Basic Elements of a Medical Term PDF

Medical Terminology Code (4106 ) Basic Elements of a Medical Term Objectives Identifying the four word elements used to build medical terms. Applying the basic rules to define and build medical terms. Classifying suffixes.  Hippocrates was a Greek physician and is known as the “...

Medical Terminology Code (4106 ) Basic Elements of a Medical Term Objectives Identifying the four word elements used to build medical terms. Applying the basic rules to define and build medical terms. Classifying suffixes.  Hippocrates was a Greek physician and is known as the “father of medicine.” Many current medical word elements originated as early as the1st century BC., when Hippocrates practiced medicine. 75% of medical terms are based on either Greek or Latin words. With advancements in medicine, new terms have evolved to reflect these innovations. For example, radiographic terms, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US), are now used to describe current diagnostic procedures. Medical Terminology It is the professional language that helps health care practitioners to communicate effectively and quickly. Health care workers use medical terminology and abbreviations in their work daily. Basic Elements of a Medical Word Four basic types of word parts are used to create complex medical terms Word roots Combining vowel and Combining forms Suffixes Prefixes  Word Roots The constant, unchanging foundation of a medical term (core part ) Usually of Greek or Latin origin All medical terms have one or more roots. Word root usually, but not always, indicates the part of the body involved. It has the same meaning in every word that contains it. Word Root – main words or parts to which prefixes and suffixes can be added Examples: Cardi = heart Cerebr = brain Hepat = liver Pulmon = lung Gastr = stomach Nephr = kidney Splen = spleen Col = colon = large intestine Enter = small intestine There may be two different word roots for a single term. skin dermatos (Gr) dermat/itis: inflammation of the skin cutis (L) cutane/ous :pertaining to the skin kidney nephros (Gr) nephr/oma: tumor of the kidney renes (L) ren/al :pertaining to the kidney Mouth stomatos (Gr) stomat/itis :inflammation of the mouth oris (L) or/al :pertaining to the mouth Word Building With Gastr/o ---algia Gastralgia Pain in the stomach --- ic Gastric Pertaining to the stomach --- itis Gastritis Inflammation of the stomach ---ologist Gastrologist Stomach specialist ---malacia Gastromalacia Stomach softening Combining Vowels Correct pronunciation of medical words. Make it possible to pronounce long terms Make the pronunciation of word roots easier Has no meaning of its own Usually an “o” The combination of a word root and a vowel is known as a COMBINING FORM. Combine two word parts: Between two word roots Between word root and suffix Combining Vowel Rules Between word root and suffix If the suffix begins with a vowel Do not use a combining vowel Gastritis, not gastroitis Arthritis, not arthroitis If the suffix begins with a consonant Use a combining vowel Dermatology not dermatlogy Arthroscope, not arthrscope Combining vowel is typically kept between two word roots even if the second word root begins with a vowel Gastroenteritis, not gastrenteritis  Combining Forms It is created by adding a vowel to the end of a word root. aden/o – gland gynec/o – female carcin/o – cancer hemat/o – blood path/o – disease hydr/o – water chem/o – chemical immun/o – immunity nephr/o – kidney dermat/o – skin neur/o – nerve enter/o – small intestine ophthalm/o – eye gastr/o – stomach arthr/o – joint Suffixes It is a word element that follows the word root and changes its meaning. Suffixes usually, but not always, indicate procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Examples: Cardio/megaly Gastr/algia Neur/itis Prefix Classification of Suffixes Diagnostic Diagnosis, procedure, or test. Surgical Describes surgical procedures. Pathological Describes a sign/symptom of a disease. Diagnostic Suffixes Suffix Meaning Word Analysis gram record, writing electr/o/cardi/o/gram: record of the electrical activity of the heart graph instrument cardi/o/graph : instrument for recording electrical activity of the heart graphy recording angi/o/graphy: process of recording blood vessels angi/o: vessel meter instrument pelv/i/meter : instrument for measuring the pelvis pelv/i: pelvis metry measuring pelv/i/metry: act or process of measuring the dimension of the pelvis scope instrument endo/scope: instrument for examining a body cavity or canal using a specialized lighted instrument endo-: in, within scopy visual examination endo/scopy: visual examination within Surgical Suffixes Identify the suffixes of the following word: Appendectomy append/ -ectomy (vermiform appendix) (surgical removal) root suffix Lithotripsy lith/o -tripsy (stone) (crushing) combining suffix form  Arthrocentesis arthr/o -centesis (puncture) root suffix Osteoclasis oste/o -clasis (surgical fracture) root suffix Myorrhaphy my/o -rrhaphy (suture of a muscle) root suffix Pathological Suffixes Identify the suffixes of the following words: Hematoma hemat/ -oma (relating to blood) (swelling or tumour) root suffix Hematuria hemat/ -uria (relating to blood) (urine) root suffix Cystitis cyst/ -itis (closed sac) (inflammation) root suffix Cyanosis cyan/ -osis (blue) (condition) root suffix Suffixes Adjectives, Nouns and Diminutive (Grammatical Suffixes) By adding a suffix to the end of a word root, we create a noun or adjective with a different meaning. Adjectives Mean pertaining to Suffixes meaning pertaining to: -ic gastric pertaining to the stomach -ac cardiac pertaining to the heart -ary pulmonary pertaining to the lungs -ior posterior pertaining to the back of the body Nouns Maintain the root or combining form as a noun. Suffix Meaning Example -ism Condition, state Hyperthyroidism -tion Condition Contraction, relaxation -ist Specialist Psychiatrist -ician Specialist Obstetrician -er One who Radiographer -ity Quality Sensitivity, conductivity Noun Adjective -osis cyanosis -otic cyanotic -ia anemia -ic anemic -us mucus -ous mucous -itis arthritis -itic arthritic -sis emesis -tic emetic Diminutive Suffixes (small, minute) Arteriole arteri/ -ole root suffix Venule ven/ -ule root suffix Ventricle ventr/ -icle root suffix Suffixes Beginning With rh When a suffix beginning with rh is added to a root, the r is doubled: hem/o (blood) + -rhage (excessive flow) = hemorrhage hemorhage is wrong, the correct is hemorrhage men/o (menses) + -rhea (flow, discharge) = menorrhea (menstrual flow) menorhea is wrong, the correct is menorrhea Thank You