1. Chapter-1: Basic Word Structure
Tri-State Business Institute
MD000 Medical Terminology 1
Micheal H. McCabe, EMT-P

2. Objectives in Studying the Medical Language:
Analyze words by dividing them into component parts.
Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body
Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems

3. Word Analysis:
Divide words into component parts using the “Slash Method.”
Locate the root words, suffixes, and prefixes of each term.
Start with the suffix and move back to the beginning of the term to understand its meaning.

4. Word Parts:
The root is the foundation of the word. All medical terms have one or more roots.
The suffix is the word ending. All medical terms have a suffix.
The combining vowel is usually “O”. It links the root to the suffix or to another root.

5. Example: HEMATOLOGY
Slash the word into parts by locating the combining vowel and bracketing it with slashes
HEMAT/O/LOGY

6. Example: HEMAT/O/LOGY
The root here is HEMAT, it means “blood”
The linking vowel is “O”
The suffix here is LOGY, it means “study of.”
Starting with the suffix, we read “Study of Blood.”

7. Another Example: Term: ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
Slashed: ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM
This word has two roots: ELECTR meaning electricity and CARDI meaning HEART.
The suffix is GRAM meaning RECORD OF.
Starting with the suffix and moving back to the beginning we read: “Record of the electricity in the heart.”

8. Yet Another Exercise: Term: GASTRITIS
This word lacks a combining vowel.
The suffix “itis”, meaning “Inflammation” begins with a vowel, so no combining vowel is needed.
The “slashed” word is GASTR/ITIS.
GASTR is the root word, it means “Stomach.”
The entire term reads “Inflammation of the stomach.”

9. Combining Two Roots:
When a term contains two roots, anatomical position dictates the order of the roots.
Even if the second root begins with a vowel, we generally use “O” as a combining vowel between the roots.
Example: GASTROENTEROLOGY

10. Dissection of the term Gastroenterology:
GASTR is the first root, it means “stomach.”
The first “O” is the combining vowel.
ENTER is the second root, it means intestines.
The stomach precedes the intestines in the GI tract, so GASTR goes first.
The second “O” is the combining vowel that links the root words to the suffix “LOGY.”
The complete term thus means “Study of the stomach and intestines.”

11. Three General Rules:
Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning of the term and across.
Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
Keep the combining vowel between two roots.

12. Combining Form:
The combining form is the combination of a root word and the combining vowel.
Combining forms can be used with many different suffixes, so it’s useful to know the meaning of a combining form to decipher the meaning of a term.

13. Prefixes:
The prefix is a small part attached to the beginning of the term.
Not all medical terms contain prefixes, but the prefix can have an important influence in meaning.

14. Examples of Prefixes: SUB/GASTR/IC “Sub” is a prefix meaning “below”
“Gastr” is the root meaning “stomach.”
“Ic” is a suffix meaning “pertaining to.”
The term means “pertaining to below the stomach.
Usage: “The patient is complaining of subgastric pain.” Subgastric is an adjective that describes the location of the pain.

15. Examples of Prefixes: EPI/GASTR/IC “Epi” is a prefix meaning “above.”
“Gastr” is the root meaning “stomach.”
“Ic” is a suffix meaning “pertaining to.”
The entire term reads: “Pertaining to above the stomach.”
Usage: “The patient is having epigastric pain.” Again, the term is used as an adjective to describe the location of the pain.

16. Important Elements of Medical Terms:
Root: The Foundation of the term
Suffix: Word ending
Prefix: Word beginning
Combining Vowel: Usually “O” – vowel that links the root to the suffix or the root to another root.
Combining Form: Combination of the root and the combining vowel.

17. Combining Forms, Prefixes, and Suffixes:
The following list contains common combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes with examples of how each are used.
Analyze the examples and determine the meaning of each by breaking the word down into its component parts.

18. Combining Forms: Aden/o Arthr/o Bi/o Carcin/o Cardi/o Cephal/o Adenoma
Adenitis
Arthritis
Biology
Biopsy
Carcinoma
Cardiology
Cephalic

19. Combining Forms: Cerebr/o Cis/o Crin/o Cyst/o Cyt/o
Demer/o or Dermat/o
Cerebral
Incision
Excision
Endocrine
Cystoscopy
Cytology
Dermatitis
Hypodermic

20. Combining Forms: Electr/o Encephal/o Enter/o Erythr/o Gastr/o Gnos/o
Electrocardiogram
Encephalitis
Enteritis
Erythrocyte
Gastrectomy
Gastrotomy
Diagnosis
Prognosis

21. Combining Forms: Gynec/o Hemat/o or hem/o Hepat/o Iatr/o Leuk/o
Nephr/o
Gynecology
Hematology
Hematoma
Hepatitis
Iatrogenic
Leukocyte
Nephritis
nephrology

22. Combining Forms: Neur/o Onc/o Opthalm/o Oste/o Path/o Neurology
Oncology
Oncologist
Opthalmascope
Osteitis
Osteoarthritis
Pathology
Pathologist

23. Combining Forms: Ped/o Psych/o Radi/o Ren/o Rhin/o Sarc/o Sect/o
Pediatric
Psychology
Psychiatrist
Radiology
Renal
Rhinitis
Sarcoma
Resection

24. Combining Forms:
Thromb/o
Ur/o
Thrombocyte
Urology

25. Suffixes: -ac -al -algia -cyte -ectomy -emia -genic Cardiac Neural
Arthalgia
Neuralgia
Erythrocyte
Nephrectomy
Leukemia
Carcinogenic

26. Suffixes: -genic -gram -ic, -ical -ion -ist -itis Pathogenic
Iatrogenic
EEG
Gastric
Neurological
Excision
Gynecologist
Cystitis

27. Suffixes: -logy -oma -opsy -osis -pathy -scope Endocrinology Hepatoma
Biopsy
Nephrosis
Leukocytosis
Enteropathy
Adenopathy
Endoscope

28. Suffixes: -scopy -sis -tomy -y Endoscopy Prognosis Osteotomy
Gastroenterology

29. Prefixes: A-, an- Auto- Dia- Endo- Epi- Ex- Exo- Anemia Autopsy
Diagnosis
Endocrinologist
Epigastric
Epidermis
Excision
Exocrine

30. Prefixes: Hyper- Hypo- In- Peri- Pro- Re- Retro- Hyperglycemia
Hypogastric
Hypoglycemia
Incision
Pericardium
Prognosis
Resection
Retrocardiac

31. Prefixes:
Sub-
Trans-
Subhepetic
Transhepetic

32. Homework: Each chapter in the textbook includes:
Practical Applications
Exercises
Pronunciation of Terms
Do EVERYTHING in each chapter after we go over it in class.
Work ahead with extreme caution!

33. Looking Ahead: This book will also be used in Medical Terminology II.
That means we’ll cover 22 chapters in 12 weeks.
We won’t be doing them in the same order as the book!

34. For Tomorrow: Complete all exercises in Chapter-1, pages 14-22.
Review Pronunciation of all terms in Chapter-1, pages 25-28
Read Chapter-2, pages 31-58
If you have access to a computer: explore the CD-ROM that accompanies your book.

35. The End