1. Elayne Beehler, MSN, RN

2.  Knowledge how medical terms are built  Lots of memorization of the various medical word components  Once know the components fairly easy to understand the medical terms

3.  Combination of word elements to form medical words  Prefixes (beginning of word)  Suffixes (end of word)  Word root (middle of word)

4.  A vowel is placed between the different word elements  Helps to make the medical word easier to say  Most of the letter “o”  Combining vowel not needed when vowel already present

5.  Word root “therm” means heat  Suffix “meter” means machine to measure  Therm/o/meter Word root/combining vowel/suffix

6.  Word root “arthr” means joint  Suffix “it is” means inflammation  Arthr/itis Word root/suffix *No combining vowel needed

7.  Esophagogastroduodenoscopy  Esoph/o/gastr/o/duoden/o/scopy  Visual examination of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum

8.  Start with the last word part  Then the first word part  Followed by the remaining word parts in the middle ◦ Esophagogastroduodenoscopy “Visual examination of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum”

9.  Obtain the Introduction to Medical Terminology Study Worksheet  Memorize the items on the Introduction to Medical Terminology Study Worksheet