Medical Terminology Quiz

Medical Terminology: Building Medical Vocabulary

• Medical terminology uses specialized words, jargon, and terms. This is used to ensure effective and accurate communication among medical professionals.
• It ensures accuracy in patient medical histories to aid in diagnosis and treatment. Errors from poor communication and documentation are reduced.

Components of Medical Terminology

• Prefix: Placed at the beginning of a medical word.
• Root: Contains the core meaning of the word.
• Suffix: Placed at the end of a medical word, modifying the root's meaning.
  • Example: Hyperthyroidism (hyper- root- thyroid-ism)

Medical & English Rules in Forming Plurals

• a to ae: axilla - axillae, scapula - scapulae, vertebra - vertebrae
• us to i: thrombus - thrombi, alveolus - alveoli, bronchus - bronchi
• um to a: jejunum - jejuna, ileum - ilea, bacterium - bacteria
• is to es: diagnosis - diagnoses, metastasis - metastases, analysis - analyses
• ma/oma to mata: sarcoma - sarcomata, carcinoma - carcinomata, stoma - stomata
• x, y, ch, sh (consonant-ending words): add "es." Example: appendix - appendices. If 'y' is preceded by a vowel, you add s.
• e to i, ex to es (vowel-ending words): add "es." Example vortex - vortices
• nx/gx to nx/ges: add "es." Example larynx - larynges
• add s: Some words use the simple addition of 's' to form the plural, e.g., eye - eyes.
• lowercase to abbreviations/acronyms: Add 's' with an apostrophe and s (e.g., rbc's).
• uppercase to abbreviations/acronyms: Add 's' without the apostrophe and s (e.g., RBCs).

Combining Forms

• Roots are frequently combined with a combining vowel "O", but occasionally "A", "E", or "U".
• Example: Electrocardiogram (combining electrocardio+gram)

Rules of Pronunciation

• Pronunciation can vary by region and country.
• A general rule is to use the most frequent pronunciation.

Silent Letters and Unusual Pronunciations

• Some word parts have silent letters that are not pronounced, example: Chemistry, Pneumonia (ch-k), (pn-n)

Common Prefixes

• AN-, A- (without, lack of); AB- (away from); AD- (near, onto); ANTE-, PRE- (forward, before); ANTI-, CONTRA- (against); BI- (two, both); DYS- (difficult); ECTO-, EXO- (out, external); ENDO-(within); HEMI- (half); HYPER-(high); HYPO- (low); INTRA-(within); NEO-(new); NULLI-(none); PERI- (around); POST- (after); RETRO-(backward); INTER- (between)

Common Suffixes

• -AC, -IC, -AL, -OUS (related to); -ATE, -IZE (subject to); -ECTOMY (surgical removal); -ENT, -ER, -IST (person); -GENIC (produced by); -GAM (written record); -GRAPH (instrument); -GRAPHY (process); -ISM (condition, theory); -ITIS (inflammation); -OLOGIST (specialist); -LOGY (study); -OMA (tumor); -OTOMY (cut); -OSTOMY (creation of an opening); -PATHY (disease process); -PHOBIA (morbid fear); -SCOPE (instrument); -SCOPY (process)

Common Root Words

• Body parts and systems, e.g., abdomen, arteries, brain, blood, intestine, muscle, eye.

Anatomical Directions & Body Planes

• Anatomical Position: Standing upright, facing forward, arms at sides, palms forward, feet parallel.
• Directional Terms: Anterior, Posterior, Medial, Lateral, Proximal, Distal, Superior, Inferior, Cephalad, Caudal, Superficial, Deep
• Body Planes: Sagittal, Midsagittal, Parasagittal, Frontal, Transverse (Coronal)

Body Cavities

• Ventral Cavity: Anterior aspect (thoracic and abdominopelvic).
• Dorsal Cavity: Posterior aspect (cranial and spinal)
• Thoracic Cavity: Above the diaphragm, contains heart and lungs
• Abdominopelvic Cavity: Below the diaphragm, contains abdominal and pelvic organs
• Cranial Cavity: Houses the brain.
• Spinal Cavity: Contains the spinal cord.

Abdominal Regions

• Subdivisions of the abdomen, e.g., hypochondriac, epigastric, umbilical, inguinal.

Abdominal Quadrants

• Four quadrants of the abdomen, e.g., right upper, right lower, left upper, left lower.

Body Positions

• Lithotomy: Lying on back with legs raised and spread, hips and knees flexed.
• Fowler's: Lying supine with torso raised.
• Sims': Lying on one side with the leg drawn up.
• Supine: Lying flat on the back.
• Prone: Lying flat on the stomach (chest down)
• Trendelenburg's: Lying flat with the head lower than the feet.

Head & Trunk / Extremities (Roots) / Position & Direction (Prefixes)

• List of various body structures, extremity parts, and directional/positional words associated with parts of the body.