Medical Terminology - Language of Science - PDF

1 The Language of Science  2 u At first glance, the language of science has lots of long words that look foreign and unfamiliar. u But a closer look at scientific language can reveal that many long words ar...

1 The Language of Science  2 u At first glance, the language of science has lots of long words that look foreign and unfamiliar. u But a closer look at scientific language can reveal that many long words are made of smaller, recognizable parts. u And although they come from foreign languages—Greek and Latin for the most part—the words are more familiar than a first glance might reveal.  3 Let’s look at an example word, biology. Biology can be broken into two parts, or morphemes: bio- and -logy.  The morpheme bio- refers to life,  and the morpheme -logy refers to the study of something.  So, taken together, the word biology refers to the study of life.  4 These morphemes can be combined with other morphemes to create new words. Below are some words that use the morphemes bio- and –logy. Check out the list of words you made using these two morphemes: Bio- -logy biography geology biochemistry cardiology biopsy virology What do these words mean?  5 Bio- -logy -graphy = writing geo- = earth -chemistry = study of chemicals cardio- = heart -opsy = sight; seeing viro- = virus u Most words that refer to science concepts come from Latin. Some of the Latin words originally came from Greek or from Arabic. u Science words tend to stay in Latin regardless of what language is used. For example, if a text is written in English, or even if it was written in Spanish, the science words would stay the same because they are in Latin.  6 NUMBERS AND COLORS  7 Common number prefixes Uni- Mono- 1 Di- Bi- 2 Tri- 3 Tetra- (quadri-) 4 centi- 100 Pent- 5 milli- kilo- 1000 Hexa- 6 myria- 10 000 Hepta- 7 Octa- 8 novem- 9 deca- 10  8 Colors Basic Word Structure 1 1 Word Analysis Studying medical terminology is very similar to learning a new language. At first, the words sound strange and complicated, although they may stand for commonly known disorders and terms. For example, cephalgia means “headache,” and an ophthalmologist is an “eye doctor.” Your first job in learning the language of medicine is to understand how to divide words into their component parts. 2 e.g. HEMATOLOGY HEMAT / O / LOGY Root Combining Suffix (blood) Vowel (study of) 3  HEMAT / O / LOGY = study of blood Root (blood) Combining Vowel Suffix (study of) Combining Form 1. When you analyze a medical term, begin at the end of the word. The ending is called a suffix (all medical terms contain suffixes). 2. Next, look at the beginning of the term. The root gives the essential meaning of the term. 3. Combining vowel: has no meaning of its own but its an important connector between the root and the suffix. 4. The combining vowels + the root is called a combining form. 4  e.g. ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) ELECTER / O / CARDI / O / GRAM Root Combining Vowel Root Combining Vowel Suffix (electricity) (heart) (record) Combining Form Combining Form 5  e.g. ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) ELECTER / O / CARDI / O / GRAM Root Combining Vowel Root Combining Vowel Suffix (electricity) (heart) (record) Combining Form Combining Form = record of the electricity in the heart It is the electrical current flowing within the heart that causes the heart muscle to contract, pumping blood throughout the body. Heartbeat: is the sound made by contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle. 6 e.g. GASTROENTEROLOGY 7  e.g. GASTROENTEROLOGY GASTR / O / ENTER / O / LOGY Root Combining Root Combining Suffix (stomach) Vowel (intestines) Vowel (study of) Combining Form Combining Form = study of the stomach and the intestines. 8 e.g. GASTROSCOPE 9 e.g. GASTROSCOPE GASTR / O / SCOPE Root Combining Suffix (stomach) Vowel (instrument to Combining Form visually examine) = instrument to visually examine the stomach. 