The components of medical words

Word root- basic medical word. Most are derived from Greek and Roman(Latin) words

Combining vowel – added to word roots to aid pronunciation and to connect the root to the suffix

Suffix – follows the word root and is found at the end of the word. It also adds to or modifies the
meaning of the word root.

Prefix- precedes the word root and changes its meaning

The use of prefixes, combining forms and suffixes

Rule 1: Joining a combining form to a suffix

Ex. Gastr/o+-logy- gastrology

Gastr/o+-algia – gastralgia

Rule # 2: Joining the combining forms of two word roots

Ex: Gastr/o + Entero + logy = Gastroenterology

Rule # 3 : Joining a prefix to a root

• When a prefix that ends in a vowel is added to a root that begins with a vowel or h, the vowel of
the prefix is dropped.

Ex: epigastric -

antacid – ant/I + -acid

Basic Medical Terminology

a-,an-,ar- no,not,without cyan- blue tachy - fast

ab –away from diplo – double tox - poison

acous – hearing dys – difficult/painful

ad- toward ecto - outside

af- to-toward edem- swelling

alb- white epi – on or over

allo – different or an addition exo- without, outside of

ambi- both hetero - different

aniso – unequal homo - same

apo – seperated or derived from idio – distinct or peculiar to an individual

auto – self mal - bad

bi- two mega - great

bio-life neo - new

blasto – growth pan - all

brachy – short pseudo- false

Suffixes

-algia – pain -dipsia- thirst -ostomy – surgical opening

-arche- beginning -ectomy – surgical removal -ous – pertaining to

-ase – enzyme -emesis- vomit -oxia – oxygen level

-ation – process -emia – blood -pathy - disease

-blast – immature -genesis – origin -penia – lack deficiency

-cele- swelling - ia – condition -pepsia- digestion

-centensis- surgical puncture -it is – inflammation -plasia - growth

-cidal – pertaining to death -lith – stone -pnea - breathing

-clast – break -lysis, rrhexis – rupture -poiesis - production

-coccus – spherical -malacia – softening -ptosis – dropping

-crine – secrete -oma- tumor -ptysis - spitting

-cyte – cell -opia – eye, vision -rrhage – bursting forth

-rrhea –discharge -taxia – muscle ccordination -tomy - incision

-cytosis- abnormal condition of cells

Word root

agglut- clump together oste- bone

angio - vessel phago - eat

arterio – artery phlebo - vein

arthro – joint pneu- breath

bili- bile pulmon - lung

cardio – heart ren - kidney

cephal – head spleno - spleen

colo – colon thromb - clot

cubit – elbow tox - poison

cyst – bladder veno - vein

derm – skin gastr- stomach

heme- blood hepato – liver

necro –death nephr- kidney

Levels of Organization

Roots/Combining form Suffixes

chondr/o – cartilage -blast – germ cell/immature cells

erythr/o – red -genic- pertaining to formation

fibr/o – fibre -ic – pertaining to

granul/o- granulo -ical – pertaining to

hem/o – blood -logist – a specialist who

leuc/o – white -logy – study of

lymph/o – lymph - lysis – breakdown/disintegration

melan/o – pigment/melanin -pathy- disease of

oo – egg/ovum - trophic - nourishing

path/o- disease

spermat/o – sperm

Integumentary System

Prefixes: Roots/Combining forms Suffixes

Crypto: hidden aden/o : gland -al : pertaining to

intra : within/inside aesthe/s/io : sensation/sensitivity -auxis: increase

pachy : thick motor: action -cyte: cell

para: beside myc/o: fungus -ia : condition of

sub: under/below phyt(e) : plant (fungus) -ic: pertaining to

xantho: yellow schiz/o : split/cleft -itis : inflammation

xero: dry

-osis: abnormal condition

-tropic: pertaining to
Integumentary System: Skin Pathology

1. Acne vulgaris: caused by increased levels of sex hormones after puberty

2. Burn

3. Cellulitis: an acute infection of the connective tissue in the deeper layers of the skin and underlying
tissue; characterized by redness of the affected area, pain and swelling.

