Ch. 1 Introduction to Medical Terminology PDF

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Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals, 9th ed....

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Ch. 1 Introduction to Medical Terminology Prefix (P)  Prefix- to fix before or to fix the beginning of a word.  Excision- the process of cutting out; surgical removal.  ex- P (prefix) meaning out  cis- R (root) meaning to cut  -ion- S (suffix) meaning process Word Root ( R)  Root- is a word or word element from which other words are formed.  Malformation- the process of being badly shaped; deformed.  mal- P (prefix) meaning bad  format- R (root) meaning shaping  -ion- S (suffix) meaning process Combining form (CF)  Combining form- a word root to which a vowel has been added. A combining vowel ( a, e, i, o, y, and sometimes y) links the root to the suffix or the word root to another root.  Combining forms can be found at the beginning of a word or within the word.  Chemotherapy- treatment of a disease by using chemical agents.  chem/o- CF (combining form) meaning chemical  -therapy- S (suffix) meaning treatment therapy Suffix (S)  Suffix- to fasten on, beneath, or under.  A suffix can be a syllable or group of syllables united with or placed at the end of the word to alter or modify the meaning of the word or to create a new word.  Centigrade- having 100 steps or degrees; unit of temperature measurement (Celsius scale)  centi- P (prefix) meaning one hundred, one hundredth  -grade- S (suffix) meaning a step  Centimeter- unit of measurement in the metric system; one hundredth of a meter.  centi-- P (prefix) meaning one hundred, one hundredth  -meter- S (suffix) meaning measure Principles of Component Parts  Most of the terms for the body's organs originated from Latin  Term describing diseases that affect the organs have their origins in Greek  uterus- Latin word for one of the organs of the female reproductive system, the womb  metr/i- Greek CF (combining form) for uterus (womb)  endometriosis- pathological condition in which endometrial tissue has been displaced to various sites in the abdominal or pelvic cavity.

endo- (P)- meaning within metr/i (CF)- meaning uterus -osis (S)- meaning condition Adhesion- process of being stuck together  adhes (R )- stuck to  -ion (S)- process   

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Identification of Medical Words  Microscope- an instrument for examining small objects  micro- (P)- small  -scope (S)- instrument for examining Vocabulary Words  Some terms are not divided into word parts  Abate- to lessen, decrease, or cease.  The patient's arthritic pain did not abate… Spelling  Many medical words of Greek origin begin with a silent letter or have a silent letter within the word.  The addition or omission of a single letter can change the meaning of a word to something entirely different. Silent beginning

Pronounced

Medical term

gn

n

gnathic

kn

n

knuckle

mn

n

mnemonic

pn

n

pneumonia

ps

s

psychiatrist

pt

t

ptosis

Silent middle

Pronounced

Medical term

g

Silent

phlegm

Term/Letter Change

Meaning

abduct

To lead away from the middle

adduct

To lead toward the middle

arteritis

Inflammation of an artery

arthritis

Inflammation of a joint

Prefixes and Suffixes That Are Frequently Misspelled

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Prefix

Meaning

Suffix

Meaning

Ante-

Before, forward

-poiesis

formation

Anti-

against

-ptosis

Prolase, drooping, sagging, falling down

Ecto-

Out, outside, outer

-ptysis

spitting

Endo-

Within, inner

-rrhage

To burst forth, bursting forth

Hyper-

Above, beyond, excessive

-rrhagia

To burst forth, bursting forth

Hypo-

Below, under, deficient

-rrhaphy

Suture

Inter-

between

-rrhea

Flow, discharge

Intra-

within

-rrhexis

rupture

Para-

Beside, alongside, abnormal

-scope

Instrument for examining

Per-

through

-scopy

Visual examination, to view, examine

Peri-

around

-tome

Instrument to cut

Pre-

Before, in front of

-tomy

incision

Pro-

before

-tripsy

Crushing

Super-

Above, beyond

-trophy

Nourishment, development

Supra-

Above, beyond

-ectomy (S)- surgical excision, surgical removal, resection -stomy (S)- new opening -tomy (S)- incision

