1. Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology Mrs. Spearman

2. Objectives:
1. I can identify the roles of the four types of word parts used in forming medical terms.
2. By using your knowledge of word parts, I can analyze unfamiliar medical terms
3. I can define commonly used prefixes, word roots, combining forms, and suffixes.

3. The Language of Medicine
The language of medicine is specialized vocabulary used by health-care professionals.

4. Writing is Key Correct spelling is essential because
A misspelled word may have an entirely different meaning.
Correct spelling helps with the pronunciation of the medical term.

5. Word Parts There are 4 word parts associated with medical term
Word Roots
Combining Forms
Prefixes
Suffixes

6. Word Roots The word root is the main body of a word.
All words have a word root.
Word roots are the building blocks for most medical terms
Examples:
Word Root
Meaning
Use in a Word
Gastr
Stomach
Gastrology
Cardi
Heart
Cardiology or
mouth
oral

7. Combining Forms A word root + (/) combining vowel = combining form
The most frequently used vowel is o.
Examples:
Word Root
Combining Vowel
Combining Form
Meaning
Gastr o
Gastr/o
Stomach
Cardi
Cardi/o
Heart Or
Or/o
Mouth

8. Write It
Write either WR (for “word root” or CF (for “combining form”) to identify these word parts.
______ cyan/o
______ erythr/o
______ melan/o
______ leuk
______ neur/o
______ enter

9. When written by itself a prefix is usually followed by a hyphen (-)
Prefixes
Suffixes
A word roots are usually written with a prefix and/or a suffix to form a medical term.
When written by itself a prefix is usually followed by a hyphen (-)
Examples:
Pre-
Post-
A suffix is attached to the end of a word root to create a medical term.
A suffix is usually preceded by a hyphen (-) when the suffix is written by itself
Examples:
-cyte
-itis
-al

10. Write It
Identify the following word parts as a P (for prefix), S (for suffix), or CF (for combining form) for the following word parts:
____ peri ____ -itis
____ tonsill/o 8. ____ pre-
____ dermat/o 9. ____ -pathy
____ eu ____ rhin/o
____ -ology
____ hydr/o

11. Reminder
Remember that when combining forms are written alone, they contain a combining vowel, usually an o, as in cardi/o.

12. Combining Word Parts to Write Terms
Rules for creating medical terms using a combining form and suffix:
The combining vowel is used before suffixes that begin with a consonant.
Example: gastr/o + -megaly = gastromegaly
The combining vowel is used when joining together more than one combining form
Example: gastro/ + enter/o + -megaly = gastroenteromegaly
Do not use a combining vowel if the suffix begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, or u)
Example: gastr/o + -itis = gastritis

13. More Examples Prefix + Combining Form + Suffix Combining Form + Suffix
Poly- + arthr/o + -itis = polyarthritis
Combining Form + Suffix
Arthr/o + -itis = arthritis
Prefix + Suffix
Dys pnea = dyspnea

14. Building Terms with a Combining Form and Suffixes
Term and Meaning
Ot/o
-itis
Otitis, inflammation of the ear
-logy
Otology, study of the ear
-plasty
Otoplasty, plastic surgery of the ear
-rrhea
Otorrhea, discharge from the ear
-tomy
Ototomy, incision of the ear

15. Decipher these medical terms based on their word parts:
Prefix
Combining form
Suffix
Meaning
cardiologist
cardi/o
-ologist
gastralgia
gastr/o
-algia
neuralgia
neur/o

16. Build It (Remember the rules)
Write terms from these word parts
1. dys- + -pnea = __________________
2. enter/o + -ic = __________________
3. eu- + -pepsia = __________________
4. tonsill/o + -itis = __________________
5. dermat/o+ -ologist = ___________________
6. pre- + nat/o + -al= __________________
7. leuk/o + -cyte = ____________________
8. appendic/o + -itis = _________________
9. Hyper- + -emia = ___________________
10. endo- + cardi/o + -al = _______________

17. Determining a Word’s meaning
To determine a word’s meaning:
Always start at the suffix, and work toward the beginning.
As you separate the word parts, identify the meaning of each. Identifying the meaning of each part should give you a definition.
Because some word parts have more than one meaning, it is also necessary to determine what body system the term is referring to. (Example: myel/o means spinal cord or bone marrow)

18. Otorhinolaryngology

19. Combining Forms Indicating Color
Meaning
Example
Cyan/o
Blue
Cyanosis (-osis means abnormal condition or disease) blue discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen
Erythr/o
Red
Erythrocyte (-cyte means cell) red blood cell
Leuk/o
White
Leukocyte—white blood cell
Melan/o
Black
Melanosis—abnormal condition of deposits of black pigment in body tissues
Poli/o
Gray
Poliomyelitis—(myel/o means spinal cord, -itis means inflammation) viral infection of the spinal cord

