Medical Terminology P-T Flashcards

Study Notes

Para-: Indicates a position beside, beyond, around, or abnormal; e.g., parathyroid glands are located next to the thyroid gland.
Poly-: Represents a quantity of many or more than usual; e.g., polydipsia refers to excessive thirst, with "dipsa" meaning thirst in Greek.
Post-: Means after or behind; e.g., postmortem signifies events occurring after death.
Pre-: Indicates before; e.g., preoperative refers to the time before a surgical operation.
Pro-: Suggests before or in favor of; e.g., prognosis is a prediction regarding the expected progression of a disease based on medical data.
Re-: Denotes again or in reverse; e.g., relapse refers to the recurrence of a previous health condition.
Schiz(o)-: Implies a split or division; e.g., schizophrenia is characterized by fragmented mental functions and confusion.
Sub-: Indicates beneath or below; e.g., subcutaneous refers to the layer of tissue located beneath the skin.
Supra-: Means above or excessive; e.g., suprapatellar pertains to the area above the kneecap (patella).
Tachy-: Represents speed; e.g., tachycardia refers to an abnormally fast heart rate.
Trans-: Signifies movement through or across; e.g., transfusion is the process of transferring blood from one individual to another.