Medical Terminology Dr. Ramadan Saad

Medical Terminology: A Short Course 8th edition Davi-Ellen Chabner

Basic Word Structure Chapter 1

Objectives Divide medical words into their component parts. Describe the meaning of basic combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes of the medical language. Use these combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes to build medical words.

How to study Medical Language Analyze words by dividing them into their component parts. Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body. Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems.

6 Building Medical Terms Word Root Prefix Suffix Combining forms

The Four Word Parts Most medical terms are built with some or all of the following word parts: 1. WORD ROOTS; Foundation of the word. Usually indicates the body part. 2. SUFFIXES; word ending. 3. PREFIXES; word beginning. 4. COMBINING FORM; is a word root with the combining vowel attached. Combining Vowel: Usually an “o”; links the root to the suffix or the root to another root. Word Parts are the KEY!!!

The Components of Medical Terms

Word Root the core of the word The word root contains the fundamental meaning of the word. Usually, but not always, indicates the involved body part. Since the word root is the core of the word, each medical term contains one or more word roots. Example: Gastr - stomach

Word Roots Not all roots are associated with a specific body system. Some roots are used more broadly and can be applied to any body system. These terms may be used to describe something (adjectives or adverbs) or name something (nouns).

Examples of Word Roots Greek or Latin Word Word RootMeaning Nephros (Gr)NephrKidney Oris (L)OrMouth Renes (L)RenKidney Dermatos (Gr)DermSkin

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Body As A Whole bi/oLife cephal/oHead cervic/oNeck cyt/oCell lip/oFat path/oDisease

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Integumentary System derm/o; dermat/o; cutane/o Skin Skeletal System arthr/oJoint oste/oBone Muscular System my/o; muscul/oMuscle

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Nervous System, Ears, Eyes cerebr/o; encephal/oBrain myel/oSpinal cord; Bone marrow neur/oNerve ophthalm/o; ocul/oEye ot/oEar Endocrine System aden/oGland

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Cardiovascular System angi/o; vascul/o; vas/oVessel cardi/o Heart hem/o; hemat/oBlood Lymphatic and Immune Systems lymphaden/oLymph gland; node Respiratory System pneum/o; pneumon/oLung naso; rhin/o Nose

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Digestive System enter/oSmall Intestine gastr/oStomach hepat/oLiver Urinary System cyst/oBladder ren/o; nephr/oKidney

Common Anatomical Roots RootMeaning Male Reproductive System orchid/o; test/oTesticle; Testis Female Reproductive System gynec/oFemale mast/o; mamm/oBreast oophor/o; ovari/oOvary salping/oFallopian/Uterine Tube hyster/oUterus

Suffixes Attaches to the end of the word and carries the underlying meaning of the word. Suffixes can also be combining forms. Prefix Word Root Suffix

The suffix appears at the end of the word root to modify its meaning. Most medical terms have a suffix. The suffix frequently indicates a procedure, condition, or disease such as: - scopy, meaning visual examination (procedure) - tomy, meaning surgical incision (procedure) - itis, meaning inflammation (condition) - oma, meaning tumor (disease) - al, meaning pertaining to - algia, meaning pain - ectomy, meaning cutting. - emia, meaning blood. - logy, meaning study of - logist, meaning specialist - gram, meaning record

Suffix Examples Hepat/ic in this medical term, -ic (which means pertaining to) is the suffix. Hepat is the word root for liver; therefore hepatic means pertaining to the liver. Hepat/itis in this medical term, -itis (which means inflammation) is the suffix. The term hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.

Examples of Suffixes Combining Form SuffixMedical word Meaning Gastr/o (stomach) -itis (inflammation) Gastritis Inflammation of the stomach -megaly Gastromegaly Enlargement of the stomach -omaGastroma Tumor of the stomach

22 Prefixes Prefixes are attached to the beginning of words. Modifies the meaning of the word or word root. Indicates size, quantity, position of, and location. Prefix Word Root Suffix

Prefix The prefix appears at the beginning of a word root and modifies its meaning. Serves to further define a root word Prefixes can indicate; bi-, meaning two. Sub-, meaning under. Intra-, meaning within. Brady-, meaning slow. a-, an; meaning without. Dia, complete. Dys. Painful. Endo, or exo (within, outside). Hyper, hypo (above normal, below normal). Peri (surrounding).

