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Questions and Answers
What is the function of a prefix in a medical term?
What is the meaning of the root word 'CARCINO-'?
What is the function of a suffix in a medical term?
What does the root word 'DERMA-' relate to?
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What is the main purpose of medical terminology?
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What does the prefix 'onco-' describe in medical terminology?
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What does the root word 'neuro-' describe in medical terminology?
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What does the prefix 'sarco-' describe in medical terminology?
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What does the root word 'osteo-' describe in medical terminology?
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What does the prefix 'toxo-' describe in medical terminology?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Medical Terminology
- Medical terminology is a concise language used by healthcare workers to communicate effectively and quickly.
- It is composed of prefixes, suffixes, and root words.
Word Breakdown
- Prefix: a syllable or word placed at the beginning of a word that helps describe location, direction, or amount.
- Root word: the main word or part to which prefixes and suffixes can be added.
- Suffix: a syllable or word placed at the end of a word that helps describe what the word or problem relates to.
Common Prefixes in Medical Terms
- Prefixes can indicate location (e.g., near, towards, within), direction (e.g., away from, beneath), or amount (e.g., lack of, excessive).
Root Words
- BLAST-: germ, immature cell (e.g., blastoma = cancer made of immature cells).
- CARCINO-: cancer (e.g., carcinogenic = cancer-causing).
- CARDIO-: heart (e.g., cardiotoxicity = toxicity to the heart).
- CYTO-: cell (e.g., cytotoxic = toxic to the cell).
- DERMA-: skin (e.g., dermatitis = inflammation of the skin).
- HISTIO-: tissue (e.g., histology = study of tissue).
- HEPATI-: liver (e.g., hepatoblastoma = liver cancer).
- MALIGN-: bad or harmful (e.g., malignant = growing, spreading).
- NEPHRO-: kidney (e.g., nephrotoxic = harmful to the kidneys).
- NEURO-: nerves (e.g., neuroblast = an immature nerve cell).
- ONCO-: mass or tumor (e.g., oncology = the study of cancer).
- OSTEO-: bone or bony tissue (e.g., osteosarcoma = bone cancer).
- PAED-: child (e.g., pediatric oncology = study of childhood cancer).
- SARCO-: tissue (e.g., sarcoma = tumor of bone, muscle, or connective tissue).
- TOXO-: poison (e.g., toxicology = study of poisons).
Frequent Root Words
- Oste(o): bone.
- Myo: muscle.
- Neuro: nerves.
- Derm: skin.
- Angi(o): blood vessels.
- Ven(o) or Phleb(o): veins.
- Cardio: heart.
- Rhino: nose.
- Neph: kidney.
- Cranio: skull.
- Opthalmo or oculo: eye.
- Oto: ear.
- Thromb(o): blood clot.
- Hepato: liver.
- Mamm(o): breast.
- Colo: large intestine.
- Gastro: stomach.
- Ileo: small intestine.
- Thorac(o): chest.
- Pneumo or pleuro: lung.
Importance of Medical Terminology
- Using proper medical terminology is essential for effective communication among healthcare professionals.
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Description
Learn medical terminology and abbreviations used in healthcare, and how to break down complex words into their components.
