1. MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
CHAPTER 4

2. CHAPTER OUTLINE Organ System Terminology (cont.) Terminology Nervous
Skeletal
Female Reproductive
Male Reproductive
Respiratory
Urinary
Senses (Hearing, Sight)
Drug Classifications
Medical Abbreviations
Review
Terminology
Prefixes
Suffixes
Organ System Terminology
Cardiovascular
Endocrine
Gastrointestinal
Integumentary
Lymph and Blood
Muscular

3. ELEMENTS OF A MEDICAL SCIENCE WORD ‘BASIC’
Medical science terminology is made up of combinations of
root words
prefixes
suffixes
combining vowels
e.g. periodontic = peri (prefix, meaning “around”) + o (combining vowel) + dont (root word, meaning “teeth”) + ic (suffix, meaning “pertaining to”)
Root words originate from either Greek or Latin.
Greek – diagnosis and surgery
Latin – anatomy

4. ROOT WORDS - EXAMPLES card heart cyst bladder gastr stomach
hemat blood
hepat liver
my muscle
pector chest
neur nerve
pneumon lung
ocul eye
derma skin
ven vein
mast breast
oste bone
nephr kidney
ot ear

5. PREFIXES Added before a word root or suffix to alter its meaning
hyper = excessive
hyper/tension = high blood pressure
an = without
an/orexia = without appetite
post = after
post/partum = after child birth
dys = painful, difficult
dys/phas/ia = difficulty in speaking

6. SUFFIXES
Added to the end of a word root or combining vowel to modify its meaning
-al = pertaining to
dent/al = pertaining to teeth
-itis = inflammation
gastr/itis = inflammation of the stomach
-oma = tumor
melan/oma = black tumor

7. COMBINING VOWELS
Sometimes a CV is added to make the pronunciation of medical words easier.
Sometimes a CV is added to connect different word parts together.
“O” is the most common combining vowel.

8. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
The cardiovascular system distributes blood throughout the body using blood vessels called arteries, capillaries, and veins.
Blood transports nutrients to the body’s cells and carries waste products away from them.
Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Erythrocytes (red blood cells) transport oxygen from the lungs to the body and carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs.
Leukocytes (white blood cells) fight bacterial infections by producing antibodies.

9. CARDIOVACULAR SYSTEM
The heart pumps blood through the cardiovascular system.
Blood pressure is reported in a two number sequence (systole/diastole, e.g., 120/80).
Systolic phase is the increased pressure when blood is forced out of the heart.
Diastolic phase is the decreased pressure when the heart is not forcing blood out of the heart.
A sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure. .
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10. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM ROOT
aneur widening
angi vessel
aort aorta
arter artery
ather plaque
card heart
cyte cell
embol embolus
oxy oxygen
pector chest
phleb vein
stenosis narrowing
thromb clot
vas(cu) blood vessel
ven vein

11. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Consists of the glands that secrete hormones, chemicals that assist in regulating body functions
Glands primarily in endocrine system
pituitary
adrenal
thyroid
parathyroid
gonads (ovaries and testes)
Glands primarily belonging to other organ systems
liver
stomach
pancreas
kidney
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12. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM ROOT aden gland adrena adrenal crine to secrete
glyc sugar
lipid fat
myx mucus
nephr kidney
pancreat pancreas
plas development
somat body
tetan tetanus
thym thymus
thyroid thyroid

13. GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TRACT
Contains the organs that are involved in the digestion of foods and the absorption of nutrients
Not the same as the alimentary tract
alimentary tract goes from the mouth to the anus
Ducts
hepatic duct – from liver (hepatic duct) to duodenum
cystic duct – from gallbladder (cystic duct) to duodenum

14. GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TRACT ROOT
hepat liver
herni hernia
lapar abdomen
orexia appetite
pancreat pancreas
pepsia digestion
phag swallow
chol bile
col colon
duoden duodenum
enter intestine
esophag esophagus
gastr stomach
hemat blood

15. INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM Covering of the body
skin (epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous)
hair
nails
mammary glands
First line of defense against disease and physical hazards
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16. INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM ROOT
adip fat
cutane skin
derm(at) skin
hist tissue
kerat hard
mast breast
melan black
necr death (of cells, etc.)
onych nail

17. LYMPH AND BLOOD SYSTEM
The lymphatic system is responsible for collecting, filtering, and returning plasma water leaving the blood vessels.
center of the body’s immune system
thymus, tonsils, spleen, and adenoids are outside the network
Spleen - responsible for removing old red blood cells
Lymphocytes - attack bacteria and disease cells
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18. LYMPH AND BLOOD SYSTEMS ROOT
aden gland
bacter bacteria
cyt cell
hemat blood
hemo blood
leuk white
lymph lymph
phleb vein
splen spleen
sepsis to putrefy
thromb clot
thym thymus

19. MUSCULAR SYSTEM Muscles give shape and movement to the body.
more than 600 muscles
made up of fibers and attached to bones by tendons
Voluntary muscles - action controlled consciously
Involuntary muscles - operate automatically
Agonist muscles - produce an flexor movement
Antagonist muscles - contract or bring limb back to original position