20. Suffixes Related to Pathology
Meaning
Example
-ology
Study of
Gastrology—study of the stomach
-algia,dynia
pain
Gastralgia—pain in the stomach OR
Gastrodynia (-algia is commonly used)
-itis
Inflammation
Gastritis—inflammation of the stomach
-malacia
Abnormal softening
Arteriomalacia—softening of an artery
(arteri/o means artery)
-sclerosis
Hardening
Arteriosclerosis—hardening of an artery
-megaly
Enlargement
Hepatomegaly—enlargement of the liver
(Hepat/o means liver)
-necrosis
Tissue death
Arterionecrosis—tissue death of an artery
-stenosis
Abnormal narrowing
Arteriostenosis—abnormal narrowing of an artery

21. Suffixes Related to Procedures
Meaning
Example
-centesis
Surgical procedure to remove fluid
Abdominocentesis—surgical procedure to remove fluid from the abdomen (abdomin/o means abdomen)
-graphy
Process of recording a picture or record
Angiography—process of recording an (x-ray) of a blood vessel (angi/o means blood vessel)
-gram
Picture or record
Angiogram—picture of a blood vessel
-plasty
Surgical repair
Rhinoplasty—surgical repair of the nose (rhin/o means nose)
-scopy
Visual examination
Arthroscopy—visual examination of a joint (arthr/o means joint)

22. The “Double R” Suffixes
Meaning
Example
-rrhage,
-rrhagia
Bleeding
Hemorrhage—loss of large amount of blood in short time (hem/o means blood)
-rrhaphy
Surgical suture (stitch)
Myorrhaphy—surgical suturing a muscle (my/o means muscle)
-rrhea
Flow or discharge
Diarrhea—frequent flow of watery stool (dia- means through)
-rrhexis
Rupture
Myorrhexis—rupture of a muscle

23. Prefixes Prefix Meaning Example Pre- Before
Prenatal—time and events before birth
Peri-
Surrounding
Perinatal— time and events surrounding birth
Post-
After
Postnal—time and events after birth

24. Contrasting Prefixes Prefix Meaning Ab- Away from Ex. Abnormal Ad-
Toward
Ex. Addicition
Dys-
Bad, difficult, painful
Ex. Dysfunctional
Eu-
Good or normal
Ex. Euthyroid
Hyper-
Excessive or increased
Ex. Hypertension
Hypo-
Deficient or decreased
Ex. Hypotension
Inter-
Between or among
Ex. Interstate
Intra-
Within or outside
Ex. Intramuscular injection
Sub-
Under, less, or below
Ex. Subcostal
(cost/o means rib)
Super-, Supra-
Above or Excessive
Ex. Supracostal

25. Fatty substance or plaque
Commonly Confused Terms
Combining Form
Meaning
Example
Arterio/o
Artery
Endoarterial—pertaining to the lining within an artery
Ather/o
Fatty substance or plaque
Atherectomy—surgical removal of a fatty substance
Athr/o
Joint
Arthralgia—pain in a joint

26. Commonly Confused Terms
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-ectomy
Surgical excision or removal
Appendectomy—surgical removal of the appendix
-ostomy
Surgical creation of a artificial opening
Colostomy—surgical creation of an artificial opening into the colon
-otomy
Surgical incision or cutting
Lithotomy—surgical incision to remove stones
(lith/o means stone)

27. Bone marrow or spinal cord
Commonly Confused Terms
Combining Form
Meaning
Example
Myc/o
Fungus
Mycosis—abnormal condition of fungus
Myel/o
Bone marrow or spinal cord
Myelopathy—disease in the spinal cord
(-pathy means disease)
My/o
Muscle
Myopathy—disease in the muscle tissue

28. Renal pelvis; part of kidney
Commonly Confused Terms
Combining Form
Meaning
Example
Pyel/o
Renal pelvis; part of kidney
Pyelitis—inflammation of the renal pelvis
Py/o
Pus
Pyoderma—pus skin infection
Pyr/o
Fire or fever
Pyromaniac—person that loves fire

29. Write It! Directions: Select the correct answer.
The medical term gastritis or gastrosis describe inflammation of the stomach.
An appendectomy or appendicitis is the surgical removal of the appendix.
The abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery is called arteriosclerosis or arterionecrosis.
An inflammation of the stomach and small intestine is know as gastritis or gastralgia or gastroenteritis.
The term meaning pain in a joint is
arthralgia or arthritis or arteritis.

30. Write It! Word Surgery
Divide each term into its word parts. (You may not need all the lines provided.)
Otorhinolaryrngology is the study of the ear nose and throat.
_________ _____________ ________________ _______________
The term mycosis means abnormal condition caused by fungus.
__________ _____________ ________________ ________________
Poliomyelitis is a viral infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord.
Neonatology is the study of disorders of the newborn.
5. The term endarterial means pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery.

31. Look-Alike Sound-Alike Terms
Infection
Inflammation
Invasion of the body by a disease-producing organism
Signs and symptoms of infection include:
malaise (feeling of discomfort),
chills and fever,
redness,
heat,
swelling, or
exudate from a wound. (fluid (pus) that leaks from infected wound).
Inflammation—the body’s response to injury
Signs of inflammation:
erythema (redness),
hyperthermia (heat),
edema (swelling),
and pain.
Look-Alike Sound-Alike Terms