Medical Terminology Components PDF

Components of medical term: 1. Prefix: found at the beginning of a word. Usually indicates number, location, time, or status. 2. Root: gives the essential meaning of the word. 3. Combining vowel: single vowel, usually an o, that is added to the end of a root to make the word easier t...

Components of medical term: 1. Prefix: found at the beginning of a word. Usually indicates number, location, time, or status. 2. Root: gives the essential meaning of the word. 3. Combining vowel: single vowel, usually an o, that is added to the end of a root to make the word easier to pronounce. 4. Combining form: combination of the root and combining vowel. 5. Suffix: found at the end of a word. Usually indicates procedure, condition, disease, or disorder. 1. Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word or root to modifyits meaning. For example, the term operative can be modified using various prefixes. a. The prefix pre- means before. Preoperative means before or preceding an operation. b. The prefix peri- means around. Perioperative means pertaining to the period around an operation or the period before, during, and after an operation. c. The prefix post- means after. Postoperative means after an operation. 2. Many prefixes have another prefix whose meaning is opposite of its own. Initially, when learning prefixes, it is helpful tolearn them in these pairs or in similar groups Contrasting Prefixes Without a prefix, the root traumatic A = without or no. means pertaining to injury. Atraumatic means without injury. Without a prefix, the root uria means An = means without or no. urination Anuria means absence of urine. Ab = away from. Ad = toward. Abduction means to take away from Adduction means move toward the the midline. midline. Anti = against. Without a prefix, the root emetic Antiemetics work against or prevent means pertaining to vomiting. vomiting. Dys = means difficult, painful, or bad. Eu = good, easy, or normal. Dysphagia means difficulty eating or Euthyroid means having a normally swallowing. functioning thyroid gland. 1  Ex = or exo = without, out of, Endo = within or inside. Endocrine means to secreteinternally. outside, or away from. Exocrine means to secrete externally (via a duct). Endo = within or inside. Ecto = outside. Endoparasite is an organism that Ectoparasite is an organism that lives within the body of the host. lives on the outer surface of the host. Hyper = elevated, higher, or more Hypo = depressed, lower, or less than than normal. normal. Hyperglycemia means elevated Hypoglycemia means depressed amounts of blood glucose. amounts of blood glucose. Intra = within. Inter = between Intramuscular means within the Intercostal means between the ribs. muscle. Poly = many or excessive. Oligo = scant or little. Polyuria means excessive amount or Oliguria means scant amount or frequency of urination. frequency of urination. Pre- means before Post = after. Preanesthetic means pertaining to Postanesthetic means pertaining to before anesthesia. after anesthesia. Sub= below, under, or less. Super and supra= above, Sublingual means under the tongue beyond, or excessive. Supernumerary means more thanthe regular number. Suprascapular means above the shoulder blade. Directional Prefixes and Their Meanings Prefix Definition epi- upper extra- outside hyper- above, increased, or more than normal Hypo- below, under, or decreased infra- below or beneath inter- between intra- within meta- beyond per- throughout sub- below, under, or decreased super- above, increased, or more than normal 2 supra- above, increased, or more than normal trans- across ultra- above, increased, or more than normal 3 1. Used to make the medical term easier to pronounce. 2. Used when the suffix begins with a consonant, as in the suffix -scope. An arthroscope is an instrument used to visually examine the joint. 3. o is the most commonly used; however, i and e may be usedas well. 4. A combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel, as in the suffix -itis. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach. 5. A combining vowel is always used when two or more root words are joined. For example, when gastr/o (stomach) isjoined with enter/o (small intestine), the combining vowel is used with gastr/o, as in the term gastroenteritis. 6. A combining vowel is not used between a prefix and the root word. 1. The combining form = word root + a combining vowel. 2. Combining forms usually describe a part of the body. 3. New words are created when combining forms are added to prefixes, other combining forms, and suffixes. For example, the term Panleukopenia is composed of the following word parts: ❖ pan- , a prefix meaning all. ❖ leuk/o, a combining form meaning white. ❖ -penia, a suffix meaning deficiency or reduction in number. ❖ Panleukopenia is a deficiency of all types of white blood cells. 1. Suffixes are attached to the end of a word part to modify its meaning. For example, the combining form gastr/o means stomach and can be modified using various suffixes. ❖ The suffix -tomy means cutting into or incision. Gastrotomy is incision into the stomach. ❖ The suffix -stomy means a surgically created opening. Gastrostomy is a surgically created opening between thestomach and the body surface. ❖ The suffix -ectomy means surgical removal or excision. Gastrectomy is surgical removal of the stomach. 4 2. Many suffixes can be grouped together by meaning or by the category they modify. Initially, when learning suffixes, it is easiest if the learner groups them by meaning or category. 