Building and Spelling Medical Words 

Guidelines for building and spelling medical words

1. If the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the combining vowel from the combining form and add the suffix.  Necr/o (death) + -osis (condition)= necrosis  Drop the o from necr/o 2. If the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the combining vowel and add the suffix to the combining form.  Cardi/o (heart) + -logy (study of) = cardiology  Keep the o from cardi/o 3. Keep the combining vowel between two or more roots in a term.  Gastr/o (stomach) + enter/o (intestine) + -logy (study of)= gastroenterology  Keep the two combining vowels 4. When the medical words has two combining forms, drop the combining vowel from the second combining form and add the suffix.  Psych/o (mind) + somat/o (body) + -ic (pertaining to)= psychosomatic  Drop the o from somat/o  If the medical word has more than two combining forms, drop the combining vowel from the combining form next to the suffix  Stern/o (sternum) + cleid/o (clavicle) + mast/o (mastoid process) + - oid (resemble)= sternocleidomastoid  Drop the o from mast/o Formation of Plural Endings 

To change the following singular endings to plural endings, substitute the plural endings as follows: Singular Ending

Plural Ending

A as in bursa A as in gingiva A as in vertebra

To ae as in bursae To ae as in gingivae To ae as in vertebrae

Ax as in thorax

To aces as in thoraces Or es as in thoraxes

En as in foramen

To ina as in foramina

Is as in crisis Is as in diagnosis

To es as in crises To es as in diagnoses

Is as in iris

To ides as in irides

Is as in femoris

To a as in femora

Ix as in appendix

To ices as in appendices

Nx as in phalanx

To ges as in phalanges

On as in spermatozoon On as in ganglion

To a as in spermatozoa To a as in ganglia

Um as in ovum Um as in serum

To a as in ova To a as in sera

Us as in nucleus Us as in thrombus Us as in fungus

To I as in nuclei To I as in thrombi To I as in fungi

Y as in artery

To I and add ed as in arteries

Use of Abbreviations and Acronyms  Abbreviation- process of shortening a word or phrase into appropriate letters.  Er- abbreviation for emergency room or endoplasmic reticulum  PA- abbreviation for physician assistant, posteroanterior, and pernicious anemia.  Acronym- word formed by the combining of initial letters, or syllables and letters, of a series of words or a compound term. It can be pronounces as a word.  Example: HIPAA- acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  Initialism- a type of abbreviation; it is formed by the initial letters of a series of words or a compound term, but it is not pronounced as a word.  Example: DOB- date of birth (each letter is pronounced)  Eponym- is a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first.  Alzheimer Disease (AD) is named for Alois Alzheimer Pronunciation  One mispronounced syllable can change the meaning of a medical word.  Accent marks  Single- used to indicate stress on certain syllables; a single accent mark is called a primary accent and is used with the syllable that has the strongest stress (primary syllable)  Double-used to indicate syllables that are stresses less than primary syllables; a double accent mark is called a secondary accent.  Diacritics  Macron- indicates the long sound of the vowel.  Breve-indicates the short sound of the vowel. Building Your Medical Library  A combining form a word root plus a vowel. Combining Forms  Bi/o- life  Chem/o- chemical

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Cis/o- to cut Eti/o- cause Kil/o- a thousand Macr/o- large Malign/o- bad kind Necr/o- death Organ/o- organ Onc/o- tumor Path/o- disease Pyr/o- heat, fire Radi/o- ray, x-ray Therm/o- hot, heat

Word Roots  Adhes- stuck to  Axill- armpit  Dem- people  Format- shaping  Gen, gene- formation, produce  Infect- to infect  Maxim- greatest  Minim- least  Morbid- sick  Mortal- human being  Norm- rule  Palm- palm  Prophylact- guarding  Pyret- fever  Scop- to examine  Sept- putrefaction  Tuss- cough Terms abate-axillary (ax)  Abate- to lessen, ease, decrease, or cease. Used to note the lessening of pain or the decrease in severity of symptoms.  Abnormal- pertaining to away from the norm or rule. A condition that is considered to be not normal.  ab- away  norm- from  -al- rule pertaining to  Abscess- localized collection of pus, which may occur in any part of the body  Acute- sudden, sharp, severe; used to describe a disease that has a sudden onset, severe symptoms, and a short course.

