1. Introduction to Health Science
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
&
ANATOMICAL POSITIONS 1

2. Language Objectives
Students will learn how medical terms are put together using prefixes, suffixes and rootwords.
Students will identify and draw the ways to divide the body
Students will label the drawing used to divide the body with directional terms.

3. A Whole New Language
Health care workers use medical terminology and abbreviations in their work every day.
It is the professional language that helps them communicate effectively and quickly. 3

4. Medical Abbreviations
Shortened forms of words.
An efficient way of communicating quickly and concisely with other health care workers.
Always use standard abbreviations.
Never use an abbreviation if you are unsure about its meaning. 4

5. Medical Abbreviations
There is a growing trend toward eliminating periods from most abbreviations.
Work with your health care facility to learn their policy regarding abbreviations and terminology.
Sometimes abbreviations are used by themselves, other times they are combined together or with terms to give orders or directions. 5

6. Example Abbreviation
DNR
NPO
GSW
AIDS

7. Medical Symbols Some examples: ‘ foot, minute > greater than
< less than
 higher, elevate, up
 lower, down
# pound or number
‘ foot, minute
“ inch, second
° degree
F female
M male 7

8. Medical Terminology
Medical terms from prefixes, suffixes, and root words.
Prefix – a syllable or word placed at the beginning of a word.
Suffix – a syllable or word placed at the end of a word.
The meaning of the suffix is usually placed first when the word is defined.
Word Root – main words or parts to which prefixes and suffixes can be added. 8

9. Everyday Examples Returned Learning Prefix = re- Latin meaning again
Root word = turn
Suffix = -ed forming the past tense of a verb
Learning
Root word = Learn meaning acquiring knowledge
Suffix = -ing expressing an action

10. Think – Pair - Share
Think of two words that use a prefix, a suffix and a rootword.
Turn to your neighbor and share the two words you thought of.
I will ask each group to share one word with the class

11. Medical Terminology
When prefixes, suffixes, and/or word roots are joined together, vowels are frequently added.
Examples: a, e, i, ia, io, o, and u.
Combining vowels make it easier to pronounce the term.
There is always at least one word root, and sometimes more than one. 11

12. Creating Medical Terms
a. Create a word meaning “inflammation of a joint.”
b. arthr/o is the root word that means joint.
c. -itis is the suffix that means inflammation.
d. Since -itis begins with a vowel, no additional vowel on the root word will be needed, in this case the vowel will be dropped.
e. The medical word is arthritis. 12

13. Creating Med Terms a. Create a word meaning “white (blood) cell”
b. leuko is the root word that means white.
c. -cyte is the suffix that means cell.
d. leuko is the stem with the vowel.
e. The medical word is leukocyte. 13

14. How to Use Medical Terminology
A patients’ complaint of “pain in the stomach” can mean many different things.
After making a diagnosis, health care workers must be able to understand exactly what the problem is. 14

15. Using Medical Terminology
What are some of the conditions (using proper medical terminology) that could correspond to a “pain in the stomach”? 15

16. How to Use Medical Terminology
Gastritis
Hepatitis
Appendicitis
Pancreatitis
Gastralgia
Ileitis
Colitis
Diverticulitis
Pain in the Stomach? 16

17. Pronunciation Hints: ch sounds like k. ps sounds like s.
Chyme, Cholecystectomy, Chronic
ps sounds like s.
Psychiatric, Psychology, Psoriasis
pn sounds like n.
Pneumonia, Pneumatic
c sounds like a soft s when it comes before e, i, and y.
Cycle, Cytoplasm, Centrifuge 17

18. Pronunciation g sounds like j when it comes before e, i, and y.
Giant, Gestation, Generic, Gyration
i sounds like “eye” when added to the end of a word to form a plural.
Glomeruli, Villi, Alveoli, Bacilli 18

19. Medical Terminology
When you learn the common prefixes, suffixes, and word roots, you have the tools to combine hundreds of medical terms. 19

20. Unit 1 Root Words Erythr/o- red Leuk/o- white Cyan/o- Blue
Melan/o- Black
Xanth/o – yellow
Chloro- green
Abdomino/o- abdomen
Cervic/o – neck
Inguin/o- groin
Pelv/i, or pelv/o – pelvis
Spin/o – spine
My/o – muscle
Surgic/o - surgery
Therm/o- heat
Cry/o- cold
Arthro-joint
Cardi/o- Heart
Gastr/o - Stomach
Crani/o- skull
Rhin/o- nose
Bi/o- life
Caud/o- tail
Cephal/o- head
Thorac/o – Thoracic
Umbilic/o – umbilicus/ navel

21. Unit 1 Prefixes and Suffixes
-osis - condition
-ectomy – surgical removal
-rrhea - flow or discharge
-itis - inflammation
-cyte – cell
- oma - tumor
- ology - study of
-megaly – enlargement
- algia – pain
-dynia – pain
-ic, -al, -ar, -tic – pertaining to
Hyper – above or excess
Hypo – below
Epi – upon
a- /an – without
Pre – before
Pro – before, in front of, for/good
Anti-against
Sym/syn – together
Contra – opposite/against

22. Positional Terms
The anatomical position is of importance in anatomy because it is the position of reference for anatomical nomenclature
“Pinterest link”

23. The anatomical position is:
What is it?
The anatomical position is:
“the universal accepted starting point used to describe or analyze anatomical terms or movement.”
To be in correct anatomical position, the body must meet 3 criteria:
Upright, standing position
Face and feet pointing forward
Arms at the side, palms facing forward
But how do we use the anatomical position to describe direction and planes?

24. Anatomical Planes
-relate to positions in space and found at right angles to each other
-these planes can be positioned on specific parts of the body
Frontal/Coronal
-vertical; splits the body into front and back halves
Sagittal/Mid-sagittal
-vertical; splits the body into left and right halves
Transverse/Horizontal
-splits the body into upper and lower halves

25. Body Cavities

26. Abdominal Quadrants Quadrants Organs RUQ LUQ RLQ LLQ Liver Gallbladder
R. Kidney
LUQ
Stomach
Pancreas
Spleen
L. Kidney
RLQ
Cecum (junction between intestines)
Appendix
R. Ovary
LLQ
L. Ovary

27. Unit 1 positional terms Frontal Superior Inferior Anterior Posterior
Medial
Lateral
Distal
Proximal

28. Body Position Terminology The following terms will become like a second language for you. These terms are used to describe position of the body and will be used extensively when we talk about muscles and bones
Superior- towards the top of the body (cranial)
Inferior- towards the bottom of the body (caudal)
Medial- towards the midline(center) of the body
Lateral- away from the midline of the body
Anterior- towards the front of the body (ventral)
Posterior- towards the back of the body (dorsal)
Proximal- situated closest to the point of attachment
Superficial - on or close to the surface of the body
Deep - farther away from the surface of the body
Distal- situated farthest from the point of attachment