Medical Terminology Basics

Course Information

• Course: APCVS
• Week: 1

Lesson Objectives

• Students will define and spell terms for the chapter.
• Students will identify and discuss medical terminology word parts.
• Students will analyze, build, spell, and pronounce medical words.

Word Parts Are the Key!

• Four basic types of word parts create complex medical terms
  • Word roots
  • Combining forms
  • Suffixes
  • Prefixes

Analyzing a Medical Term

• Medical terms are analyzed using roots, combining vowels, and suffixes.
• Example: HEMAT/O/LOGY
  • Root: (“blood”)
  • Combining vowel:
  • Suffix: ("study of")

Derivation of Healthcare Terms

• Most medical terms are derived from Greek and Latin.
• Examples include gloss/o (Greek) and lingu/o (Latin)
• Word roots typically, but not always, indicate the body part involved.

Word Roots

• Examples
  • cardi- = heart
  • gastr- = stomach
  • hepat- = liver
  • neur- = nerve
• Note: Word roots don't always mean "pertaining to."

Some Word Roots and Their Combining Forms

• Word Roots: arth, cardi, gastr, hepat, lingu, oste, pneum
• Combining Forms: arthr/o, cardi/o, gastr/o, hepat/o, lingu/o, oste/o, pneum/o

Word Parts, continued – Suffixes

• Suffixes appear at the end of a term.
• Often indicate a pathological condition, diagnostic procedure, or a therapeutic intervention.
• Examples:
  • cardiomegaly
  • gastralgia
  • neuritis

Some Suffixes

• -itis = inflammation
• -scopy = visual examination
• -tomy = surgical incision
• -ectomy = surgical removal, excision, or resection
• -ia, -al, -ic = pertaining to
• -logy = study of
• -megaly = enlargement
• -stomy = create an artificial opening

Prefixes

• Prefixes appear before a combining form.
• They often, but not always, indicate location, time, number, or status.
• They give more information about a term.
• Examples:
  • Pericardium = surrounding the heart
  • Epigastric = pertaining to above the stomach
  • Polyneuritis = inflammation of many nerves

Some Prefixes

• sub- = under
• hyper- = above, increased
• hypo- = below, decreased
• dys- = difficult, painful
• ante- = before
• anti- = against
• pre- = before
• peri- = surrounding

The Power of Learning Medical Terminology

• Memorizing word parts and rules helps analyze and build medical terms quickly.
• A combining form wheel can aid in this process.

Analyzing Terms

• Memorizing prefixes, word roots, and suffixes allows effective medical term analysis.
• Taking terms apart helps discern word building patterns and meanings.
• Examples: Electr = electricity; Cardi = heart; Gram = record

Analyzing Terms, continued

• Sublingual is a three-part word: sub- (under), lingu- (tongue), and -al (pertaining to).
• A short definition: pertaining to under the tongue.

Determining Meanings on the Basis of Word Parts

• Combining vowels: Make medical terms easier to pronounce.
• Examples:
  • Cardiologist: cardi/o = heart + logist = specialist
  • Gastritis: gastr/o = stomach + itis = inflammation
  • Neuralgia: neur = nerves + algia = pain

Building Healthcare Terms, continued

• Combining forms are joined to suffixes (with or without a combing vowel, dependent on whether the following suffix starts with a consonant or vowel).
• Prefixes are joined directly to the combining form.

Singular/Plural Rules

• If a term ends in -a, drop the -a and add -ae. (e.g., vertebra → vertebrae)
• If a term ends in -is, drop the -is and add -es. (e.g., diagnosis → diagnoses)
• Other rules: -nx, -um, and -us.

Let's Review

• Definitions of prefixes and suffixes.
• Importance of Greek and Latin word origins.
• Correct usage of combining vowels.

Practice Question Answers

• Medical terminology is mostly derived from Latin and Greek words, (True)
• A medical assistant does not need to memorize all medical terms. (False)
• Medical dictionaries and reputable Internet sites are helpful learning resources. (True)
• Combining vowels are sometimes added when attaching word roots with suffixes or other roots, (True)
• A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word, not at the end. (False)
• The word root for tongue is lingu. (True)
• A suffix comes at the end of a word. (True)

Practice Question(s) – Additional

• The word root for a joint is athr.
• The word root for white is leuk.
• The word root for the region where the navel is located is umbilical.
• The thoracic cavity includes the heart and lungs.
• Anterior (or ventral) means the front part.

Why Learn Anatomy and Physiology

• Effective communication between healthcare workers.
• Reduction in medical errors.
• Definition of anatomy and physiology.

Anatomical Position

• Body orientation that serves as a standard reference point.
• Face forward, palms forward, standing erect, legs together

Body Cavities

• Dorsal cavity: cranial and spinal
• Ventral cavity: thoracic (contains the pleural and pericardial cavities), abdominal, and pelvic. Describes where body parts are located and functions using body regions, body planes, and directions.

Abdominopelvic Quadrants and Regions

• Abdominopelvic quadrants (4): right upper, left upper, right lower, left lower regions.
• Abdominopelvic regions (9): right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, etc.

Planes of the Body

• Sagittal plane: Divides the body into left and right portions.
• Midsagittal plane: A type of sagittal plane, dividing the body into equal left and right halves.
• Frontal (or coronal) plane: Divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.
• Transverse plane: Divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

Positional and Directional Terms

• Terms used to describe body locations relative to a position.
• Terms like anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, medial, lateral, proximal, distal, supine, prone are all explained.

Body Systems: Structure and Function

• Descriptions on organization of systems and their roles.
• Detailed information on each major system
• Include: Urinary, Digestive, Respiratory, Reproductive, Circulatory, Immune, Endocrine, Integumentary, Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous.

Organization of the Human Body

• Describes the human organism as a whole.
• Includes body systems (collections of organs), organs (collections of tissues), tissues (collections of cells), and cells (basic units of life).
• Includes homeostasis (equilibrium) and constant internal environment.

Cells, continued

• Discusses cell functions (energy & metabolism, and cell components.

Tissues, continued

• Discusses four types of tissues.

Additional Summary

• Provides medical terminology practice questions and answers

Brain Teaser

• Definition of a lung disease caused by inhaling fine silicon dust.

Proper Probe Positioning for Oral Temperature

• Illustrates proper probe placement for oral temperature measurement.