20. MUSCULAR SYSTEM ROOT burs bursa chondr cartilage my muscle fibr fiber
rhabdo rod
tendin tendon
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21. NERVOUS SYSTEM The neuron is the basic functional unit.
The brain has over 100 billion neurons.
Central nervous system (CNS) – brain & spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system – branches from spinal cord
autonomic nervous system controls the automatic functions of the body
somatic nervous system controls the voluntary actions of the body.
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22. NERVOUS SYSTEM ROOT myel spinal cord alges pain neur nerve
phas speech
psycho mind
somat body
alges pain
cerebr cerebrum
encephal brain
esthes sensation
mening meninges
ment mind

23. SKELETAL SYSTEM
Protects soft organs and provides structure and support for body organs
Contains 206 bones
axial (skull and spinal column vertebrae)
appendicular (arms, legs, connecting bones)
Ligaments and Cartilage - connective tissue that holds together the skeletal systems at joints
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express written permission from the publisher.

24. SKELETAL SYSTEM ROOT arthr joint oste bone ped, pod foot carp wrist
crani cranium
dactyl finger or toe
femor thigh bone
fibul small lower leg bone
humer upper arm bone
lord curve
oste bone
patell knee cap
oste bone
ped, pod foot
pelv pelvis
phalang bones of fingers and toes
rachi vertebrae
scoli crooked, bent
spondyl backbone
stern sternum, breastbone
tibi large lower leg bone

25. FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Produces hormones, controls menstruation, and provides for childbearing
The mammary glands (located in breast tissue) produce and secrete milk at childbirth.
fallopian tube
ovary
uterus
vagina
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26. FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM ROOT
men menstruation
metr uterus
ovari ovary
salping fallopian tube
toc birth
uter uterine
vagin vagina
cervic cervix
condyle knob, knuckle
eclamps shining forth
gynec woman
hyster uterus
lact milk
mamm breast
mast breast

27. MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Produces sperm and secretes testosterone
Primary sex organs – testes (testicles)
Other organs
seminal glands
vas deferens
prostate gland
penis
urethra
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28. MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM ROOT
andr male
bala n glans penis
crypt hidden
orch testis
orchid testis
prostat prostate gland
semin semen
sperm sperm
vas vessel, duct
varic varicose veins
test testis, testicle

29. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Functions Structures
oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange
production of sound
body cooling
Structures
diaphragm
pleural cavity
pharynx
larynx
trachea and bronchial tubes
alveolar sacs (alveoli)
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30. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ROOT WORDS
aer air
aero gas
bronch bronchus
capn carbon dioxide
cyan blue
laryng larynx
nas nose
ox oxygen
pector chest
pneumon lung, air
pulmon lung
respir breath
rhin nose
sinus sinus

31. URINARY TRACT Removes waste materials from blood
Primary organ is kidney
Functional unit is nephron
Waste materials from blood are ________ the tubule.
filtered into
secreted into
reabsorbed from
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32. URINARY TRACT ROOT WORDS
ur kidney
uria urine, urination
uresis urination
ureter ureter
urethr urethra
vesic bladder
albumin protein
cyst bladder
glycos glucose
keto ketones
lith stone
nephr kidney
ren kidney

33. SENSES: HEARING Hearing external ear tympanic membrane (eardrum)
middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes)
eustachian tube
labyrinth (vestibule, cochlea, semicircular canals)
cochlea
Body equilibrium
semicircular canals, vestibule
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34. SENSES: HEARING ROOT WORDS
acous hearing
acusis hearing condition
audi hearing
cerumin wax-like
labyrinth inner ear
myring eardrum
ot ear
salping eustachian tube
tympan eardrum

35. SENSES: SIGHT The eyes provide sight.
Complex structure involving layers of structure
Ability to protect and lubricate itself
lacrimal glands
meibomian glands
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36. SENSES: SIGHT ROOT WORDS
ambly dim, dull
blephar eyelid
conjunctiv conjunctiva
come cornea
glauc gray
irid, ir iris
lacrim tear duct
ocul eye
ophthalm eye
opia vision
opt eye, vision
retin retina
stigmat point(ed)

37. DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS
Drug class – group of drugs that have several therapeutic properties in common
Several classes oppose physiological processes.
antianginals
anticoagulants
anticonvulsants
antidepressants
antidiarrheals
antiemetics
antihistamine
antihyperlipidemia
antihypertensive
antiinfective
anti-inflammatory
antipruritics
antispasmodics
antitussive

38. OTHER CLASSES Analgesic Hypoglycemic hypo + glyc + emic =
without pain, pain killer
Hypoglycemic
hypo + glyc + emic =
reduces blood sugar level
Hypolipidemic
hypo + lipid + emic =
reduces cholesterol or lipid levels
Spermicide
sperm + i + cide =
kills sperm

39. PHARMACY ABBREVIATIONS
About 10,000 abbreviations
can be specific to one institution
can be specific to one area of the country