction between intestines ) Appendix R. Ovary LLQ L. Ovary Quadrants Organs

D IRECTIONAL T ERMS

Medial towards the midline Lateral away from the midline Superior towards the head Inferior towards the feet Anterior towards the front Posterior towards the back Proximal (only used with extremities) towards the body or trunk Distal (only used with extremities) away from the body or trunk Superficial towards the skin or outside surface Deep towards the core of the body part