1. 1
Introduction to Medical Terminology

2. Medical Terminology at a Glance
Studying medical terminology is like learning a new language
Basic rules for building terms will help you both build and translate many different words
You must be able to put words together or build words from their parts
Like piecing together a puzzle

3. Understanding Medical Terms
It is impossible to memorize all of the thousands of medical terms
You can distinguish the meaning of many different words by analyzing the word parts
Word roots
Combining forms
Prefixes
Suffixes

4. Basic Word Parts Word root is the fundamental meaning of the term
Prefixes and suffixes modify the word root
Combining vowels connect other word parts
Always exceptions to rules

5. Medical Terms Are Built from Word Parts
Word Part Example
cardiogram (record of the heart)
pericardium (around the heart)
carditis (inflammation of the heart)
cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)
Word root
Prefix
Suffix
Combining form

6. Word Root Foundation of the term General meaning of word
Often gives body system or part
cardi = heart
gastr = stomach
neur = nerve

7. Combining Vowels
Created by adding a vowel (usually) the letter “0” to he end of a word root
Used When
Connecting two roots
The root is joined to a suffix that begins with a consonant
Do not use if the suffix begins with a vowel: Arthritis not Arthroitis

8. Combining Form Typically used to write word roots
Also use the word root/combining vowel format
cardi/o - heart
arthr/o - joint
gastr/o - stomach
aden/o – gland
carcin/o – cancer
cardi/o – heart
chem/o – chemical
cis/o – to cut
dermat/o – skin
enter/o – small intestine
gynec/o – female
hemat/o – blood
hydr/o – water
immun/o – immunity
laryng/o – voice box
nephr/o – kidney
neur/o – nerve
ophthalm/o – eye
ot/o – ear
path/o – disease
pulmon/o – lung
rhin/o – nose

9. Suffix Attached to the end of a term Adds meaning such as:
condition -algia = pain
disease itis = inflammation
procedure -ectomy = surgical removal
All medical terms must have a suffix
Only mandatory word part
Usually indicate procedure, condition, disorder, or disease

10. Double R Suffixes Can be a little confusing
-rrhage/rrhagia – sudden, severe bleeding
-rrhaphy – suturing – surgical suturing
-rrhea - flow or discharge (of body fluids)
-rrhexis – means rupture

11. Surgical Suffixes -centesis puncture to withdraw fluid
-ectomy surgical removal
-ostomy surgically create an opening
-otomy cutting into
-pexy surgical fixation
-plasty surgical repair

12. Procedural Suffixes -gram record or picture
-graph instrument for recording
-graphy process of recording
-meter instrument for measuring
-metry process of measuring
-scope instrument for viewing
-scopy process of visually examining

13. Prefix Added to the front of a term Adds meaning such as:
location of organ sub- = below
number of parts mono- = one
time (frequency) post- = after
-pericardium
-polynueritis
-prenatal
Not all medical terms have a prefix

14. Number Prefixes bi- two hemi- half mono- one multi- many nulli- none
poly- many
primi- first
quadri- four
semi- partial, half
tetra- four
tri- three

15. Word Building
Putting together several parts to form a variety of terms to convey the necessary information
Begins with knowing the meaning of the various word parts in order to select the correct ones
Always remember the rules regarding the location of each word part

16. Word Building For example: Combine to form the term:
hypo- = below or under
derm/o = meaning the skin
-ic = meaning pertaining to
Combine to form the term:
Hypodermic
Meaning: pertaining to under the skin

17. Interpreting Medical Terms
Term to be translated
gastroenterology
Divide the term into its word parts
gastr / o / enter / o / logy

18. Interpreting Medical Terms
Define each word part
gastr = stomach
o = combining vowel, no meaning
enter = small intestine
-logy = study of
Combine the meanings of the word parts
study of the stomach and small intestine

19. Spelling Only one correct way to spell a term
Changing one letter can change the meaning of a word
abduction (moving away) versus adduction (moving towards)
ileum (small intestine) versus ilium (hip bone)

20. Same Sounds Spelled Differently
Sounds like si
psy psychiatry
cy cytology
Sounds like dis
dys dyspepsia
dis dislocation

21. Singular and Plural Endings
Many medical terms come from Greek or Latin words
Rules for forming plurals for these languages are different from English
Plural of atrium is atria, not atriums
Other words will use English rules
Plural of ventricle is ventricles