3. “Pertaining To” Suffixes  -ac, as in cardiac (pertaining to the heart).  -al , as in renal (pertaining to the kidney).  -an, as in ovarian (pertaining to the ovary).  -ar, as in lumbar (pertaining to the loin, lower back).  -ary, as in alimentary (pertaining to the gastrointestinal tract).  -eal, as in laryngeal (pertaining to the larynx).  -ic, as in enteric (pertaining to the intestines).  -ine, as in uterine (pertaining to the uterus).  -ous, as in cutaneous (pertaining to the skin).  -tic, as in nephrotic (pertaining to the kidneys). 4. Surgical Suffixes  -ectomy = surgical removal, as in mastectomy, surgicalremoval of the breast or mammary glands.  -pexy = suture to stabilize, as in gastropexy, surgically stabilizing the stomach to the abdominal wall.  -plasty = surgical repair, as in rhinoplasty, surgical repair of the nose.  -stomy = surgically created opening, as in colostomy, a surgically created opening between the colon and body surface.  -tomy = cutting into, as in laparotomy, an incision into the abdomen. 5. Procedural Suffixes  -centesis = surgical puncture to remove fluid or gas (for diagnosis or for treatment to remove excess fluid or gas), as in cystocentesis, a surgical puncture of the urinary bladder with a needle to remove fluid (urine).  -gram = record of, as in electrocardiogram, the electrocardiographic hard copy record. 5   -graph = instrument that records (or used as a record), as in electrocardiograph, the machine that records the electrical activity of the heart.  -graphy = procedure that records, as in electrocardiography, the procedure used to record the electrical activity of the heart.  -lysis = separation or breakdown, as in urinalysis, separation of the urine into its constituents.  -scope = instrument to visually examine, as in endoscope, an instrument used to visually examine inside the body.  -scopy = procedure to visually examine, as in endoscopy, theprocedure of visually examining inside the body.  -therapy = treatment, as in chemotherapy, treatment with chemical substances or drugs. 6. Double R Suffixes  -rrhagia or -rrhage = bursting forth, as in hemorrhage, bursting forth of blood from the vessels.  -rrhaphy = to suture, as in enterorrhaphy, suturing of theintestines.  -rrhea = flow, discharge, as in diarrhea, complete discharge of the bowels.  -rrhexis = rupture, as in myorrhexis, rupture of the muscle. 7. Conditional and Structural Suffixes  -algia and -dynia = pain, as in arthralgia and arthrodynia, orjoint pain.  -itis = inflammation, as in hepatitis, inflammation of the liver.  -malacia = abnormal softening, as in osteomalacia, abnormalsoftening of bone.  -megaly = enlargement, as in cardiomegaly, enlargement of the heart.  -osis = abnormal condition, as in cardiosis, an abnormal condition of the heart.  -pathy = disease, as in enteropathy, a disease of the small 6  intestine.  -sclerosis = abnormal hardening, as in arteriosclerosis, abnormal hardening of the arteries.  -um = structure, as in pericardium, the structure surrounding the heart. 8. Suffixes may change a word’s part of speech. Different suffixes may change the word from a noun (naming people, places, or things) to an adjective (descriptor). Examples of this include the following terms:  Cyanosis is a noun meaning condition of blue discoloration, whereas cyanotic is an adjective meaning pertaining to bluediscoloration.  Anemia is a noun meaning a blood condition of deficient red blood cells and/or hemoglobin, whereas anemic is an adjective meaning pertaining to a blood condition ofdeficient red blood cells and/or hemoglobin.  Mucus is a noun meaning a slimelike substance that is composed of glandular secretion, salts, cells, and leukocytes, whereas mucous is an adjective meaning pertaining to mucus.  Ilium is a noun meaning a part of the hip, whereas iliac is an adjective meaning pertaining to the hip.  Condyle is a noun meaning a rounded projection on a bone, whereas condylar is an adjective meaning pertaining to a rounded projection on a bone.  Carpus is a noun meaning the joint between the radius and ulna and metacarpal bones, whereas carpal is an adjective meaning pertaining to the joint between the radius and ulna and metacarpal bones. 1. Medical terminology can be more easily understood when the following objectives are adhered to when a medical term is examined for the first time: a. Dissect: Analyze the word structurally by dividing it into its basic components. b. Begin at the end: define the suffix first, the prefix second, and then the 7  root. If there are two roots, divide each oneand read them from left to right. c. Anatomical order: Where body systems are involved, the words usually are built in the order in which the organs occur in the body. For example, gastroenteritis is the proper term for inflammation of the stomach and small intestine. The order of word parts in a medical term may also represent the order of blood flow through organs. The exception to this involves some diagnostic procedures in which tools or substances are passed retrograde, or in theopposite direction of anatomical order. 2. Using these guidelines, analyze the term ovariohysterectomy. a. First, divide the term into its basic components: ovari/o/hyster/ectomy. b. Defining from back to front, the suffix -ectomy is surgical removal, one combining form ovari/o means ovary, and the other combining form hysteri/o means uterus. c. Together the term ovariohysterectomy means surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus. 8