Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology Professor Fowler

Word Parts – most common combining forms Common Combining Forms (you will see THESE again) Bi/o: life Immun/o: immune/protection Carcin/o: cancer Laryng/o: larynx Cardi/o: heart Neprh/o: kidney Chem/o: drug Neur/o: nerve Cis/o: to cut Ophthalm/o: eye Dermat/o: skin Ot/o: ear Enter/o: small intestine Path/o: disease Gastr/o: stomach Pulmon/o: lung Gynec/o: female Rhin/o: nose Hemat/o: blood

Word parts – most common prefixes More Prefixes in the book A-, an- without Neo- new Number Prefixes Brady- slow Peri- around Bi- two Endo- within Post- after Poly- many Epi- upon, on Pre- before Quadri- four Hyper- excessive Sub- under Tri- three Hypo- below Tachy- fast Inter- between Trans- across Intra- within

Word parts – most common suffixes more suffixes in the book -algia: pain -plasia: growth Surgical suffixes -cyte: cell -ptosis: drooping -ectomy: removal -ectasis: dilation -rrhage: flow -otomy: to open -itis: inflammation -rrhexis: rupture -plasty: repair -logy: study of -sclerosis: hardening Procedural suffixes -lysis: destruction -stenosis: narrowing -graphy: process of recording -malacia: softening -ule: small -metry: process of measureing -megaly: enlargement Pertaining to pg 9 -ole: small -scopy: process of viewing -oma: tumor -pathy: diseased

Word Parts English Definition Medical Word dog Word root black Suffix Cardi (heart) black Suffix -logy (study of) furry Prefix Peri- (around) /o Combining vowel pericardiology Black furry dog

Definition of medical term To define the word, start with the suffix, then prefix then the word root. Gynecology (gynec/o -logy) Postneuropathy (post- neur/o -pathy)

Putting medical terms Together Start with the prefix, word root and suffix If the suffix starts with a consonant, just put the word together Neo- Rhin/o -plasty (Neorhinoplasty) Ot/o rhin/o -megaly (otorhinomegaly) Peri- gastr/o enter/o -malacia (perigastroenteromalacia)

Putting the Word Together Start with the prefix, word root and suffix It the suffix starts with a vowel, drop the combining vowel and put the word together Hypo- Nephr/o -ectomy (hypoNEPHRECTOMY) Carcin/o -oma carcinoma Laryng/o -ectomy laryngectomy

Interpreting Medical Terms Divide term into word each part Define each word part Combine meaning of word parts (beginning with the suffix)

Breaking medical terms Up Otorhinolaryngology Ot/o rhin/o laryng/o -logy Adenopathy Aden/o -pathy Tonsillectomy Tonsill/o -ectomy Neuritis Neur/o -itis

Pronunciation There are different ways to say the same word like toe-mate- o or toe-maat-o – both are correct Make sure you enunciate the words because sometimes medical words can sound alike but have different meanings Abduction and Adduction Book has phonetic pronunciations in it

www.wisc- online.com/objects/vie wobject.aspx?ID+gen504 Pronunciation Website: www.wisc- online.com/objects/vie wobject.aspx?ID+gen504

Spelling Spelling is VITAL is medical terminology. One misplaced letter could change the meaning of the word ilium and ileum Words sound like each other too Psy and cy both say “sigh” but mean different things

Plural Endings Most common (more in the book) Vertabra to vertabrae Metastasis to metastases Biopsy to biopsies

Abbreviations Shorten writing Only use approved abbreviations to avoid confusion and miscommunication

HealthCare Settings Places where patients receive care Acute care or general hospitals Specialty care hospitals Nursing homes, long term care facilities Ambulatory care centers, surgical centers, or outpatient clinics Physicians offices HMO Home health care Rehabilitation center hospice