1. Introduction to Medical Terminology
Ch 1

2. Bellringer!
What is a PREFIX?
What is a SUFFIX?
What is a ROOT WORD?

3. Word Parts -algia -otomy Dys- -plasty -ectomy -rrhage Hyper- -rrhaphy
Hypo-
-rrhea
-itis
-rrhexis
-osis
-sclerosis
-ostomy
Algia – p! dys – bad, difficult, p!ful -ectomy – sx removal hyper – excessive/high hypo – low/decreased itis – inflammation -osis – abnormal condition or diasease -ostomy – sx creation of an artificial opening -otomy – sx incision -plasty – sx repair -rrhage – bleeding/bursting forth of blood -rrhaphy – surgical suturing -rrhea – flow or discharge -rrhexis – rupture (TYRANOSAURUS-RRHEXIS!) -sclerosis – abnormal hardening

4. Objectives
Identify the roles of the four types of word parts used in forming medical terms
Using your knowledge of word parts, analyze unfamiliar medical terms
Define the commonly used prefixes, word roots, combining forms, and suffixes introduced in this chapter
Pronounce medical terms correctly using the “sounds-like” system
Recognize the importance of always spelling medical terms correctly
State why caution is important when using abbreviations
Recognize, define, spell, and pronounce the medical terms in this chapter

5. Primary medical terms

6. Primary Terms – appear bolded in the book
Secondary Terms – appear italicized and in orange/yellow
Often seen as the “also known as” name

7. Word Parts are KEY!

8. Throughout the book you will note that every medical term is defined.
This class will be infinitely easier once you begin to understand how word parts work together to for medical terms
Throughout the book you will note that every medical term is defined.
After every definition if there is recognizable word parts, they are magenta and included in the definition

9. The Four Types of Word Parts
Word Root – contains the basic meaning of the term
Often, but not ALWAYS, the body part involved
Combining Form – a root word with a vowel at the end so that a suffix beginning with a consonant can be added
Suffix – always at the end of the word
Often indicates the procedure, condition, disorder or disease
Prefix – always at the beginning of the word
Often indicates location, time, number or status

10. Word Roots
Act as the foundation of most medical terms

11. Combining Form Vowels
A combining form vowel is added to the end of a word root under certain conditions to make the resulting medical term easier to pronounce

12. Rules for using Combining Form Vowels
A combining vowel is used when the suffix begins with a consonant
Ex: neur/o (nerve) is joined with the suffix -plasty (surgical repair) and the combining vowel “o” is used because –plasty begins with a consonant
A combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u)
Ex: neur/o joined with –itis (inflammation) does not require a combining vowel because –itis begins with a vowel
A combining vowel is used when two or more word roots are joined
Ex: Gastroenteritis combines 2 word roots and a suffix. The combining vowel is used with gastr/o , but not with enter/o because –itis starts with a vowel

13. Word Roots/Combining Forms Indicating COLOR!
Cyan/o- cyanosis
Erythr/o- erythrocytes
Leuk/o- leukocytes
Melan/o- melanosis
Poli/o- poliomylitis
Cyanosis- blue discoloration of the skin (osis abnormal condition or disease)
Erythrocyte- mature red blood cell (cyte cell)
Leukocyte- white blood cell (cyte cell)
Melanosis condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs (osis abnormal condition or disease)
Poliomyelitis- viral infection of gray matter of spinal cord (itis inflammation)

14. suffixes

15. Suffixes and Noun Endings
Noun – person, place, or thing
In med term, some suffixes change the word root into a noun
Ex: cranium – the portion of the skull that encloses the brain
Crani means skull and –um is a noun ending

16. -a – noun ending
-e – noun ending
-um – singular noun ending
-us – singular noun ending
-y – noun ending

17. Suffixes Meaning “Pertaining To”
Adjective – a word that describes a thing (Good, New, First, Last, Long, great, little)
In med term, many suffixes mean “pertaining to” change the word root into an adjective
Ex: cardiac is an adjective that means pertaining to the heart
Cardi means heart, -ac means pertaining to

18. “Pertaining To” -ac -ical -ory -al -ial -ous -ar -ic -tic -ary -ine
-eal
-ior

19. Suffixes Meaning Abnormal Conditions
In med term, many suffixes mean “abnormal condition or disease”
Ex: gastrosis means any disease of the stomach
Gastr means stomach and –osis means abnormal condition or disease

20. -ago – abnormal condition, disease
-esis – abnormal condition, disease
-ia – abnormal condition, disease
-iasis – abnormal condition, disease
-ion – condition
-ism – condition, state of
-osis – abnormal condition, disease

21. Suffixes Related to Pathology
-algia – pain (p!) and suffering
-dynia – p! (not used as commonly)
-itis – inflammation
-malacia – abnormal softening
-megaly – enlargement
-necrosis – tissue death
-sclerosis – abnormal hardening
-stenosis – abnormal narrowing
Pathology is the study of all aspects of diseases (path means disease, -ology means study of)

22. Suffixes Related to Procedures
-centesis – a surgical puncture to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes or to remove excess fluid
-graphy – the process of producing a picture or record
-gram – a picture or record
-plasty – surgical repair
-scopy – visual examination