Prefixes Example: © Cengage Learning

Examples of Prefixes PrefixWord Root SuffixMedical Word Meaning Hyper- (above normal) Therm (heat) -ia (condition) HyperthermiaCondition of excessive heat Intra- (in, within) Muscul (muscle) -ar (relating to) IntramuscularWithin the muscle

Prefix Examples Sub/hepat/ic - In this medical term, sub- (which means under) is the prefix. Subhepatic means pertaining to under the liver. Intra/ven/ous - In this word, intra- (which means within) is the prefix. Intravenous means pertaining to within the vein.

Combining Vowel Usually an “o.” Join the root with a suffix or another root. Used to ease pronunciation so not all terms will have them. Rules for use: 1. used when the suffix begins with a consonant. neur/o + –plasty = neuroplasty 2. NOT used when the suffix begins with a vowel. neur/o + -itis = neuritis 3. used when 2 or more root words are joined. gastr/o + enter/o + logy = gastroenterology

Combining Form A combining form is a word root with the combining vowel attached. Examples arthr/o oste/o ven/o

Examples of Combining Forms Word RootVowelCombining Form Meaning GastrOGastr/ostomach HepatOHepat/oLiver ImmunOImmun/oSafe OsteOOste/oBone EncepalOEncephal/oBrain EnterOEnter/oIntestine ErythrOErythr/oRed CytOCyt/oCell

Examples of Combining Forms Word Root VowelCombining Form Meaning AdenOAden/ogland ArthrOArthr/ojoint BiOBi/olife CarcinOcarcin/otumor CardiOcardi/oheart CephalOCephal/ohead CerebrOCerebr/ocerebrum cystOCyst/o Urinary bladder

Summary Word root- core of a word; for example, hepat Suffix- attached at the end of a word root to modify its meaning; for example, -ic. Prefix- attached at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning; for example, Sub- Combining Vowel- usually an o used between two word roots or a word root and a suffix to ease pronunciation; for example hepat o pathy Combining form- word root plus combining vowel separated by a vertical slash; for example, hepat/o.

Nephritis Nephr - root words means kidney -itis - suffix means inflammation Nephritis means inflammation of the kidney

Pericarditis

Leukocyte Leuko- prefix means white cyte - root word means cell Leukocyte means white cell

Hepatitis hepat - root word means liver -itis - suffix means inflammation hepatitis - means inflammation of the liver

Hypoinsulinemia Hypo / insulin / emia Prefix Word root suffix LOW INSULIN BLOOD Notice that there is no combining vowel in this word because the prefix ends with a vowel and the suffix begins with a vowel.

Word Analysis ELECTROCARDIOGRAM ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM Root Root Suffix (electricity) (heart) (record) Combining Vowel Root + CV + root + CV + suffix Start at the suffix Gram = record Go the to beginning Electr = electricity Cardi = heart Analysis Record of the electricity in the heart

Plurality To make a medical word plural (more than one), first look at the suffix. Then, choose the rule that changes the singular form to the plural form. Dr. Joel Gluck _________________________________

Singular & Plural Endings Word ends with “a” Vertebra a to ae just add e Word ends with “x” Appendix ix to appendices Apex ex to apices KEY = ix/ ex -to- ices Phalanx nx to ges nx -to- ges Word ends with “is” diagnosis diagnoses is to es testis testes metastasis metastases Word ends with “on” or “um” just change to “a” Ganglion ganglia Ovum ova Atrium atria Word ends with “us” just change to “i” Alveolus alveoli Nucleus nuclei Key to plurals: In Greek & Latin General rule = end of word changes to “a” In English General rule = end of word changes to “s”

Questions

Question A vertebra is a bone in the spine. What is the plural of vertebra? a. vertebras b. vertebri c. vertebrae