L1

• Learning Objectives


  • Identify and define four elements used to build medical words
  • Analyze and define the various parts of a medical term
  • Apply the rules learned in this chapter to pronounce medical words correctly
  • Define and provide examples of surgical, diagnostic, pathological, and related suffixes
  • Apply the rules learned in this chapter to write singular and plural forms of medical words
  • Locate and apply guidelines for pluralizing terms
  • Practice pronouncing the medical terms presented in this chapter
• Word root


  The basic foundation of a word, to which component parts are added. By adding other word elements to the root, the meaning of the word changes. A word root is also called the stem of a word or the base of a word, and usually has a Greek or Latin origin.
• Combining form


  Created when a word root is combined with a vowel, known as a combining vowel, usually an o but occasionally an i. The combining vowel is used to join the word parts appropriately when creating words and helps with pronunciation.
• Prefix


  A short word part added before a root to modify its meaning.
• Suffix


  A short word part or series of parts added at the end of a root to modify its meaning.
• Word parts used to build medical words

  • Word root
  • Combining form
  • Prefix
  • Suffix
• Words formed from roots, prefixes, and suffixes


  • learn
  • learner
  • relearn
• Most medical roots are derived from other languages and are meant to be used in combinations
• The same root may have different meanings in different fields of study
• Compound words


  Medical words containing more than one root, e.g. cardiovascular, urogenital, lymphocyte
• Word roots related to the body (general)

  • Thorac/o = Chest
  • Cerv = Neck
  • Cephal/o = Head
  • Derm = Skin
  • Neur/o = Nerve
  • Hem/o = Blood
  • Musculo = Muscle
  • Myo-/Sarco = Muscle
  • Oste/o = Bone
  • Cyt/o- Cell
  • Abdomin/o = Abdomen
  • Arterio/Angio = Arteries
  • Vasculo = Vascular
  • Veno/Vena = Venous
• Word roots related to organs

  • Thyr/o = Thyroid
  • Trache/o = Trachea
  • Esophag/o = Esophagus
  • Thymo = Thymus
  • Masto/Mammo = Mammary Gland
  • Pulmo/Pneumo = Lungs
  • Cardi/o = Heart
  • Gastr/o = Stomach
  • Hepat/o = Liver
  • Cholecyst/o = Gall Bladder
  • Splen/o = Spleen
  • Pancreat/o = Pancreas
  • Nephr/o = Kidney
  • Enter/o = Intestine
  • Colo = Colon/Large Intestine
  • Cyst/o = Urinary Bladder
• Prefix


  A word element added at the beginning of a word that changes or alters the meaning
• Common prefixes and their meanings

  • A-, An- = Without; Lacking
  • Andr/o- = Male
  • Anti- = Against
  • Auto- = Self
  • Bio- = Life
  • Chem/o- = Chemistry
  • Contra- = Against
  • Cyt/o- = Cell
  • Dis- = Separation; Taking apart
  • Dys- = Difficult; Abnormal
  • Eu- = Good; Well
  • Fibr/o- = Fiber
  • Gluco-, Glyco- = Glucose; Sugar
  • Gyn/o-, Gynec- = Female
  • Hydr/o- = Water
  • Idio- = Self; One's own
  • Lyso-, Lys- = Break down; Destruction; Dissolving
  • Mal- = Bad; Abnormal
  • Myc/o- = Fungus
• Prefixes related to number, amount, and size

  • Bi- = Two
  • Brady- = Slow
  • Diplo- = Double
  • Hemi- = Half
  • Hetero- = Other; Different
  • Homo- = Same
  • Hyper- = Above; Beyond; Excessive
  • Hypo- = Under; Deficient
  • Iso- = Equal; Like
  • Macro- = Large; Long
• Common Prefixes