23. The “Double R” Suffixes
-rrhage and -rhagia– mean bleeding; most often used to describe sudden, severe bleeding
-rrhaphy– surgical (sx) suturing to close a wound and includes the use of sutures, staples, or surgical glue
-rrhea– means a flow or discharge; usual of most bodily fluids
-rrhexis– rupture

24. Prefixes

25. Added to the beginning of a word to influence the meaning of that term
Ex: PREnatal – the time and events before birth
PERInatal – the time and events surrounding birth POSTnatal – the time and events after birth

26. Contrasting and Confusing Prefixes
Ab- - away from
Dys- - bad, painful, difficult
Hyper- - excessive
Inter- - between or among
Sub- - under, less or below
Ad- - toward
Eu- - good, normal, well or easy
Hypo- - decreased
Intra- - within or inside
Super-, supra- - above, excessive

27. Determining Meanings on the Basis of Word Parts

28. Taking Terms Apart
To determine the meaning of a word, break it into word parts
Start at the end of the word
As you separate the parts, identify each part’s meaning

29. Oto-rhino-laryng-ology
Ex: Otorhinolaryngology:
The suffix –ology means the study of
Laryng/o means larynx
Rhin/o means nose
Ot/o means ear
The study of the ears, nose and throat!

30. Meanings
Sometimes you are able to guess at the meanings of words just by looking at the word parts
However, it is important to take note the context in which the word is used
Ex: LITHOTOMY
A surgical incision for the removal of a stone
Also the name of an examination position

31. Pronunciation

32. Pronunciation The book makes it clear on how to pronounce words
Upper case bolded receives the primary emphasis
Lower case bolded receives secondary emphasis
Not bolded, no emphasis
Everyone is different, so are their pronunciations

33. Using Abbreviations

34. Using Abbreviations
Shorthand way to write long and complex medical words.
Be careful, some are the same
When in doubt, write it out!!!
Appendix B p 389

35. Common in this class… c – with Hx - history c – without p - after
c/o – complains of
P! - pain
m/mm – muscle(s)
Sx – surgery
Dx – diagnosis
BP – blood pressure
Tx – treatment
Fx – fracture

36. 34 y/o m, c/o p! LLQ
Bin po cfood

37. Basic Medical Terms to Describe Diseases

38. Terms Describing Disease
Sign - objective evidence of ____ (What I see)
Symptom – subjective evidence (What you tell me)
Syndrome – a set of signs and symptoms that occur together

39. Diagnosis (dx) – the identification of a disease
Differential Diagnosis (diff) – attempting to rule out (r/o) any other causes
Prognosis (px) – a prediction of the probable course and outcome of the production/disease

40. Acute – Rapid onset, relatively short duration
Chronic – condition of long duration
Remission – the temporary, partial or complete disappearance of the systems of disease

41. Disease – a condition in which the body is not functioning normally
Eponym – a disease, structure, operation or procedure named for the person who discovered/did it first
Alzheimer’s (Alois Alzheimer), Tommy John sx, Lou Gehrig’s…
Acronym – word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term
RICE, NSAIDs, LASER, etc…

42. Look-alike and Sound A-like Terms and Word Parts

43. Look Alikes…
Arteri/o = artery; Ather/o – fatty substance; arthr/o – joint
-ectomy – surgical removal of; -ostomy – the surgically created artificial opening to the body; -otomy – a surgical incision

44. Ileum and Ilium – Ileum = longest part of the sm intestines (intEstinEs/ilEum); Ilium = part of the hip bone (hIp/ilIum)
Infection – invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease producing) organism; Inflammation – localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues

45. Laceration – torn or jagged wound; Lesion – a pathologic change of tissues due to disease or injury
Mucous – describes the specialized mucous membranes that line the body cavities; Mucus – the fluid secreted by mucous membranes

46. myc/o – fungus; myel/o – bone marrow or spinal cord; my/o – muslce
-ologist = a specialist, one who studies; -ology – the study of
Palpation – an examination technique using hands to feel texture; Palpitation – a pounding or racing heart

47. Prostate – a male gland that lies under the urinary bladder and around the urethra; Prostrate – to collapse and be lying flat
Pyel/o – renal pelvis; py/o – pus; pyr/o – fever or fire
Supination – rotating the arm so the palm is facing forward; Suppuration – the formation or discharge of pus

48. Triage – medical screening to determine a pt’s relative priority of need; Trauma – wound or injury
Viral – pertaining to a virus; Virile – having the nature, properties or qualities of an adult male

49. Guidelines to Unusual Plural Forms
Table 1.6 on pg 12
Ends in –a, usually plural as –ae
Ends in –ex or –ix, plural is –ices
Ends in –is, plural is –es
Ends in –itis, plural is changing the –is to ides
Bursa, bursae; vertebra, vertebrae
Appendix, appendicies
Diagnosis, diagnoses
Arthritis, arthrides; meningitis, menindtides

50. Ends in –nx, plural is changing the –x to -ges
Ends in –on, plural is -a
Ends in –um, plural is -a
Ends in –us, plural is –i
Phalanx, phalanges; meninx, meninges
Criterion, criteria; ganglion, ganglia
Diverticulum, diverticula
Alveolus, alveoli; malleolus, malleoli