Overview of Medical Terminology

Overview of Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is the language used by healthcare professionals to describe the human body, its functions, medical conditions, and procedures.

Components of Medical Terms

1. Roots: The main part of a word that gives it meaning.

   • Example: “cardi” (heart), “nephro” (kidney)

2. Prefixes: Syllables added to the beginning of a root that modify its meaning.

   • Example: “hyper-” (above normal), “brady-” (slow)

3. Suffixes: Syllables added to the end of a root that alter its meaning.

   • Example: “-itis” (inflammation), “-ectomy” (surgical removal)

Word Formation

• Combining Forms: Root words combined with a vowel (usually "o") to ease pronunciation.
  • Example: “cardi/o” (heart), “gastr/o” (stomach)

Types of Medical Terminology

• Anatomical Terms: Describe body parts and locations.

  • Example: “superior” (above), “inferior” (below)

• Pathological Terms: Describe diseases and conditions.

  • Example: “pneumonia” (lung infection), “diabetes” (metabolic disorder)

• Procedural Terms: Describe medical procedures or treatments.

  • Example: “surgery”, “diagnosis”

Common Prefixes and Their Meanings

• “a-” / “an-” : without, not
• “anti-” : against
• “auto-” : self
• “sub-” : under, below
• “trans-” : across, through

Common Suffixes and Their Meanings

• “-ology” : study of
• “-gram” : a record or picture
• “-opathy” : disease or disorder
• “-scope” : instrument for viewing

Abbreviations and Acronyms

• Common in medical fields to save time.
• Examples:
  • “BP” (Blood Pressure)
  • “CBC” (Complete Blood Count)
  • “MRI” (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Importance of Medical Terminology

• Facilitates clear communication among healthcare professionals.
• Reduces misunderstandings and errors in patient care.
• Essential for accurately documenting medical records and research.

Overview of Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is the language used by healthcare professionals to describe the human body, its functions, medical conditions, and procedures.

Components of Medical Terms

• Roots are the core meaning of a word, for example "cardi" (heart), "nephro" (kidney).
• Prefixes modify the meaning at the beginning of a word, for example "hyper-" (above normal), "brady-" (slow).
• Suffixes alter the meaning at the end of the word, for example "-itis" (inflammation), "-ectomy" (surgical removal).

Word Formation

• Combining Forms: Root words are often joined with a vowel, usually "o", to improve pronunciation. For instance, "cardi/o" (heart), "gastr/o" (stomach).

Types of Medical Terminology

• Anatomical Terms describe body parts and their locations, such as "superior" (above), "inferior" (below).
• Pathological Terms explain diseases and conditions, for example "pneumonia" (lung infection), "diabetes" (metabolic disorder).
• Procedural Terms describe medical procedures or treatments like "surgery", "diagnosis".

Common Prefixes and Their Meanings

• "a-" / "an-" : without, not
• "anti-" : against
• "auto-" : self
• "sub-" : under, below
• "trans-" : across, through

Common Suffixes and Their Meanings

• "-ology" : study of
• "-gram" : a record or picture
• "-opathy" : disease or disorder
• "-scope" : instrument for viewing

Abbreviations and Acronyms

• Widely used in medicine to save time. Some examples include:
  • "BP" (Blood Pressure)
  • "CBC" (Complete Blood Count)
  • "MRI" (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Importance of Medical Terminology

• Ensures clear communication among healthcare professionals.
• Reduces misunderstandings and errors in patient care.
• Crucial for accurately documenting medical records and research.