1. Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology Professor Fowler

2. Word Parts – most common combining forms Common Combining Forms (you will see THESE again)
Bi/o: life
Immun/o: immune/protection
Carcin/o: cancer
Laryng/o: larynx
Cardi/o: heart
Neprh/o: kidney
Chem/o: drug
Neur/o: nerve
Cis/o: to cut
Ophthalm/o: eye
Dermat/o: skin
Ot/o: ear
Enter/o: small intestine
Path/o: disease
Gastr/o: stomach
Pulmon/o: lung
Gynec/o: female
Rhin/o: nose
Hemat/o: blood

3. Word parts – most common prefixes More Prefixes in the book
A-, an- without
Neo- new
Number Prefixes
Brady- slow
Peri- around
Bi- two
Endo- within
Post- after
Poly- many
Epi- upon, on
Pre- before
Quadri- four
Hyper- excessive
Sub- under
Tri- three
Hypo- below
Tachy- fast
Inter- between
Trans- across
Intra- within

4. Word parts – most common suffixes more suffixes in the book
-algia: pain
-plasia: growth
Surgical suffixes
-cyte: cell
-ptosis: drooping
-ectomy: removal
-ectasis: dilation
-rrhage: flow
-otomy: to open
-itis: inflammation
-rrhexis: rupture
-plasty: repair
-logy: study of
-sclerosis: hardening
Procedural suffixes
-lysis: destruction
-stenosis: narrowing
-graphy: process of recording
-malacia: softening
-ule: small
-metry: process of measureing
-megaly: enlargement
Pertaining to pg 9
-ole: small
-scopy: process of viewing
-oma: tumor
-pathy: diseased

5. Word Parts English Definition Medical Word dog Word root black Suffix
Cardi (heart)
black
Suffix
-logy (study of)
furry
Prefix
Peri- (around) /o
Combining vowel
pericardiology
Black furry dog

6. Definition of medical term
To define the word, start with the suffix, then prefix then the word root.
Gynecology (gynec/o -logy)
Postneuropathy (post- neur/o -pathy)

7. Putting medical terms Together
Start with the prefix, word root and suffix
If the suffix starts with a consonant, just put the word together
Neo Rhin/o plasty
(Neorhinoplasty)
Ot/o rhin/o megaly
(otorhinomegaly)
Peri gastr/o enter/o malacia
(perigastroenteromalacia)

8. Putting the Word Together
Start with the prefix, word root and suffix
It the suffix starts with a vowel, drop the combining vowel and put the word together
Hypo- Nephr/o -ectomy
(hypoNEPHRECTOMY)
Carcin/o oma
carcinoma
Laryng/o ectomy
laryngectomy

9. Interpreting Medical Terms
Divide term into word each part
Define each word part
Combine meaning of word parts (beginning with the suffix)

10. Breaking medical terms Up
Otorhinolaryngology
Ot/o rhin/o laryng/o -logy
Adenopathy
Aden/o -pathy
Tonsillectomy
Tonsill/o -ectomy
Neuritis
Neur/o -itis

11. Pronunciation
There are different ways to say the same word like toe-mate- o or toe-maat-o – both are correct
Make sure you enunciate the words because sometimes medical words can sound alike but have different meanings
Abduction and Adduction
Book has phonetic pronunciations in it

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Pronunciation
Website:
online.com/objects/vie wobject.aspx?ID+gen504

13. Spelling
Spelling is VITAL is medical terminology. One misplaced letter could change the meaning of the word
ilium and ileum
Words sound like each other too
Psy and cy both say “sigh” but mean different things

14. Plural Endings Most common (more in the book) Vertabra to vertabrae
Metastasis to metastases
Biopsy to biopsies

15. Abbreviations Shorten writing
Only use approved abbreviations to avoid confusion and miscommunication

16. HealthCare Settings Places where patients receive care
Acute care or general hospitals
Specialty care hospitals
Nursing homes, long term care facilities
Ambulatory care centers, surgical centers, or outpatient clinics
Physicians offices
HMO
Home health care
Rehabilitation center
hospice