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Adhesion- literally means a process of being struck together. An abdominal adhesion usually involved the intestines and is caused by inflammation or trauma. This type of adhesion may cause an intestinal obstruction and require surgery.  adhes- stuck to  -ion -process Afferent- carrying impulses toward a center Ambulatory- condition of being able to walk, not confined to bed. Antidote- substance given to counteract poisons and their effects. Antipyretic- pertaining to an agent that is used to lower an elevated body temperature (fever)  anti (P)- against  pyret- fever  -ic (S)- pertaining to Antiseptic- pertaining to an agent that works against sepsis (putrefaction); a technique or product used to prevent or limit infections.  anti (P)- against  sept- putrefaction  -ic (S)- pertaining to Antitussive- pertaining to an agent that works against coughing  anti (P)- against  tuss- cough  -ive (S)- nature of, quality of Apathy- condition in which one lacks feelings and emotions and is indifferent Asepsis- without decay; sterile, free from all living microorganisms  a (P)- without  -sepsis (S)- decay Axillary- pertaining to the armpit  axill- armpit  -ary (S)- pertaining to

Terms biopsy (Bx)- epidemic  Biopsy (Bx)- surgical removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic examination; used to determine a diagnosis of cancer or other disease processes in the body. Biopsies (plural)- change the y to i and add es.  bi(o)- life  -opsy (S)- to view  Cachexia- condition of ill health, malnutrition and wasting. It may occur in chronic diseases such as cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis.  cac- bad  -hexia (S)- condition  Centigrade- literally means having 100 steps or degrees; unit of temperature measurement (Celsius scale) with a boiling point at 100 degrees and a freezing point at 0 degrees. Each degree of temperature change is 0.01 (1/100) of the scale.  Centi- one hundred, one hundredth

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 -grade (S)- a step Centimeter- unit of measurement in the metric system; one hundredth of a meter.  centi- one hundred, one hundredth  -meter (S)- measure Chemotherapy- the use of chemical agents in the treatment of disease, specifically drugs used in cancer therapy  chemo/o- chemical  -therapy (S)- treatment Chronic- pertaining to time; denotes a disease with little change or of slow progression; the opposite of acute Diagnosis (Dx)- the process of identifying a disease or disorder, which is generally determined through the use of scientific and skillful methods of knowledge. Several types of information are used for diagnosis, including signs and symptoms. To create the plural form change -is to -es to create diagnoses.  dia- through  -gnosis (S)- knowledge Diaphoresis- to carry through sweat glands; profuse sweating  dia- through  -phoresis (S)- to carry Disease- literally means lack of ease; a pathological condition of the body that presents with a series of symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings peculiar to it and sets it apart from normal or other abnormal body states; a disruption of normal functioning of the body by a process that can be congenital or infectious, or the failure of normal activity to maintain and sustain health. Disinfectant- chemical substance that can be applied to objects to destroy pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria.  dis- apart  infect- to infect  -ant (S)- forming Efferent- carrying impulses away from a center Empathy- the ability to sense intellectually and emotionally the feelings of another person Epidemic- pertaining to upon the people; the rapid, widespread occurrence of an infectious disease that can be spread by any pathological organism transmitted by and to humans, birds, insects, and other living things. It is a term that may be used to describe any problems that has grown out of control.  epi- upon  dem- people  -ic (S)- pertaining to

Terms etiology-microorganism  Etiology- study of the causes(s) of disease  eti/o- cause  -logy (S)- study of

