organs, systems, and their functions), bodyslocations, diseases, clinical, diagnostic. imaging and ‘laboratory testing, together with tlinical procedures, surgeries and diagnoses. ! ‘The beauty of medical terminology is that it makes such vital communication more succinct and to-the point. A medical term usually describes in one word a disease or condition that, under normal ! circumstances, would take severalwords to describe, Medical language is an entity unto itself and followed a historical development. Peopie in prehistoe times would have believed in a combination of natural and supematural causes and treatments for conditions and diseases. Ancient Egypt, on the other hand, Is where we first see the dawn of what, today, we call “medical care*. Unlike prehistoric peoples, ancient Egyptians were able to document thelr research and knowledge, they could read and write; they also had a system of mathematics which helped scientists make calculations. Documented ancient Egyptian medical literature is among the oldest in existence today. tk aie As the Egyptian civilization faded, the Greek one emerged around 700 BC. The Greek civilization Prevailed until “the end of antiquity" around 600 AD. Hippocrates of Kos (or Cos) (460 BC - 370 BC) Considered as in recognition for his contributions to the medical field as founder of the Hippocratic School of Medicine. Hippoérates and his school were the fst ~to-use,medical terms forvilinesses and patients!.conditions. Much of the medical terminology we use today is attributed to Hippocrates, who is considered the “father of medicine," and Claudius Galen, one of the most legendary doctors in the Roman Empire. When the Romans conquered Greece, the knowledge and language of both cultures merged, resulting new medical concepts regarding disease treatment and containment. Medical records were chronicled by hand, cféating medieal'tetms and 688k. Common medical vocabulary used today includes terms “built from Greek and Latin Word parts, some of which were usedbby Hippocrates and Aristotle rhore'thar With the great advancements in medicine throughout the 20th century, medical language changed with the times and continues to do so today. Some words are discarded or considered obsolete, whereas others are changed, ahd new words are continually added. Approximately 75 percent of all: medical terms are based on Latin or Greek terms, even though modern; day changes are made to make the terms more comprehensive. Etymology indicates:the origin and ‘historical development of a term. Some examples of etymology, or word history, indude: © Words with Latin origins:\Fertir for example, is aLatin term referring to bone inthe.“3 Essentials of Medical Terminology «Words with Greek origins: Héimorthage, for example, Is a word with Greek origin indicating rapid, uncontrollable loss of blood. + Eponyms: Words named after pesple, such as Parkinson's disease. «Acronyms: These are modern language terms that stafid 16" 16Figer phras63 such as lazer, which ‘Tight amplification by stimutatad emission of radiation.” stands for Etymologies were listed in early medical dictionaries, assuming the reader had studied languages and could read Greek or Latin. But gradually the Greck alphabet was cast aside when it was later recognized that few, aside from specialists, were studying ancient Greek. With the advent of the medical dictionary, terminology came to the masses with full force. Today, | medical terminology has evolved into modern applications from basic anatomy to include alternative, holistic, naturopathic, and complementary medicine, Basics of Word Building and Pronunciation To Sart learning medical terminology, you have to break down the parts of each word and then i deciphering its meaning. You can do this by learning etymology. Etymology is the study 6Fthe historyof | words, their origins, and how'their form and meaning!Have changed over time. You can use etym to decipher words with Latin andGreek origins, eponyms (words named after people), and’ acronyms (modern language terms that stand for longer phrases). ‘There are three-word parts that you need to know: roots/combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes. Roots are the glue that holds all medical terms together. They are the basie formaround which the final |Word is formed. A combining form is a combining Vowel (usually o or i) plus the root word, usually with a prefix or suffix added. ° Prefixes appear at thé beginning ofa WOFe and tell the how, why, where, when, how much, how many, position, direction, timevor status! ‘The suffix, always attheend of a Word, usually indicates a procedure, a’condition or adisease, DID YoU KNOW? ‘While the prefix gives you a cluc into what to expect in a word’s