Chapter-1: Basic Word Structure Tri-State Business Institute MD000 Medical Terminology 1 Micheal H. McCabe, EMT-P

Objectives in Studying the Medical Language: Analyze words by dividing them into component parts. Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems

Word Analysis: Divide words into component parts using the “Slash Method.” Locate the root words, suffixes, and prefixes of each term. Start with the suffix and move back to the beginning of the term to understand its meaning.

Word Parts: The root is the foundation of the word. All medical terms have one or more roots. The suffix is the word ending. All medical terms have a suffix. The combining vowel is usually “O”. It links the root to the suffix or to another root.

Example: HEMATOLOGY Slash the word into parts by locating the combining vowel and bracketing it with slashes HEMAT/O/LOGY

Example: HEMAT/O/LOGY The root here is HEMAT, it means “blood” The linking vowel is “O” The suffix here is LOGY, it means “study of.” Starting with the suffix, we read “Study of Blood.”

Another Example: Term: ELECTROCARDIOGRAM Slashed: ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM This word has two roots: ELECTR meaning electricity and CARDI meaning HEART. The suffix is GRAM meaning RECORD OF. Starting with the suffix and moving back to the beginning we read: “Record of the electricity in the heart.”

Yet Another Exercise: Term: GASTRITIS This word lacks a combining vowel. The suffix “itis”, meaning “Inflammation” begins with a vowel, so no combining vowel is needed. The “slashed” word is GASTR/ITIS. GASTR is the root word, it means “Stomach.” The entire term reads “Inflammation of the stomach.”

Combining Two Roots: When a term contains two roots, anatomical position dictates the order of the roots. Even if the second root begins with a vowel, we generally use “O” as a combining vowel between the roots. Example: GASTROENTEROLOGY

Dissection of the term Gastroenterology: GASTR is the first root, it means “stomach.” The first “O” is the combining vowel. ENTER is the second root, it means intestines. The stomach precedes the intestines in the GI tract, so GASTR goes first. The second “O” is the combining vowel that links the root words to the suffix “LOGY.” The complete term thus means “Study of the stomach and intestines.”

Three General Rules: Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning of the term and across. Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Keep the combining vowel between two roots.

Combining Form: The combining form is the combination of a root word and the combining vowel. Combining forms can be used with many different suffixes, so it’s useful to know the meaning of a combining form to decipher the meaning of a term.

Prefixes: The prefix is a small part attached to the beginning of the term. Not all medical terms contain prefixes, but the prefix can have an important influence in meaning.

Examples of Prefixes: SUB/GASTR/IC “Sub” is a prefix meaning “below” “Gastr” is the root meaning “stomach.” “Ic” is a suffix meaning “pertaining to.” The term means “pertaining to below the stomach. Usage: “The patient is complaining of subgastric pain.” Subgastric is an adjective that describes the location of the pain.

Examples of Prefixes: EPI/GASTR/IC “Epi” is a prefix meaning “above.” “Gastr” is the root meaning “stomach.” “Ic” is a suffix meaning “pertaining to.” The entire term reads: “Pertaining to above the stomach.” Usage: “The patient is having epigastric pain.” Again, the term is used as an adjective to describe the location of the pain.

Important Elements of Medical Terms: Root: The Foundation of the term Suffix: Word ending Prefix: Word beginning Combining Vowel: Usually “O” – vowel that links the root to the suffix or the root to another root. Combining Form: Combination of the root and the combining vowel.

Combining Forms, Prefixes, and Suffixes: The following list contains common combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes with examples of how each are used. Analyze the examples and determine the meaning of each by breaking the word down into its component parts.

Combining Forms: Aden/o Arthr/o Bi/o Carcin/o Cardi/o Cephal/o Adenoma Adenitis Arthritis Biology Biopsy Carcinoma Cardiology Cephalic

Combining Forms: Cerebr/o Cis/o Crin/o Cyst/o Cyt/o Demer/o or Dermat/o Cerebral Incision Excision Endocrine Cystoscopy Cytology Dermatitis Hypodermic

Combining Forms: Electr/o Encephal/o Enter/o Erythr/o Gastr/o Gnos/o Electrocardiogram Encephalitis Enteritis Erythrocyte Gastrectomy Gastrotomy Diagnosis Prognosis

Combining Forms: Gynec/o Hemat/o or hem/o Hepat/o Iatr/o Leuk/o Nephr/o Gynecology Hematology Hematoma Hepatitis Iatrogenic Leukocyte Nephritis nephrology

Combining Forms: Neur/o Onc/o Opthalm/o Oste/o Path/o Neurology Oncology Oncologist Opthalmascope Osteitis Osteoarthritis Pathology Pathologist

Combining Forms: Ped/o Psych/o Radi/o Ren/o Rhin/o Sarc/o Sect/o Pediatric Psychology Psychiatrist Radiology Renal Rhinitis Sarcoma Resection

Combining Forms: Thromb/o Ur/o Thrombocyte Urology

Suffixes: -ac -al -algia -cyte -ectomy -emia -genic Cardiac Neural Arthalgia Neuralgia Erythrocyte Nephrectomy Leukemia Carcinogenic

Suffixes: -genic -gram -ic, -ical -ion -ist -itis Pathogenic Iatrogenic EEG Gastric Neurological Excision Gynecologist Cystitis

Suffixes: -logy -oma -opsy -osis -pathy -scope Endocrinology Hepatoma Biopsy Nephrosis Leukocytosis Enteropathy Adenopathy Endoscope

Suffixes: -scopy -sis -tomy -y Endoscopy Prognosis Osteotomy Gastroenterology

Prefixes: A-, an- Auto- Dia- Endo- Epi- Ex- Exo- Anemia Autopsy Diagnosis Endocrinologist Epigastric Epidermis Excision Exocrine

Prefixes: Hyper- Hypo- In- Peri- Pro- Re- Retro- Hyperglycemia Hypogastric Hypoglycemia Incision Pericardium Prognosis Resection Retrocardiac

Prefixes: Sub- Trans- Subhepetic Transhepetic

Homework: Each chapter in the textbook includes: Practical Applications Exercises Pronunciation of Terms Do EVERYTHING in each chapter after we go over it in class. Work ahead with extreme caution!

Looking Ahead: This book will also be used in Medical Terminology II. That means we’ll cover 22 chapters in 12 weeks. We won’t be doing them in the same order as the book!

For Tomorrow: Complete all exercises in Chapter-1, pages 14-22. Review Pronunciation of all terms in Chapter-1, pages 25-28 Read Chapter-2, pages 31-58 If you have access to a computer: explore the CD-ROM that accompanies your book.

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