Medical Terminology Overview

Medical Terminology Overview

• Specialized vocabulary used by healthcare professionals for effective communication.
• Primarily derived from Greek and Latin roots, ensuring consistency and uniformity globally.
• Enables the compression of complex phrases into precise terms (e.g., gastroduodenostomy = communication between stomach and small intestine).

Learning and Structure

• Vast and continuously expanding vocabulary likened to learning a foreign language.
• Most terms can be deconstructed into roots, prefixes, and suffixes, each with a specific meaning, aiding in understanding and memory retention.

Word Parts

• Word Root: The fundamental component providing the basic meaning (e.g., cardio relates to the heart).
• Suffix: Added at the end of a root to modify meaning (e.g., -itis indicates inflammation).
• Prefix: Added at the beginning to alter meaning (e.g., pre- means before).
• Combining Forms: Involves inserting a vowel when adding a suffix that starts with a consonant to aid pronunciation.

Common Prefixes

• AN-, A-: without (e.g., anemia = lack of red blood cells)
• AB-: away from (e.g., abnormal = away from normal)
• AD-: toward (e.g., adrenal = gland near the kidney)
• BI-: two (e.g., bilateral = affecting both sides)
• DYS-: difficult (e.g., dysfunction = not functioning correctly)
• ECTO- / ENDO-: outside / inside (e.g., ectopic pregnancy = outside uterine cavity)
• HYPER-/ HYPO-: above / below (e.g., hyperglycemia = high blood sugar)
• INTER- / INTRA-: between / within (e.g., intercostal = between ribs)
• PARA- / PERI-: beside / around (e.g., parathyroid = near thyroid)
• PRE- / POST-: before / after (e.g., prenatal = before birth)

Common Roots

• BLAST-: immature cell (e.g., blastoma = cancer of immature cells)
• CARCINO-: cancer (e.g., carcinogenic = cancer-causing)
• CARDIO-: heart (e.g., cardiotoxicity = heart toxicity)
• DERMA-: skin (e.g., dermatitis = skin inflammation)
• HEPATI-: liver (e.g., hepatoblastoma = liver cancer)
• NEPHRO-: kidney (e.g., nephrotoxic = harmful to kidneys)
• NEURO-: nerves (e.g., neuroblast = immature nerve cell)

Frequently Used Suffixes

• -AEMIA: blood condition (e.g., leukemia = blood cancer)
• -ECTOMY: removal (e.g., nephrectomy = kidney removal)
• -ITIS: inflammation (e.g., hepatitis = liver inflammation)
• -OLOGY: study of (e.g., cytology = cell study)
• -OMA: tumor (e.g., retinoblastoma = eye tumor)
• -PATHY: disease (e.g., neuropathy = nerve disease)

Additional Terms

• Echo-: utilizing ultrasonic waves for testing.
• Electro-: involving electricity in procedures.
• -graph/y: making images or visual representations in studies.
• -scopy: using instruments for visual examination (e.g., endoscopy).
• -stomy: creating an opening in a surgical procedure.

Conclusion

• Understanding medical terminology involves familiarity with its structured components: roots, prefixes, and suffixes, each important for accurate communication in the healthcare setting.