meaning, the sufix tells you what is happening with a specific body part or system. And, usually, it either entails what is wrong with you or a . the procedure used to diagnose or fix it aEssentials of Medical Terminology») The breaking down of words that you will leam In this book also helps you with pronunciation. Wiy, medical terminology, sounds are not always pronounced the same as in English, and there are ng steadfast rules that a combination of specific letters will always be pronounced in the same way. One thing that helps in both the standard English and medical worlds, though, is to learn how tp pronounce phonetically, by breaking up the word into smaller parts. Basic Anatomy of the Human Body Our bodies consist of several biological systems that carry out specific functions necessary for everyday living. The job of the circulatory system is to move blood, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ‘hormones, around the body. It consists of the heart, blood;bload. vessels, arteries and veins. The digestive system consists of a series of connected organs that together, allow the body to’ break down and absorb food) and remove waste. It includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, smail intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. The liver and Pancreas also play a role in the digestive system because they produce digestive juices, The endocrine system consists of eight major glands that secrete-hormones into the blood. These hormones, in turn, travel to different tissues and régulate various bodily functions, such as metabolism, growth and sexual function. The immune system is the body's defense against bacteria, Virlises and other pathogens that may be harmful. It includes lymph.nodes, the spleen; bone: marrow, lymphocytes (including B-cells and T-cells), the thymus and leukocytes, which are white blood cells. The tymphatic system includes lymptrnodes, lympfr duets and lymph.vessels, bnd also plays'arole in the 1a clear fluid that contains white body'sidefenses. Its main job is to make is'to'make’and move lymp! blood cells, which help the body fight infection. The lymphatic system also remmiovesvexcess lymph fluid from bodily tissues and returns it to the blood. The nervous system Controls both Voluntary action (like conscious movement) and involuntary actions (like breathing) and sends'signals to different parts Of the body. The central nervous system includes the brainand spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system consists of nerves that connect every other part of the body to the central nervous system. The body's muscular system consists of about 650 mustles that aid'in'movement, blood flow and other ‘bodily:functions. There are three types of muscle: skeletal*muscle which is connected to'the bone and helps"withi'voluntary" movement, smooth-muscle which is found" inside"Grgans and helps to move _sUbStaNEES through organs, and cardiac muscle which is found’in the heart and helps pump blood.SIRE eswentiats of Terminotogy The reproductive system allows humane ProcTERE, Theale reproductive System includes the penis and the testes, which produce sperm. The féftiale reproductive systém consists of the wagina, the uterus and the 6vaties, which produce eggs. During conception, a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell, which creates a fertilized egg that implants and grows in the uterus. Our bodies are supported by the skeletal system, which consists\of'206:bones that are connected by. ‘tendons, ligaments and cartilage. The skeleton not only helps us move, but it's also involvedvin:the production of blood.cells and the storage-of:calcium. The teeth are also part of the skeletal system, but they aren't considered bones. The respiratory system allows us to take'tn vital oxygen and expel carbon dioxide in a process we call breathing. tt consists mainly of thetrachea, the diaphragm and thelungs. The urinary system helps eliminate a waste’ product called urea from the body, which is produced when certain foods are broken down. The whole system includes tworkidneys, two.ureters, the bladder, two sphincter-museles and the urethra: Urine produced by the kidneys travels down the ureters to the bladder and exits the body through the urethra, The ‘skin, or integumentary system, is the'body’s largestiorgan. It protectsius from the outside world, and is our first defense’against bacteria, virusesand other pathogens. Our skin also helps régulaterbody ‘temperature and eliminate waste through perspiration. In addition to skin, the integumentary system includes hair and nails. Vital Organs Humans have five vital organs that are essential for survival. These are the brain, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs. The