10 e.g. GASTRIC 11  e.g. GASTRIC GASTR / IC Root Suffix (stomach) (pertaining to) = pertaining to the stomach. The combining vowel (O) is dropped when the suffix (–IC ) begins with a vowel. Words ending with –IC are adjectives that modify a noun (e.g. gastric pain, gastric cancer,…) 12 e.g. CARDIAC 13  e.g. CARDIAC CARDI / AC Root (heart) Suffix (pertaining to) = pertaining to the heart. The combining vowel (O) is dropped when the suffix (–AC ) begins with a vowel. Words ending in –AC are adjectives that modify a noun (e.g. cardiac care, cardiac arrest,…) 14 e.g. ENTERITIS 15  e.g. ENTERITIS ENTER / ITIS Root (intestines) Suffix (inflammation) = inflammation of the intestines. The combining vowel (O) is dropped when the suffix (–ITIS ) begins with a vowel. 16 e.g. GASTROENTERITIS GASTR / O / ENTER / ITIS Root Combining Root Suffix (stomach) Vowel (intestines) (inflammation) = inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. The combining vowel (O) is remains between the two roots here, even though the second root (ENTER) begins with a vowel. 17  e.g. SUBGASTRIC SUB / GASTR / IC Prefix Root Suffix (below) (stomach) (pertaining to) = pertaining to below the stomach. Prefix is a word part attached to the beginning of the term. It can change the meaning of the term in important ways. 18  e.g. TRANSGASTRIC TRANS / GASTR / IC Prefix Root Suffix (across) (stomach) (pertaining to) = pertaining to across the stomach. Prefix is a word part attached to the beginning of the term. It can change the meaning of the term in important ways. 19  e.g. RETROGASTRIC RETRO / GASTR / IC Prefix Root Suffix (behind) (stomach) (pertaining to) = pertaining to behind the stomach. Prefix is a word part attached to the beginning of the term. It can change the meaning of the term in important ways. 20 Let´s review the important word parts: 1. Root: foundation of the term. 2. Suffix: word ending. 3. Prefix: word beginning. 4. Combining Vowel: connects roots to suffixes and roots to other roots. 5. Combining Form: is the combination of the root and the combining vowel. 21 Some important roles to remember: 1. Read the meaning of medical words from the suffix to the beginning of the word and then across. 2. Drop the combining vowel before a suffix that starts with a vowel. 3. Keep the combining vowel between word roots, even if the second root begins with a vowel. 22 Combining Forms Combining Forms Meaning Medical Term Meaning adeno Gland adenoma Tumor of a gland adenitis Inflammation of glands arthro Joint arthritis Inflammation of joint bio Life biology Study of life biopsy Process of viewing living tissue under microscope carcino Cancer, cancerous Carcinoma Cancerous Tumor of epithelial tissue cardio heart cardiology Study of the heart cephalo head cephalic Pertaining to the head cerebro Cerebrum, largest cerebral Pertaining to the cerebrum part of the brain cerebrovascular Blood flow in the brain 23 Combining form Meaning Medical term Meaning Cyst/o Urinary bladder Cystoscope Instrument to visually examine Urinary Bladder 24 BASIC WORD STRUCTURE 2 1  Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) or Stroke What happened in a stroke? Blood is prevented from reaching areas of the cerebrum. Depending on the location and extent of reduced blood flow, signs and symptoms may include loss of movement (paralysis), loss of speech (aphasia), weakness, and changes in sensation. 2  CYSTOSCOPE A cystoscope is placed into the urinary bladder through the urethra within the penis. 3  Combining Forms Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Cyt/o cell cytology Study of the cell Derm/o skin dermal Pertaining to the skin Dermat/o dermatitis Inflammation of the skin Electr/o electricity Electrocardiogram (ECG) record of the electricity in the heart Encephal/o brain Electroencephalogram The record of electricity in (EEG) (helpful in the brain determination whether a patient has a seizure disorder, such as epilepsy). Enter/o Intestines Enteritis inflammation of the S.I. (often the S.I.) 4  Small and Large intestines ◦ Enter/o describes the small intestine and sometimes intestines in general. ◦ Col/o and Colon/o are combining forms for large intestine (colon). 