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Questions and Answers
What does the suffix '-algia' indicate in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-algia' indicate in a medical term?
What does the root 'gastr-' mean in a medical term?
What does the root 'gastr-' mean in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-oma' indicate in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-oma' indicate in a medical term?
What does the root 'neur-' mean in a medical term?
What does the root 'neur-' mean in a medical term?
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What does the suffix '-pnea' indicate in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-pnea' indicate in a medical term?
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What does the root 'cardi-' mean in a medical term?
What does the root 'cardi-' mean in a medical term?
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What does the suffix '-itis' indicate in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-itis' indicate in a medical term?
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What does the root 'hepat-' mean in a medical term?
What does the root 'hepat-' mean in a medical term?
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What is the primary purpose of medical terminology in healthcare?
What is the primary purpose of medical terminology in healthcare?
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Which of the following is a prefix that means 'without' or 'not'?
Which of the following is a prefix that means 'without' or 'not'?
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What is the core meaning of a word in medical terminology?
What is the core meaning of a word in medical terminology?
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What does the suffix '-itis' indicate in a medical term?
What does the suffix '-itis' indicate in a medical term?
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Which of the following is a common prefix used in medical terminology?
Which of the following is a common prefix used in medical terminology?
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What is the importance of medical terminology in healthcare?
What is the importance of medical terminology in healthcare?
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What is the language that medical terminology is based on?
What is the language that medical terminology is based on?
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Which of the following is an example of a root in medical terminology?
Which of the following is an example of a root in medical terminology?
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What is the purpose of prefixes in medical terminology?
What is the purpose of prefixes in medical terminology?
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Which of the following is a common suffix used in medical terminology?
Which of the following is a common suffix used in medical terminology?
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Study Notes
Medical Terminology
- Medical terminology is the language of healthcare professionals, used to describe the human body, diseases, and medical procedures.
- It is based on Greek and Latin roots, using prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms to create words.
- Medical terminology is an important tool that allows healthcare professionals to communicate with each other in a clear and concise way.
Importance of Medical Terminology
- Helps healthcare professionals to understand medical documentation and provide accurate information to patients.
- Enables precise communication among healthcare professionals, reducing errors and improving patient care.
Building Blocks of Medical Terminology
- Medical terms are built from three main components: prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
- Prefixes appear at the beginning of a word and generally change the meaning of the root word.
- Roots are the core meaning of a word, providing the foundation for the entire term.
- Suffixes are placed after a root to change its meaning or indicate a grammatical function.
Common Prefixes
- a-: without or not (e.g., asymptomatic)
- ab-: away from (e.g., abnormal)
- ad-: to or toward (e.g., adduction)
- ante-: before (e.g., antenatal)
- anti-: against (e.g., antihypertensive)
- mono-/uni-: one (e.g., carbon monoxide, unilateral)
- bi-/di-: two (e.g., bilaminar, dihydrogen phosphate)
- tri-: three (e.g., tricuspid valve)
- bio-: life (e.g., biology)
- contra-: against (e.g., contraception)
- de-: away from or down (e.g., dehydrate)
- dys-: difficult or abnormal (e.g., dyspnea)
- hyper-: over or above normal (e.g., hypertension, hyperventilation)
- hypo-: under or below normal (e.g., hypotension, hypoventilation)
- inter-: between (e.g., intercostal)
- intra-: within (e.g., intramuscular, intraabdominal)
- mal-: bad or abnormal (e.g., malfunction)
- multi-: many or more than average (e.g., multiparous, multivitamins)
- necr-/necro-: death (e.g., necrosis)
- neo-: new (e.g., neonate, neoplasia)
- oligo-: few or small amount (e.g., oliguria)
- poly-: many or more than average (e.g., polyuria)
- post-: after (e.g., postmortem, postoperative)
- pre-: before (e.g., prenatal, preoperative)
- sub-: under (e.g., subcutaneous, sublingual, subendocardial)
- supra-: above (e.g., supraclavicular)
Common Suffixes
- -ectomy: surgical removal (e.g., appendicectomy)
- -algia: pain (e.g., neuralgia)
- -emia: blood condition (e.g., anemia)
- -gram: record or tracing (e.g., electrocardiogram)
- -itis: inflammation (e.g., gastritis, cystitis)
- -logy: study of (e.g., biology)
- -ologist: specialist in (e.g., biologist, cardiologist, nephrologist)
- -otomy: surgical incision (e.g., gastrotomy, laparotomy)
- -pathy: disease (e.g., nephropathy, lymphadenopathy)
- -penia: deficiency (e.g., neutropenia, thrombocytopenia)
- -scopy: for examining (e.g., microscope, endoscope)
- -megaly: enlargement (e.g., cardiomegaly)
- -trophy: growth (e.g., hypertrophy, atrophy)
- -uria: related to urine (e.g., anuria)
- -oma: tumor (e.g., melanoma)
- -opsy: visual examination (e.g., biopsy)
- -ostomy: opening (e.g., colostomy)
- -pexy: surgical fixation (e.g., oophoropexy, orchiopexy)
- -plasty: surgical reconstruction (e.g., abdominoplasty)
- -pnea: breathing (e.g., tachypnea)
Roots
- abdomin-: abdomen (e.g., abdominal pain)
- dermat-: skin (e.g., dermatitis)
- gastr-: stomach (e.g., gastritis, gastrectomy)
- hem-: blood (e.g., hemorrhage)
- arteri-: arteries (e.g., arteriovenous fistula)
- veno-: veins (e.g., phlebitis)
- angio-: blood vessels (e.g., angiography)
- cardi-: heart (e.g., cardiomegaly)
- aort-: aorta (e.g., aortic valve)
- neur-: nerve (e.g., neuropathy, neurologist, neural network)
- ren-: kidney (e.g., renal artery)
- rhin(o)-: nose (e.g., rhinoplasty)
- hepat-: liver (e.g., hepatitis)
- osteo-: bone (e.g., osteotomy)
- ophthalm-: eye (e.g., ophthalmology)
- path-: disease (e.g., pathology)
- pneum(o)-: lung (e.g., pneumonia)
- psych-: mind (e.g., psychology)
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Description
This quiz covers the basics of medical terminology, including prefixes, roots, and suffixes. It tests your understanding of medical terminology and its importance in healthcare.