human brain is the body's:control.center, receiving and sending signals to other organs through the nervous system and through secreted hormones. It is responsible for our thoughts, feelings, memory storage and general perception of the world. The human heart is a responsible for pumping blood throughout our body. The job of the kidneys is to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood. The kidneys take urea out of the blood and combine it with water and other substances to make urine. The liver has many functions, including detoxifying of harmful chemicals, breakdown of drugs, filtering, of blood, sécretion of bile and production of blood-ronounced almost the same, but with a different spelling and often a very different meaning. Net x ca ‘a great deal of confusion. snowing the difference can get you into a lot of trouble and can cause a gr Examples of Soundalikes ‘as born in the 1950s” (not the 1950’, is always singular iti, 9”. When made plural, thi rev gle-digit numbers are made, 4's were needed to bulld the porth” and "The Patient mt S).Ge ut Py i! 4 a ‘What It Means . ord 7 Surgical removal Ablation A religious offering. Oblation. ‘A means of approaching ‘Access ‘Center Rxis Towards the center Afferent ‘Away from the center Efferent ‘Afunny story | ‘Anecdote, 26——"—SSS—-—t—“‘ eM ” aaah of Madiat Terminoloey ‘Aremedy to treat ant ten ‘of urine in the bladder j-wetting J Clear, obvious aberrant Off course, abnormal Sees Pertains to the ear Oral Pertains to the mouth Callous tere nea als. hardened thinking Callus. lardened area of skin era eae ee mace ———s Parotid Gland Cecal Pertains to the cecum Fecal Pertains to feces cS Central nervous system (abbreviation) ———— Culture and sensitivity (lab test) — Reserved or private Discrete Separate Dysphaeia Difficulty eating or swallowing Dysphasia [Difficulty speaking Effusion a! Escape of fluid into tissue infusion. {Ho introduce fluid into vein or tissue Eczema ‘Atype of dermatitis Exemia Loss of fluid from blood vessels Ethanol Alcohol Ethenyl Vinyl Flanges Projecting borders or edges Phalanges: ‘Bones of the fingers or toes Graft ! Tissue implant from one area to another Graph Diagram ft trradiate To treat with radiation Radiate To spread out from a center Joule Energy Jowl + n st Flesh on the jaw Labial Liplike labile Unstable Liver_ Body organ vor & Discoloration of skin after death Nucleide Acompound of nucleic acid Nuclide Aspecies of atom Osteal = Bony Ostial Pertaining to an ostium Palpation To feel with the fingers Palpitation Rapid heartbeat pettusion Pouring over or through fusion ‘Abundant, much Protrusion Jutting out u TEProceed, ‘carry on OF ‘continue rein 0 the prostate gland j a ‘an artificial device replacing a body part : 1 rae Eareme; atoms in uncombined state (free radicals) | Radice ‘Small branch of a vessel ‘Scleroderma [ Hardening of the skin ‘Scleredema | Swelling of the face ‘Shoddy Poor quality of work Shatty_ Resembles buckshot , Putting It All Together ! You've got all the tools, now you just need to use them to build your pronunciation skills. To do that, you must get brave and start adding all the word parts together. A long medical term must be broken up into the word parts to arrive at 2 definition and a pronunciation. You can do this intwo ways. Some people like to look at the suffix first to determine if the term is a condition, a procedure, disorder or disease. “| Once the suffix is defined, you can then move to the beginning of the word to define the prefix, if there is one, and the word root. This method is preferred by many people just getting their feet wet in the world of medical terms. Others prefe. to tackle the term from the beginning, establishing a meaning for the prefix first, then | moving to the word root, and to the suffix last of all. The pronunciation of a word can sometimes change when you take some prefixes, couple them with root words, and add vowels and suffixes. Following are some examples: Euthyroid: The prefix eu means normal. Before thyroid, it means that the thyroid is normal. : Febrile: Means to have a fever. Add the prefix 2, which means being away from or without, and | the word becomes afebrile (ay-FEB-ril), meaning without a fever. © Hypertension: High blood pressure. Hypotension: Low blood pressure. Though there is not much difference in the pronunciation of hypertension and hypotension,and one means the opposite of the other, it is important to hear — and see — the different spelling of the prefix application. Oliguria: Scanty or infrequent urination. 