  • A-, An- (without; lacking)
  • Andr/o- (male)
  • Anti- (against)
  • Auto- (self)
  • Bio- (life)
  • Chem/o- (chemistry)
  • Contra- (against)
  • Cyt/o- (cell)
  • Dis- (separation; taking apart)
  • Dys- (difficult; abnormal)
  • Eu- (good; well)
  • Fibr/o- (fiber)
  • Gluco-, Glyco- (glucose; sugar)
  • Gyn/o-, Gynec- (female)
  • Hydr/o- (water)
  • Idio- (self; one's own)
  • Lyso-, Lys- (break down; destruction; dissolving)
  • Mal- (bad; abnormal)
  • Myc/o- (fungus)
• Prefixes: Number/Amount/Size (Quantity)


  • Bi- (two)
  • Brady- (slow)
  • Diplo- (double)
  • Hemi- (half)
  • Hetero- (other; different)
  • Homo- (same)
  • Hyper- (above; beyond; excessive)
  • Hypo- (under; deficient)
  • Iso- (equal; like)
  • Macro- (large; long; big)
  • Mic-, Micro- (small)
  • Mon-, Mono- (one)
  • Olig/o- (few; little)
  • Poly- (many; excessive)
  • Quadri- (four)
  • Semi- (half)
  • Tachy- (fast)
  • Tetra- (four)
  • Tri- (three)
  • Uni- (one)
• Prefixes: Location, Direction/Position


  • Ab-, Abs- (away from)
  • Ad- (towards)
  • Ante- (before; forward)
  • Circum- (around)
  • Cycl- (circle; cycle)
  • De- (away from; ending)
  • Dia- (across; through)
  • Ect/o-, Exo- (outer; outside)
  • End/o-, Ent-, Enter/o- (within; inner)
  • Epi- (upon; outside of)
  • Ex-, Extra- (beyond)
  • Infra- (beneath; below)
  • Inter- (between)
  • Intra- (within)
  • Meso- (middle)
  • Meta- (beyond; change)
  • Para- (alongside; abnormal)
  • Path/o- (disease)
  • Peri- (around)
  • Post- (behind; after)
  • Pre- (before; in front)
  • Retro- (backward; behind)
  • Sub- (under)
  • Super- (above)
  • Supra- (above; upon)
  • Sy-, Syl-, Sym-, Syn-, Sys- (together)
  • Trans- (across; through)
• Prefixes: Color


  • Chlor/o- (green)
  • Chrom-, Chromato- (color)
  • Cyano- (blue)
  • Erythr/o- (red)
  • Leuk/o- (white)
  • Melan/o- (black)
• Suffix


  A word element attached at the end of the word root that changes the meaning of the word
• Adding a suffix to a word changes the meaning of the word, just as adding different prefixes changes the meaning of the word
• Suffixes can refer to

  • Disease/Disorder/Condition
  • Procedure
  • Process
  • Specialty
  • Test
• Miscellaneous combining forms are named as such because they can't be classified under a specific category, but are frequently used
• Linking combining forms


  In most instances, the combining vowel is retained amid combining forms
• Linking combining forms and suffixes

  Use a combining vowel if the suffix begins with a consonant
• Linking combining forms and suffixes with initial vowels

  Omit the combining vowel if the suffix begins with a vowel
• Linking other word parts and prefixes


  Usually, prefixes need not be changed when linked with other word parts
• Eponyms


  Names derived from a proper noun, such as the name of a person, place, or thing
• Eponyms are frequently capitalized in the medical field
• Normal range


  Acceptable limit
• Pathologic


  Pertains to a condition involving a disease process
• Diagnosis


  Naming a disease or condition based on scientific evaluation
• Prognosis


  Anticipated outcome of a disease
• Therapeutic


  Related to treatment
• Diagnostic


  Related to diagnosis
• To evaluate if bodily functions are normal, several tests are usually performed, including clinical studies, laboratory tests, and radiologic (radio + logic) studies
• The healthcare practitioner also needs to check for signs and symptoms of a disease
• The plural form of many medical terms follows the rules used in common language
• Radiology


  The domain of medicine related to the diagnosis of diseases with the use of x-rays, radioactive substances, and radiant energy
• Diagnostic imaging modalities


  • Radiography
  • Computed tomography
  • Magnetic resonance imaging
  • Ultrasonography
  • Fluoroscopy
  • Contrast imaging
  • Nuclear imaging