1. Medical Terminology
Part four

2. Basic Parts of Medical Words
Roots: usually the middle of the word and its central meaning
Prefix: a syllable at the beginning of the word which usually identifies some subdivision or part of the central meaning
Suffix: comes at the end of the central meaning and refers to what or who is interacting or what is happening regarding it.

3. Prefix Root Suffix beginning of the word
identifies some subdivision or part of the central meaning
Root
middle of the word
its central meaning
Suffix
end of the word
what is happening or who is referred to

4. Example Myocarditis Root: card (referring to the heart)
Prefix: myo (referring to the muscle)
Suffix: itis (inflammation)
Meaning: inflammation of the muscle layer of the heart
Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term, and then across.

5. Myocarditis

6. Changes Prefix change:
Pericarditis (inflammation of the outer layer of the heart)
Endocartitis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart)
Suffix change:
Cardiologist ( a physician specializing in the heart)
Cardiomyopathy (damage to heart muscle layer)
Cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart)

7. Also: Combining vowels
Usually is the letter “O” but may be A, E, I, U or Y
Usually has no meaning of its own but is used to connect the root and the suffix or two roots and two suffixes
Example: ELECTR O CARDI O GRAM
GASTR O ENTER ITIS

8. Examples GASTR O ENTER O LOGY GASTR O SCOPE GASTR IC (ROOT) (SUFFIX)
(ROOT) (ROOT) (SUFFIX)
GASTR O SCOPE
(ROOT) (SUFFIX)
GASTR IC
(ROOT) (SUFFIX)
GASTR O ENTER ITIS
(ROOT) (ROOT) (SUFFIX)

9. Plurals Words ending in a, retain the a add ae : vertebra - vertebrae
Words ending in is, drop the is and add es:
Diagnosis - diagnoses
Words ending in ex or ix, drop the ex or ix and add ices: apex - apices
Words ending in on, drop the on and add a:
ganglion - ganglia
5. Words ending in um, drop the um and add a:
bacterium - bacteria
Words ending in us, drip the us and add i:
bronchus - bronchi

10. Carcinoma cancer, cancerous Carcin / oma Tumor or mass of cancer
carcinogen
Carcin / oma
Carcin = cancer
-oma = tumor or mass
Tumor or mass of cancer

11. cephal/o Cephal / ic Head Pertaining to the head Cephal = head
-ic = pertaining to
Pertaining to the head
Head
Cephalic

12. cyst/o urinary/bladder Cystoscopy

13. Cystoscopy Cysto / scopy Visual examination of the bladder
Cyst/o= bladder
-scopy = visual examination
Visual examination of the bladder

14. Cystoscope Cysto / scope Instrument to view the bladder
Cyst/o= bladder
-scope = instrument to view
Instrument to view the bladder

15. electr/o
Electricity
Electric
Electrocardiogram

16. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)☤
Electr/o = electicity
Cardi/o = heart
-gram = record
Record of the electricity of the heart

17. encephal/o Brain electroencephalogram (EEG) encephalitis

18. electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electr/o = electrcity
Encephal/o = brain
-gram = record
Record of the electricity of the brain

19. Encephalitis Encephal / itis Inflammation of the brain
Encephal = brain
-itis = inflammation
Inflammation of the brain
Viral enchephalitis – herpes

20. gynec/o R★
women, female
gynecology
Gynecologist

21. Gynecology Gynec / o / logy Study of women Gynec/o = women

22. Gynecologist Gynec / o / logist Specialist (in the study) of women
Gynec/o = women
-logist = specialist in
Specialist (in the study) of women

23. lapar/o abdomen (area between the chest and hip) Laparoscopy
Laparoscope
Abdomen

24. Laparoscope Lapar / o / scopy Instrument used to visualize the abdomen
Lapr/o = abdomen
-scope = instrument used to visualize
Instrument used to visualize the abdomen

25. nephr/o
Kidney
Nephrectomy
Nephritis
Nephrologist

26. Nephrectomy Nephr / ectomy Removal (cutting out) of the kidney
Nephr = kidney
-ectomy = removal of
Removal (cutting out) of the kidney

27. Nephritis Nephr / itis Inflammation of the kidney Nephr = kidney
lupus nephritis

28. Nephrologist Nephr / o / logist Specialist in the kidney
Nephr/o = kidney
-logist = specialist in
Specialist in the kidney

29. neur/o
Nerve
Neurology
Neurologist
Neural
Neuralgia
Neurosis

30. Neurology Neur / o / logy Study of nerves Neur/o = nerves

31. Neurologist Neur / o / logist Specialist in nerves Neur/o = nerves

32. Neural Neur / al Pertaining to the nerves Neur = nerves

33. Neuralgia Neur / algia Pain of the nerves (nerve pain) Neur = nerves

34. Neurosis Neur / osis Abnormal condition of the nerves Neur = nerves

35. ophthalm/o Eye Ophthalmologist Ophthalmology ophthalmoscope

36. Ophthalmologist Ophthalm/o/logist Specialist in eyes Ophthalm/o = eyes

37. Ophthalmology Ophthalm / o / logy The study of eyes Ophthalm/o = eyes
-logy = study of
The study of eyes

38. Ophthalmoscope Ophthalmoscope Instrument to view the eyes
Ophthalm/o = eyes
-scope = instrument to view
Instrument to view the eyes

39. oste/o
Bone
Osteoarthritis
osteoporosis

40. Osteoarthritis ☤ Oste / o / arthr / itis
Oste/o = bone
Arthr = joint
-itis = inflammation
Inflammation of the bone and joints

41. path/o R★
Disease
Pathologist
Pathology
Psychopathic

42. Pathologist
Path / o / logist
Path/o = disease
-logist = specialist in

43. Pathology Path / o / logy Study of disease Path/o = disease

44. psych/o
Mind
Psychology
Psychologist
Psychosis

45. Psychology Psych / o / logy Study of the mind Psych/o = mind

46. Psychologist Psych / o / logist Specialist in the mind Psych/o = mind

47. Psychosis Psych / osis Abnormal condition of the mind Psych = mind

48. Psychopathic Psych/o/path/ic Condition of mind disease Psycho/o = mind
Path = disease
-ic =condition of
Condition of mind disease

49. ren/o R★
Kidney
Renal

50. Rhin/o Nose Rhin / itis Inflammation of the nose Rhinitis Rhin = nose

51. -ectomy cutting out, removal, excision Gastrectomy Tonsillectomy
Appendectomy

52. Anemia
Anemia
An- = no
-emia = blood
No blood

53. -osis abnormal condition Nephrosis Nephr / osis
Psychosis
Nephr / osis
Nepho = kidney
-osis = abnormal condition
Abnormal condition of the kidney

54. endo-
inside, inner (within)
endocrine glands, endocardium

55. exo-
Outside
Ex: exocrine glands, exoskeleton, exorcist

56. sub- Sub / hepat / ic below, under Pertaining to below the liver
Sub- = below
Hepat = liver
-ic = pertaining to
Pertaining to below the liver
below, under
Subhepatic
Subconscious
substandard

57. Any questions?