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-logy (S)- used to describe things that are studied Excision- process of cutting out, surgical removal  ex- out  cis- to cut  -ion (S)- process Febrile- pertaining to fever, a sustained body temperature (T) above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Gram (g)- unit of weight in the metric system; a cubic centimeter or milliliter of water is equal to the weight of a gram. Heterogeneous- literally means pertaining to a different formation: composed of unlike substances; the opposite of homogeneous.  hetero- different  gene- formation  -ous (S)- produce pertaining to Illness- state of being sick Incision- process of cutting into  in- in, into  cis- to cut  -ion (S)- process Kilogram- unit of weight in the metric system; 1000 g; a kilogram is equal to 2.2 lb.  kil/o- a  -gram (S)- thousand a weight liter (L)- unit of volume in the metric system; 1000 mL; a liter is equal to 33.8 fl oz or 1.0567 qt. Macroscopic- pertaining to objects large enough to be examined by the naked eye.  macr/o- large  scop- to examine  -ic (S)- pertaining to Malaise- a general feeling of discomfort, uneasiness; often felt by a patient who has a chronic disease Malformation- literally means a process of being badly shaped, deformed; a structural defect that fails to form normal shape and therefore can affect the function  mal- bad  format- shaping  -ion (S)- process Malignant- literally means formation of a bad kind; growing worse, harmful, cancerous  malign- bad kind  -ant (S)- forming Maximal- pertaining to the greatest possible quantity, number, or degree  maxim- greatest  -al (S)- pertaining to Microgram (mcg)- unit of weight in the metric system; one millionth of a gram or one thousandth of a milligram (0.001 mg)  micro- small

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 -gram (S)- a weight Microorganism- small living organisms that are not visible to the naked eye  micro- small  organ- organ  -ism (S)- condition

Terms microscope- triage  Microscope- scientific instrument designed to view small objects that are not visible to the naked eye. With its magnification we can see cells and even tiny structures within cells.  micro- small  -scope (S)- instrument for examining  Milligram (mg)- unit of weight in the metric system; 0.001 g  milli- one  -gram (S)- thousandth of weight  Milliliter (mL)- unit of volume in the metric system; 0.001 L.  milli- one  -liter (S)- thousandth liter  Minimal- pertaining to the least possible quantity, number, or degree  minim- least  -al (S)- pertaining to  Morbidity- state of being diseased; ill, sick; refers to the disease rate or number of cases of a particular disease in a given age range, gender, occupation, or other relevant population- based on grouping  morbid- sick  -ity (S)- condition  Mortality- being human, subject to death; refers to the death rate reflected by the population in a given region, age range, or other relevant statistical grouping  mortal- human being  -ity (S)- condition  Multiform- occurring in or having many shapes; an object that has more than one defined shape  multi- many, much  -form (S)- shape  Necrosis- abnormal condition of tissue death  necr- death  -osis (S)- condition  Oncology- literally means the study of tumors; medical specialty that studies the etiology, the characteristics, the treatments of cancer.  onc/o- tumor  -logy (S)- study of  Benign- tumor is not cancerous  Malignant- tumor is cancerous  Pallor- paleness, a lack of color

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Palmar- pertaining to the palm of the hand  Palm- palm  -ar (S)- pertaining to Paracentesis- surgical puncture of a body cavity for fluid movement  para- beside  -centesis (S)- surgical puncture Pathogenic- pertaining to producing disease  path/o- disease  gen- produce  -ic (S)- pertaining to Prognosis- literally means a state of foreknowledge; prediction of the course of a disease and the recovery rate of the affected person  pro- before  -gnosis (S)- knowledge Prophylactic- pertaining to preventing or protecting against disease or pregnancy  prophylact- guarding  -ic (S)- pertaining to Pyrogenic- pertaining to the production of heat; a fever  pyr/o- heat, fire  -genic (S)- formation, produce Radiology- study of x-rays and other imaging modalities that use x-rays  radi/o- ray, x-ray  -logy (S)- study of Rapport- relationship understanding between two individuals, especially between the patient and the physician Sequela- the late or residual effect (condition produced) after the acute phase of an illness or injury has ended, such as deafness after treatment with an ototoxic drug.  To change sequela to its plural form, you add en e to create sequelae Sign- any objective clinical evidence of an illness or disordered function of the body. A sign can be seen, heard, measured, or felt by the examiner. Syndrome- a group of signs and symptoms occurring together that characterize a specific disease or pathological condition  syn- together, with  -drome (S)- that which runs together Thermometer- an instrument used to measure degree of heat, especially the temperature of a person  therm/o- hot, heat  -meter (S)- instrument to measure Triage- a system of prioritizing and classifying patient injuries to determine priority of need and treatment

Medical Records

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Electronic health record (HER)- an electronic record of health-related information for an individual that is created, gathered, managed, and consulted by authorized healthcare clinicians and staff. A patient's...