28 ———SE 29 Essentiats of Medical Terminology Suffixes can also affect the pronunciation of a word. Differant suffixes can mean different pronuresatic ; patticularty ih respect to tolots. Check out these tis combinations and how the Pronunciation and meaning change with altered suffives: Erythrocytes: Red blood cells Erythrocytosis: Having increased Erythrocytes ‘Melanosis: Unusual black pigmentation Melanocytes: Pigmentation cell in the skit layer Even the more grounded basis of a word, the root or combining form, can change the way you say and see words. The combining vowel can change the meaning and pronunciation: Sultixes play the most major role in the different wa Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint (arthr/o) ‘Arthropathy: A condition of a joint Arthroplasty: Surgical repair of a joint Neuritis: Inflammation of a nerve (neur/o) Neuropathy: A condition of a nerve Neuroplasty: Surgical repair of a nerve Medical Conditions Pronouncing terms for conditions can be easy if you familiarize yourself first with the root word of the condition and then with the suffix. Let’s use the simple, everyday stomach ailment as an example. By first pronouncing the root word, then adding different suffixes, you can up your vocabulary by 2 few points: Gastro: Stomach Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach | itis) Gastrodynia: A pain in the stomach (-dynia) Gastropathy: A stomach condition (-pathy) On the other hand, you can grow your condition vocabulary and usage skills by applying the suffix to a variety of roots: megaly: Enlargement of Catdiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart Hepatosplenomegaly: Enlargement ofthe liver and the spleen (splen/o for spleen) and hepat/o for liver Splenomegaly: Enlargement of the spleen Suffixes procedural terms are spelled and pronounced. | Lucky for you, there is a short list of very common suffixes that pertain to procedures. So, again, makeae Here are some y rts and you get # world of words In return, the acquaintance of OT I oP Calumet the suffices cal puncture or aspirate fluid . A removal | : Spel “ating to + secomy, SBE Ton or etre tO setomy: SUB! ae = ostomy So i SY a ent used for visual examination en oe or a vinsal a © scopy: To record re im see, or pictur . suking rding a record or pictur33° Essentials of Medical Terminology Chapter 3: Word Building in Anatomy and Physiology Learning Outcomes: 1. To define and categorize common prefixes In anatomy and physiology. 2. To define and review root words related to anctomy and physiology and break down word parts. 3. To define and categorize common suffixes in anatomy and physiology. 4. To appreciate Greek and Latin origins. 5. To survey terms déscribing the body's interior and exterior. -6. To add up individual word meanings. 7. To find out more about physiological systems and how they work together. As you study medical terminology, you will find that certain word elements can be applied to a wide range of anatomic structures and physiologic concepts and are therefore present in a wide range of medical terms. For your convenience, we have gathered together the most common of these word elements in this chapter. If you learn these common word elements now, you will have a head start in being able to analyze and understand a vast array of medical terms. Prefixes in Anatomy and Physiology As we have explained earlier, a prefix is a word element added before one or more words to modify the ‘meaning of the root(s) and create a new word. Prefixes show up at the beginning of a word and tell the how, why, where, when, how much, how many, Position, direction, time or status. Prefixes have avery important job: They act as modifiers or adjectives, altering the meaning of the root word of the medical term. Prefixes to Denote Number or Quantity The following prefixes are commonly used to denote the number or quantity of anatomic structures or physiologic processes present. As you will see, they can be found in a wide variety of medical terms. Prefix ‘Meaning Example Definition bie ‘two biceps muscles | a muscle having two “heads” (-ceps) di- two diarthic pertaining to (1c) two joints (arthr/o) hemi- one-half hemiplegia _ | partial paralysis (-plegia] of one-half : of the body, the right or left half mono- ‘one; single mononuclear | pertaining to (-ar) a cell having one , ‘nucleus (nucle/o)Essentials of Medical T a ner mukigravida _ | _@ woman who has been pregnant (gravida) more than ohce oe nlipare 7 || Awoman who has given bith ( Para) tono living children a palypa having a nucleus (nucle/o) with , Many 4 nuclear shapes (morph/o) four quadriceps- a muscle having four “heads "| * muscle. ‘ (-ceps) \ a ‘one-half; partly Semilunar [a valve resembling (ar) a half moors (un/o) three tricuspid ‘valve consisting ofthe three” } : Pointed or tapered shapes(-cuspid). | ne unilateral Pertaining to (-al) one side (latei/o toil ya Prefixes to Describe Normal Function The following prefixes A yeu al see ne commonly used to! describe’ normal anatomic struaurés atid physlgi tomctbte sole shale these prefixes are used to indicate normal functioning of a particula, other ‘Sed to compare two or more structures or processes. 