1. Most medical terms are formed by a combination of basic word parts
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Most medical terms are formed by a combination of basic word parts

2. Word Parts • Usually indicate the involved body part encephal/o brain
Word Roots
• Act as the foundation of most medical terms
• Usually indicate the involved body part
encephal/o brain
cardi/o heart
pneum/o lung

3. Suffixes -ectomy surgical removal of -osis abnormal condition
• Found at the end of a word
• Usually indicate the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease
-ectomy surgical removal of
-osis abnormal condition
-oma tumor

4. Prefixes • Found at the beginning of a word
• Usually indicate location, time, number, or status
post after
peri around
tri three

5. Combining Vowels
*A combining vowel may be needed between the word root and the suffix to make the medical term easier to pronounce

6. Combining Vowels
A combining vowel – usually “o”- is used when the suffix begins with a consonant
EX: neur/o (nerve) + -plasty (surgical repair)
neuroplasty

7. Combining Vowels
A combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel
EX: neur/o (nerve) + -itis (inflammation)
neuritis

8. Combining Vowels
A combining vowel is always used when two or more root words are joined
EX: gastr/o(stomach) + enter/o(intestine)
gastroentero
Gastroentero + -itis = gastroenteritis

9. Combining Vowels
4. A prefix does not require a combining vowel

10. inflammation of many nerves
Practice
Prefix Root Word Suffix
poly neur/o itis
polyneuritis
inflammation of many nerves

11. excessive stomach pain
Practice
Prefix Root Word Suffix
hyper gastr/o algia
excessive stomach pain
hypergastralgia
excessive stomach pain

12. Terminology Game

13. endoscopicretrogradecholangiopancreatography
hyperemesis
splenomegaly
hemangioma
bradypnea
cholecystectomy
hyperglycemia
osteomyelitis
endocarditis
endoscopicretrogradecholangiopancreatography

14. Assigned Root Words angi/o vessel cardi/o heart
colon/o, col/o colon (lg intestine)
derm/o, dermat/o skin
enter/o intestine
gastr/o stomach
my/o muscle
neur/o nerve
trache/o trachea

15. Assigned Prefixes hyper- excessive, above hypo- less than, below
post- after
pre- before

16. Assigned Suffixes -algia pain -ectomy surgical removal of
-emesis vomit
-gram record
-ic pertaining to
-itis inflammation of
-ologist specialist
-ology study of

17. Assigned Suffixes -ostomy artificial opening -otomy incision into
-plasty surgical repair
-scopy visual exam
-ia condition
-ism condition
-osis condition
-otic condition

18. Physician’s Orders Diagnosis: Congestive Heart Failure
Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing every 4 hours
Chest x-ray immediately
Arterial blood gases, complete blood count, electrolytes, and urinalysis
Intravenous of normal saline at 100 cubic centimeters per hour

19. Physician’s Orders Dx: CHF IPPB q4h CXR stat ABGs, CBC, lytes, UA
IV of 100cc/hr

20. Medical Abbreviations
• Medical abbreviations are used to cut down on the time spent documenting patient care
• Some abbreviations are universal - others are specific to areas of the country or medical facilities
• Upper and lower case specific

21. Medical Abbreviations
EX: pt = patient
PT = physical therapy
*It is YOUR responsibility to know the approved medical abbreviations for your medical facility

22. Assigned Abbreviations_
c : with
p : after
s : without
a : before

23. Assigned Abbreviations
h hour
ad lib as desired
MD medical doctor
ASAP as soon as possible
prn as needed
q every
c/o complains of
pt patient
d day
stat immediately
Dx, dx diagnosis (what’s wrong)
TLC tender, loving care

24. Medical Abbreviations
bid twice a day
HOB head of bed
qid four times a day
D/C discharge, discontinue
tid three times a day
qod every other day
CXR chest x ray
tx treatment
Hx History
Sx sign, symptom
NPO Nothing by mouth
VS vital signs