4. Decubitus ulcer: also known as pressure sores or bed sores and are caused by lying in one position for
long periods.

5. Dermatitis: eczema and inflammation of the skin

6. Furuncle : boils

6. Impetigo: contagious bacterial condition that results from staphylococcal or streptococcal infections

7. Karposi Sarcoma: viral induced malignant disease characterized by the growth of new blood vessels
(herpes virus 8-HHV-8)

8. Necrotising fascitis: uncommon infection involving deep soft tissue such as the dermis, subcutaneous
tissue and fascia of connective tissue

9.Urticaria

10. Wart

Integumentary: Lab.Dx

Culture and Sensitivity (C/S) Fungal Culture

Gram stain KOH preparation

Skin biopsy

Skeletal System

Prefixes

Dys- : bad/difficult/painful my/o: muscle -eal: pertaining to

Endo-: within/inside petr/o: stone/rock/brittle - ectomy: removal

Inter-: between por/o: pore - genesis: capable of forming

Poly-:many py/o: pus - genic: pertaining to formation

Roots/Combining forms Suffixes: -malacia: softening

Calcin/o : calcium -al: pertaining to -oid: resembling to

Cost/o : rib -algia : pain - olisthesis: slipping

Fibr/o: fibre -clasis:breaking -phyte: pathological growth

- clast: a cell that breaks

-desis: fixation/bind together by surgery

Root word Osteon (meaning bone) Root word chondros: cartilage

• Oste/o/phyte: chondr/o/dys/trophy:

• Oste/o/por/osis: chondr/o/malacia

• Oste/o/malacia: chondr/o/cost/al:

Root word arthron: (joint or articulation) Rootword spondylos: vertebra

• Arthr/o/py/osis: breakdown of vertebrae:

• Poly/arthr/itis: any disease of vertebrae:

Root word Synovia: fluid secreted by the synovial inflammation of vertebrae:

membrane Rootword diskus: disc

• Synov/i/oma disc/oid:

disc/o/genic

Skeleton:

Rootwords:

• Crani/o: cranium scapul/o: scapula

• Mandibul/o: mandible cost/o: rib

• Clavicul/o: clavicle pelv/i : pelvis

• Humer/o :humerus uln/o : ulna

• Olecran/o: elbow radi/o: radius

• Ili/o: ilum carp/o : carpus;wrist

 • Acetabul/o : acetabulum metacarp/o: metacarpal

• Ischi/o (ischium phalang/o: phalanges

• Femor/o: femur sacr/o: sacrum

• Patell/o: kneecap coccy/g/o: coccyx

• Maxillo (maxilla) tibi/o: tibia

• Stern/o : sternum;breastbone fibul/o: fibula

Skeletal System Pathology

• Bone Fracture

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS): s/s: pain,numbness,paraesthesia (pins and needles) and
weakness of thumb

• Erwin sarcoma: second most common primary sarcoma in children and young people.
Commonly found in the pelvis, tibia or femur

• Gout

• Osteoarthritis- also called as degenerative joint disease (DJD)-most common noninflammatory

disorder of moveable joints. Characterized by ‘wearandtear’deterioration, arthropy of the
articular cartilage, formation of new bone at joint surfaces and calcification of ligaments. OA
occurs mostly in the weight-bearing joints such as the hips, lumbar spine and knees

Osteomalacia and rickets:

• Osteoporosis

• Osteosarcoma

• Paget disease: chronic disease of the skeleton in which osteoclast reabsorb excess bone,
softening the tissue

• Rheumatism: painful state of the supporting structures of the body including bones, ligaments,
joints, tendons and muscles

• Rheumatoid arthritis: chronic progressive autoimmune disorder of unknown cause

• SLE: autoimmune disease

Skeletal System: Lab Test

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Antinuclear antibody (ANA): SLE

Calcium ESR

Gram stain Phosphorus

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Synovial fluid

Uric Acid Vitamin D

Muscular System

Prefixes: dys-difficult

hyper- above normal/excessive

Roots/Combining forms;

aesthesi/o-sensation mys: muscle (Greek) tenon: stretch

 cardi/o- heart musculus: muscle (Latin) orthos: straight

electr/o-sensation rhabdos - stripe

phren/o- diaphragm kinein: movement/motion

Suffixes:

-globin-protein -ia- condition

-kymia- condition of involuntary twitching of muscles -sclerosis- hardening

Muscular System (Pathology)

1. Crush injury

2. Hernia

3. Muscular dystrophy-is not a single disorder but a group of genetic diseases characterized by
arthropy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)-most common muscular dystrophy

4. Myasthenia gravis – is a chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness, expecially in the

face and throat.