1 Prefix ae on | ab- xample Definition re ‘abductor | a muscle that draws a limb (-ductor) |“ ‘ ‘away from the body N20q ad- E ‘adrenal pertaining to (-al) a structure ar located near the kidney (ren/o) re ‘anteversion Forward tilting or turning (-version) |. ‘of an organ from its usual position | pertaining to (-al) something on the contra. Ta walnst; i eral a atie foe | ante ae ‘opposite side(later/o) of the body oa : discharge (-rthea) of liarrhea ae — ‘abundant,watery feces through the fal anus a a jocate To move (-locate) a structure away a oe a a from its usual position, as in i “ dislocating a bone from its joint ining to (le) a structure out of es \ ‘out; away from ectople pertaining Aaa m ti characterized by emp < Meaning Example Definition [ac pertaining to cardiac pertaining to the heart (cardi/o) -al pertaining to nasal pertaining to the nose (nas/o) -ar pertaining to muscular pertaining to muscle (muscul/o) - = pertaining to pulmonary _| pertaining to the lungs (pulmon/o) 39font eto re fe —! subjectedto; having ] _ myelinated | having been covered witha map sheath seenic producing carcinogenic producing cancer (carcin/op | sic pertaining to gastric Pertaining to the stomach (gasty7a} | ical pertaining to Neurological pertaining to the study (log/o) op nerves (neur/o} cle Pertaining to penile pertaining to the penis (pen/op ig to the front (anter/oy “Tor pertaining to anterior pertainin ~oid resembling mucoid resembling mucus (muc/o) ~ory Pertaining to _ auditory pertaining to sound euet/o) “ose having the qualities Varicose | having the qualities of 2 twisted vei of (varic/o) ~ous pertaining to venous pertaining to a vein (ven/o) Suffixes to Create Singular and Plural Forms Because i . ae lural Of their Greek or Latin origin, some medical terms use somewhat strange ie 1BUlar any | Plural suffixes. Once you learn just a few of these forms, however, these terms NOt seen | intimidating. [Suffice | sutietpty [ome | -a } ~ae “vertebra > vertebr ae j “en onal tum en > lum ina ae! -es, I diagnos is —> diagnos es -nx ~nges salpinx > salpinges . “on “a ganglion > ganglia : “um 2 bacterium bacteria } aq ous “ al bronch us > bronch i or * ces ~ appendix) appendices | a vongaib | Common Suffixes The scope of suffix meanings is extremely wide. Like prefixes, many suffixes have similar meanings to those used in plain old, everyday English, whereas some are wildly different. You will get to know the usual suspects of suffixes fairly quickly — the following three in particular. 4 attis: The suffix -itis simply indicates an inflammation’of some kind. The “itis is quite popular in medical terminology because it can be applied to just about any body part within any body system: Here’s a | : | * Bronchitis: inflammation of the broncht ‘* Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint |The -oma suffix can stand for something ugly: tumor. It can also pertain to a neoplasm, or new growth. Again, ‘any body part, in any body system. Some -omas you might have heard of: Carcinoma: Malignant (cancerous) tumor or: Leiomyoma: Benign (non-cancerous) tumor fibroid or fibroid tumor. -oma is one of the most versatile suffixes because a tumor or neoplasm can happen on or near growth derived from smooth muscle. Commonly called a Melanoma: Tumor of the melanocytic {melanocytes in the skin) system ofthe skin, a highly malignant and quickly metastasizing (spreading }tumor. ‘Atumor can be benign or malignant depending on t and growth. “pathy ~ “The last of the big thrée is the -pathy suffix, which indicates semmmnaniie: ‘use of this Suffix is made possible by the large number of body syste _-fanging ¥ Cardiomyopathy: Disease process involving the mt -Cardiopathy: Disease process involving the heart Y Neuropathy: Disease process involving the nervous system V Osteopathy: Disease process involving bone Suffixes: Wrapping It Up. he type and composition, and amount of cell division ‘Once again, the wide- sit can help describe. uscles of the heart ‘Suffix What It Means See, al; 00s eh} Related to or pertaining to ~algia, -dynia Pain, discomfort -arche: * “Beginning: Spree! Subject to, use ae Protrusion (hernia) eerste S ‘Surgical puncture to withdraw or: aspirate fluid Tidal, cide Killor destroy Te, -cule, le, -ulus Smal noyte _ cel sats Surgical fusion or binding “dyna Pain ~ectasls,ectasia Stretching, dilatation sectomy Cutting out, surgical removal, “erneste Vomit SO Pertaining to blood, a blood condition ort, on ist Person, agent a.Eaeentia Ot