5 Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Erythr/o red erythrocyte RBC Gastr/o stomach gastroscopy Visual examination of the stomach 6 Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Gnos/o knowledge Diagnosis Complete knowledge of a (-sis means state of; patient’s condition DIA- means complete). Prognosis The prediction made after (PRO- means before). diagnosis. It forecasts the outcomes of a disease. A diagnosis is the complete knowledge gained after testing and examining the patient. A prognosis is a prediction (before knowledge) that is made after the diagnosis. It forecasts the outcome of treatment. 7 Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Gynec/o Woman, gynecology The study of women & female women’s disease gynecologist A doctor who specializes in women’s health Hem/o blood hemoglobin A protein found in red blood Hemat/o cells hematoma Collection of blood under the skin Hepat/o liver hepatitis Inflammation of the liver Lapar/o Abdomen Laparotomy Incision of abdomen Abdomin/o (area (Tomy means to cut between into). the chest and hip) Leuk/o white leukocyte WBC Nephr/o kidney Nephrectomy Excision of kidney (Ectomy: to cut out) 8 Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Neur/o nerve neurology Study of nerves Onc/o tumor oncologist Specialist in diagnosing & treating cancer Ophthalm/o eye ophthalmoscope Instrument used to visually examine the eyes ophthalmologist Specialist in eye & vision care Oste/o bone osteoarthritis Inflammation of bones and joints 9 Combining Meaning Medical Term Meaning Forms Path/o disease Pathologist A medical doctor who views biopsy samples Aut/o self Autopsy (aut means self Is an opportunity to see for & opsy means process of oneself what has viewing). happened to the patient to cause his death Psych/o mind Psychosis Abnormal condition of (-osis means abnormal mind condition). Ren/o kidney renal Pertaining to kidney Rhin/o nose rhinitis Inflammation of the nose Sarc/o flesh sarcoma Tumor of connective tissue Thromb/o clotting thrombocyte platelet thrombosis Abnormal condition of clotting 10 Formation of Plurals 11 Basic Word Structure 3 Suffixes 1  SUFFIXES SUFFIX Meaning Medical Term Meaning -al Pertaining to Neural Pertaining to nerves -algia Pain Arthralgia Pain in joints -cyte Cell leukocyte WBC -ectomy Cutting out, Gastrectomy Excision of the stomach removal, excision -emia Blood condition leukemia Cancer of WBC -globin protein hemoglobin Protein in RBCs -gram Record Arthrogram Record of a joint -ia Condition cephalgia Pain affecting the head -ic Pertaining to gastric Pertaining to the stomach 2 SUFFIX Meaning Medical Term Meaning -ism Condition, process Hyperthyroidism (Hyper- Overactive thyroid, a condition means excessive) where thyroid releasees high levels of Thyroid Hormone -itis Inflammation Gastroenteritis Inflammation of stomach & intestines -logist Specialist in the Neurologist Specialist in diagnosing & study of treating nervous system -logy Study of Nephrology Study of the kidney -oma Tumor, mass Hepatoma Tumor of the liver -opsy To view Biopsy Process of viewing living tissue under microscope -osis Abnormal Nephrosis Abnormal condition of the conditions kidney Leukocytosis Abnormal increase in WBC 3 SUFFIX Meaning Medical Term Meaning -scope Instrument to Gastroscope Instrument to visually examine visually examine the stomach Laparoscope Instrument to visually examine the abdomen -scopy Process of visual Laparoscopy Visual examination of the examination abdomen arthroscopy Visual examination of the joints -sis State of Prognosis The prediction made after diagnosis. It forecasts the outcomes of a disease. -tomy Process of neurotomy Incision of nerves cutting into; incision 4 Hyperthyroidism -logy Laparoscopy Arthroscopy Exercise E Exercise F: Exercise G: Write the meaning of the following scientific terms: 1. Genomics 2. Epigenomics 3. Proteomics 4. Transcriptomics 5. Metabolomics