5. Polymyositis- chronic inflammatory diseases affecting many muscles

6. Torticolitis also called wryneck

7. Trichinosis

Muscular: Lab.Test

Creatine Kinase ( CK) Magnesium

Lactic Acid Myoglobin Potassium

Nervous System

Prefixes: Roots/Combining Forms Suffixes

a- : without/not ech/o : echo/reflected sound -cele: swelling/protrusion/hernia

acro-:extremities neur/o: nerve -gyric: pertaining to circular motion

agora-: open place plex/o: network of nerves

epi-: above cephal/o: head

hemi-: half encephal/o: brain

quadri-:four cerebr/o: cerebrum of brain

sub-:under ventricul/o: ventricle or chamber

crani/o: skull

gangli/o: a knot of nerve cell bodies

mening/i/o: membrane

radic/ul/o: root

myel/o: marrow

rachi/o: spine
 narc/o: abnormally deep sleep induced by a drug

Nervous System

•Alzheimer disease (AD)-most common form of dementia

•Bipolar disorder: manic depression or manic depressive psychosis
•Brain tumour:
•Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD): poorly understood condition caused by an infectious heat-
resistant particle known as a prion protein
• Epilepsy
• Guillain-Barre syndrome:
• Herpes zoster
Pathology: Nervous System

Huntington chorea: inherited disease characterized by involuntary, purposeless movements (chorea)

that progresses to dementia and death.

Motor Neuron disease

Multiple Sclerosis Parkinson disease

Schizoprenia Tourette syndrome

Sciatica Stroke

Nervous System: Lab.Test

CSF Analysis CK-BB

C/S Lumbar Puncture

Respiratory System

Roots/Combining forms:

Rhin/o: nose (greek) Nas/o: nose (latin)

Pharyng/o: pharynx Laryng/o: larynx

Trache/o: trachea or windpipe Bronch/i/o: two large air passages

Pneumon/o: lung Lob/o: lobes

Pulmon/o: lung Pleur/o: pleura

Thorac/o: chest

Pulmonary: Pathology

• Asthma
• Atelectasis: a condition in which there is collapse of lung tissue with consequent reduction in
gaseous exchange.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Pneumoconiosis: presence of dust in the lungs characterized by inflammation, infection and
bronchitis
• Pulmonary embolism: sudden obstruction of a pulmonary vessel by an embolus
• Pulmonary edema
• TB
Digestive System

Root/Combining Words

Esophag/o: esophagus Gastr/o: stomach

Enter/o: intestine Pylor/o: opening of the stomach

Duoden/o: duodenum Ile/o:ileum

Append/o: appendix Col/o: colon

Hepat/o: liver Rect/o: anus

Digestive System: Pathology

Anal Fistula

Cancer

Colonic polyposis: small growths on the lining of the colon or rectum

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD)

Hepatitis

Crohn disease: chronic inflammation of the alimentary tract that usually occur in young adults

Ulcerative colitis: chronic inflammatory disease of the inner lining of the colon and rectum

Intussuception:

Irritable bowel syndromes

Digestive System: Lab.Test

Liver Function Test TPAG

ALP Ammonia Amylase Bilirubin

CEA CBC Fecal Fat GGT

LD Lipase Occult blood C/S

Urinary System:

Azot/o: urea Proct/o: anus/rectum

Ren/o: kidney Nephr/o (Greek) Pyel/o: renal pelvis

Vesica: bladder Urethr/o: urethra

Urin/a/io: urine Ur/o: urine

Urinary System: Pathology

GN Nephrotic syndrome

Renal calculi

Female Reproductive System:

Roots/Combining

Oo: egg -gravida: pregnant

Ovar/o: ovary -para: woman who has produced a child

Salping/o: fallopian tube Fet/o: fetus

Uter/o: uterus amni/o: amnion

Hyster/o: uterus Placent/o: placenta

Metr/a/i/o: uterus Toc/o: labour

Men/o: menstruation mamm/o: breast

Cervic/o: cervix Colp/o : vagina

Vagin/o: vagina Vulv/o : vulva

Male Reproductive System

Root:

Orch/i/o: testes Scrot/o: pouch containing the testicles

Phall/o: penis Balan/o: glans penis

Epididym/o: epididymis Vas/o: vas deferens

Vesicul/o: seminal vesicles Prostat/o: prostate gland