Metin» State of or condition of | Looking like, resembling or sheet ' Process of fecording _ hn’ : Condition oF theo; otis duro inflammation “a nest Destruction, breakdown op separa -malacia tte) Softening = ° Enlargement Instrument used to measure Study of, process of study Tumor, neoplasm, swelling | = Process, condition ’ Attificial surgical Spening ad Process of incision or cutting into Disease, abnormality } Lack of or deficiency Surgical fixation Eating a Morbid fear of or intolerance | Formation, development Surgical reconstruction, or shaping a] Paralysis | Breathing j “Poiesis, poietic Production or manufacture of 2 -ptosis Downward displacement _or drooping ~tthage, -tthagia Excessive flow or discharge ~rrhaphy Suturing in place, fixation ~thea Flow or discharge ~rrhexis { Rupture or Breaking away Hardening : — Instrument used to visually examine copy Process of visual examination Sudden or involuntary an To stop, stopping ] o— Instrument 4 -tome sete j op opi Growth or development a ea t—(TURE) Esentiats of Medical Terminology ‘The suffixes, -rrhagia or rhage, -trhophy, rhea, and -rrhexts are known as The Four R's. All four are difficult to pronounce and are almost always misspelled — usually with one r being left out. Word Recognition Root words remain the basic component of word building and you can look directly to them to recognize all sorts of words that associate with specific body parts and regions. Because you have spent so much time going over these individual building blocks, you can now begin to use what you know to piece together the larger puzzle of knowing whole words. Terms for Your Interior The table below lists many examples of where these root words can take you on your medical ‘terminology journey. Interior Terms ‘Root Word What it Example{s) : Means ‘Abdomin/o ‘Abdomen’ ‘Abdominoplasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction of the pdbcos £ abdomen ‘Angi/o. Vessel ‘Angioplasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction of a vessel Arteri/o Artery Arterioplasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction of an frie) artery ‘Arthr/o. Joint “Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint Tent Arthroplasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction of a joint ‘Audi/o Hearing ‘Audiometry: Measurement of hearing using an yer boy audiometer Bio Ly life Biology: The study of life and living organisms Bronch/i, bronch/o_| Bronchus/lung Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchi Boor Bronchoscopy: Visual examination of the bronchi Cardio Heart Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart Yeo! Cardiac: Pertaining to the heart ‘ 2 Carditis: inflammation of the heart | : Cholecyst/o Gallbladder | Cholecystectomy: Removal of the gallbladder jos or\\eardd ts Cholecystitis: inflammation ot the gallbladder | Ghondr/i, chondr/o |" Cartilage CChondromalacia: Softening of cartilage Col/o Colon Colonoscopy: Visual examination of the colon Vi Colonoscope: Instrument used In colonoscopy _ y/o Cold Gryobiology: Branch of biology dealing with effects of low vid temperatures Cysti, cyst/o Bladder, or Cystectomy: Surgical removal of a simple cyst or of the | Vip cyst urinary bladderSeen Tema | Cyto Cell Duoden/o Duodenum Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder | Cystogram: Radiograph of the bladder Cystopeny: Surgical fixation ofthe bladder to abdominal yy | Cytology: Study of cells —_ Duodenotomy: Surgical cutting into the duodenum g ww we Duodenectomy: Surgical removal of the duodenum —— Duodenitis: Inflammation of the duodenum phal/o Brain Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain Sy Episi/o~yviv'| Vulva Episiotomy: Surgical cutting of the vulva Erythr/o Red Erythrocytes: Red blood cells n Erythema: Reddening of the skin Esophag/o Esophagus, Esophagitis: Inflammation of the esophagus ok oe. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD): Visual examination of, ead ‘esophagus, stomach, and duodenum by scope Galact/o Milk ——Galactorrhea: Spontaneous flow of milk when nursing Gastr/o ‘Stomach Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach, | Mont Gastrectomy: Surgical removal of the stomach Gastrodynia: Stomach ache Glyefo = Sugar Glycosuria: Sugar in the urine Gynec/o Female Gynecologist: Physician who studies and treats diseases of female reproductive organs j Hemat/o, hem/o Blood Hematoore: Blood cell Hey - 7 Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver pale | See | ase aoe pe aes ere ts istology: Study and function of tissue «| Comet home/o— | Same, alike Hlomosexual: Sexually attracted to the same sex [Hydro | Water, wet Fydromassage: Massage by means of moving water > Hyster/o Uterus Hysterectomy: Surgical removal ofthe uterus