22. General Rules for Plurals
Word Ends In -a
-ax
-ex or -ix
-is
-ma
-nx
-on
-um
-us -y
Singular
vertebra
thorax
appendix
metastasis
sarcoma
phalanx
ganglion
ovum
nucleus
biopsy
Plural
vertebrae
thoraces
appendices
metastases
sarcomata
phalanges
ganglia
ova
nuclei
biopsies
See p13, Table 1.9

23. Abbreviations Commonly used to save time Can be confusing
If you are concerned about confusion, spell out the term
Do not use your own personal abbreviations

24. Pop Quiz – Chapter 1

25. Pop Question 1
Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic word parts used to build a medical term? A. Prefix B. Combining Root C. Suffix D. Word Root

26. Answer 1
Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic word parts used to build medical terms?
Prefix
Combining root
Suffix
Word root

27. Pop Question 2
Which of the following combinations is used to make a combining form?
Prefix + suffix
Prefix + word root
Word root + suffix
Word root + combining vowel

28. Answer 2
Which of the following combinations is used to make a combining form?
Prefix + suffix
Prefix + word root
Word root + suffix
Word root + combining vowel

29. Pop Question 3 A combining vowel is NOT used: Between two word roots
When the suffix begins with a vowel
When the suffix begins with a consonant
Between a prefix and word root

30. Answer 3 A combining vowel is NOT used: Between two word roots
When the suffix begins with a vowel
When the suffix begins with a consonant
Between a prefix and word root

31. Pop Question 4 The combining form for skin is: Dermat/o Gastr/o
Cardi/o
Nephr/o

32. Answer 4 The combining form for skin is: Dermat/o Gastr/o Cardi/o
Nephr/o

33. Pop Question 5 The combining form hemat/o means: Stomach
Small intestines
Blood
Nose

34. Answer 5 The combining form hemat/o means: Stomach Small intestines
Blood
Nose

35. Pop Question 6
Which medical terminology word part gives information about location or time?
Word root
Prefix
Combining form
Suffix

36. Answer 6
Which medical terminology word part gives information about location or time?
Word root
Prefix
Combining form
Suffix

37. Pop Question 7 Which prefix means painful, difficult, or abnormal? Eu-
Anti-
Dys-
Retro-

38. Answer 7 Which prefix means painful, difficult, or abnormal? Eu- Anti-
Dys-
Retro-

39. Pop Question 8 Which prefix means the opposite of brady-? Tachy- Pre-
Trans-
Neo-

40. Answer 8 Which prefix means the opposite of brady-? Tachy- Pre- Trans-
Neo-

41. Pop Question 9 Which prefix means within or inside? Inter- Infra-
Intra-
Infer-

42. Answer 9 Which prefix means within or inside? Inter- Infra- Intra-
Infer-

43. Pop Question 10
Which of the following is NOT information given by suffixes?
Condition
Disease
Number
Procedure

44. Answer 10 Which of the following is NOT information given by suffixes?
Condition
Disease
Number
Procedure

45. Pop Question 11 Which suffix has the same meaning as -algia? -dynia
-cise
-ectasis
-malacia

46. Answer 11 Which suffix has the same meaning as -algia? -dynia -cise
-ectasis
-malacia

47. Pop Question 12 What is the meaning of the suffix -stenosis? Enlarged
Hardening
Narrowing
Destruction

48. Answer 12 What is the meaning of the suffix -stenosis? Enlarged
Hardening
Narrowing
Destruction

49. Pop Question 13 Which surgical suffix means to remove? -ectomy -ostomy
-plasty
-otomy

50. Answer 13 Which surgical suffix means to remove? -ectomy -ostomy
-plasty
-otomy

51. Pop Question 14
Which of the procedural suffixes means an instrument for recording?
-gram
-scope
-graph
-metry

52. Answer 14
Which of the procedural suffixes means an instrument for recording?
-gram
-scope
-graph
-metry

53. Pop Question 15 The correct plural for the medical term thorax is:
Thoraxae
Thoraxes
Thoraces
Thoraxia

54. Answer 15 The correct plural for the medical term thorax is: Thoraxae
Thoraxes
Thoraces
Thoraxia

55. Pop Question 16
The use of abbreviations in medical charts is usually discouraged.
True
False

56. Answer 16
The use of abbreviations in medical charts is usually discouraged.
True
False