Tle/o j jleum Meostomy: “Artificial opening into the ileum fintestine)_| lets: Inflammation ofthe ileum | liJo | tliurn (pelvic Troinguinal: Pertaining to the ilium and inguinal regions Tejun/ os Tejunitis: inflammation of the jejunum ee Jejunostomy: Artificial opening into the jejunum Ca Tears Lacrimatory: Causing a flow of tears -—taynaio aa Taryngitis: Inflammation of the larynx Laryngectomy: Surgical removal of the larynx. Leukocyte: White blood cell Teukjo yj) 2] White Tthotripsy: Crushing of a stone or calculus Uth/o Stone or 2 calculus | Men/o ‘Menstruation ‘Menorthea: Menstrual flow reed rth Menorrhagia: Excessive or heavy menstrual flow Myel/o Bone Myelogram: Recording of the spinal cord cpt Yeies | marrow/spinal cordee 4S. Eamentias of Medical Terminotony = = Inflammation of a muscle Mylo Muscle Myalgia: Pain ina muscle or painful muscle ret Prenatal: Before birth Natio oe Postnatal: After birth | aye ath ‘Necrosis: Death of a cell Nea/o Oe Necrophobia: Morbid fear of death or dead bodies Eo Nephrectomy: Surgical removal of a kidney [—_Nephi/o sre Neurologist: Physician who studies and treats Neur/o, neur/i conditions of the nervous system }— an Dophorectomy: Surgical removal of an ovary oe Oophoritis: Inflammation of an ovary aut) Foneal: fa 2 = m Peritoneal: Pertaining to the peritoneum Perione/@ Rerfane Peritonitis: Inflammation of the peritoneum ene Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx (sore Pharyng/o Sle throat) Pleu Ta Pleura, rib Pleurisy: Inflammation of the lining of the chest : ; side) cavity ab ont : Pleurolysis: Surgical separation of pleural adhesions raat Pneumonitis: Inflammation of the lung. |: Pr NO Lungs an Rectum, anus Proctologist: Physician who studies and treats pee diseases of rectum and anus Sanimoe/a aes Pulmonary: Pertaining to the lungs Pyel/o x | Renal pelvis pein yah Pyelography: Radiograph (x-ray) of the pelvis of the kidney Pyelolithotomy: Removal of a stone from the kidney pelvis Rectum Rectosigmoid: Pertaining to the rectum and sigmoid Fallopian tube ‘Salpingectomy: Surgical removal of a fallopian qalicpree tab tube Sarcfo plth Flesh Sarcoid: Resembling flesh Splen/o Ee Spleen ‘Splenomegaly: Enlargement of the spleen cplxes Splenectomy: Surgical removal of the spleen Tend/o, ten/o, Tendon Tendinitis (or tendonitis): Inflammation of a tendon’ tendin/o 41a} Testicul/o Testis Testicular: Pertaining to a testis or testicle 4th Testitis: Inflammation of a test's Thorac/o Chest Thoracotomy: Incision into the chest cavity (htsh ‘Thoracentesis: Surgical puncture into the chest cavity Tonsill/o Tonsils Tonsillectomy: Surgical removal of tonsils Poul Tonsillitis: inflammation of the tonsils Ureter/o Ureter Ureterolithotomy: Removal of a calculus (stone) wate from a.ureter by means of incision Ureteropelvic: Pertaining to the ureter and pelvis of the kidney Urethr/o Urethra Urethritis: Inflammation of the urethra Mette Urethropexy: Surgical fixation of the urethra Vas/o Vas deferens Vasectomy: Surgical removal of portion of vas deferens for male sterilizationEssentials of Medicy Viscer/o l Viscera I \Viscerography: Radiography of the wie forgans) Terms for the Outside of Your Body Now let’s look at some of the words you can conjure for the exterior of your body. External Terminology = [Root Word What It Means ‘Example(s) =y = Blephar/o Eyelid or eyelash Blepharoplasty: Surgical repair of the eyelids Cephalo Head Tephalocentesis: Surgical puncture of the head a Cephalomegaly: Enlargement of the head (sku ¢ Cervic/o ‘Neck or cervix ‘Cervicodynia: Pain in the neck $ ty Cervicitis: Inflammation of the cervix ~ theilfo, chil/o Up t Cheilophagia: Biting of the lips Derm/a/o, ‘Skin Dermatitis: inflammation of the skin dermat/o Dermatologist: Physician who studies and treats \ diseases of the skin + : Dermatome: Instrument used for cutting thin skin soy = for skin grafting ‘ Dors/i, dors/o Back or posterior Dorsalgia: Pain in the bac, Gingiv/o ‘Gums in mouth Gingivitis: Inflammation of the gums Inguin/o Groin Inguinodynia: Pain in the groin = Irid/o Iris of eye Tridectomy: Surgical removal of the iris Lapar/o ‘Abdomen, loin flank Laparotomy: Cutting into the abdomen Laparoscopy: Visual examination into the abdomen. Lingu/o Tongue ‘Sublingual: Under the tongue ‘Mamm/a, mamm/o Breast | Mammoplasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction of the breast ! Mast/o Breast Mastectomy: Surgical removal of the Breast [= Gdont/o Teeth ‘Odontalgia: Toothache ‘Onych/o ‘Nails ‘Onychophagia: Habit of biting the nails Onychomalace, | seuee NO Softening of the ni | Ophthalm/o, ocul/o Eyes Ophthalmologist: Physician studying eyes and || i treatment of eye diseases | Optic/o, opto Seeing, sight Optician: One who fills the ophthalmologist’s — prescription for corrective eye glasses pacar) se ‘Mouth, Orolingual: Pertaining to the mouth and tongue ene Ear Otitis media: Inflammation of the middle ear iho an Otodynia: Earache | pis Pelvimetry: Measurement of dimensions and capacity || of the pelvis 46 OO ee |(7. Essentiais of Medical Terminology at Pod/d Foot. Podarthritis: Inflammation of the joints of the foot Rhin/o Nose Rhinoplasty: Nose job we "| Rhinorthea: Discharge of mucus from the nose (runny nose) Stomat/o Mouth ‘Stomatitis: Inflammation of the oral mucosa or lining of eit the mouth Thorac/o Chest ‘Thoracentesis: Surgical puncture into the chest cavity oe ‘Thoracotomy: Surgical incision into the chest cavity Defining the root word The root word describes the body parts involved in the medical term. So, if you are having a hard time remembering the meaning of a word, you can parse it out by identifying the root word. At the very least, you'll know what body part it refers to, which can help you narrow down the possible prefix and suffix suspects. Look at some common examples: ‘© Laryngo: Larynx © Myelo: Bone marrow + Myo: Muscle + Neuro: Nerve * Osteo: Bone Medical terms always have a suffix but not always a prefix. Some medical terms have a combination of two or more root words, coupling multiple body parts together: for example, hepatospleno comes from hepato (liver) and spleno (spleen). Identifying the combining vowel The combining vowel, usually an o, joins the root word to a suffix. I a suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel o is not used, because it would create a double vowel. Take the root word neuro as an example. Let's join it to the suffix -itis, which means “inflammation.” Using the combining vowel o to join these together, we would have neuroitis, which is not only difficult to pronounce but also contains a double vowel. Therefore, the o is dropped, and inflammation of a nerve becomes neuritis. Defining the suffix 'As you know, the suffix indicates a procedure, disease, disorder or condition, and you look at it first. For example, the suffix -itis is common. tt means “inflammation,” so every time you see -itis, you know it means something is inflamed. 47Chapter 4: Word Building in Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment Learning Outcomes: 1. To define and categorize common prefixes in pathology. 2, To define ond review root words related to pathology and break down word ports. 3. To define and categorize common suffixes in pathology. 6 4. To appreciate Greek and Latin origins. 5, To add up individual word meanings. i the preceding chapter, you were introduced to many prefixes and suffixes that are commonly used to build medical terms related to anatomic structures and physiologic processes. In this chapter, you will be introduced to word elements that commonly appear in terms describing pathologic changes in anatomic structures or physiologic functions. You will also be introduced to word elements that are commonly found in terms related to the diagnosis and ‘treatment of pathologic conditions. Pathology Related Word Elements 4s you may already know from its word elements, pathology is a great term relating to the study (logy) Of disease (path/o). As such, medical terms related to pathology describe the signs and symptoms of the disease. In mariy cases, these terms consist of one or more root words describing the body system(s) affected by a disease plus one or more suffixes and/or prefixes describing the kinds of changes that ‘occur in that system as a result of disease processes. Prefixes to Describe Pathologic Conditions Hina Prefixes are commonly used to describe abnormalities in anatomical structures or gic processes. Mz r be eke lany of these orefixes describe the degree or direction of change that occurs as Prefix Meaning Bample Definition a without; not ataxia Condition characterized by an - absence of or reduction in ae * muscular coordination (-taxia) on without; not anesthesia ‘condition characterized by an a absence or reduction in feeling or sensation (-esthesia) ana is without; not anacusis ‘without hearing (-cusis); deaf ‘unequal | anisocoria ‘condition (a) in which the pupils Anis Saison (cor/o) of the eyes are unequal in Stamen f Medical Termin size ims incomplete atelectasis Incomplete expansion (-ectasiy a lung; collapsed lung slow bradycardia condition (-a) characterized by, slow heart (cardi/o) rate, down; lack; loss of dementia 1o85 of the ability to think clearly mentia) abnormal;painful;difficutt dyspnea difficult oF painful breathing (~ pnea) . excessive hypergyicemia ‘condition characterized by excessive amounts of sugar» {glyc/o) in the blood (-emia) under; reduced hypo-thyroidism condition (-ism) characterized by underactivity of the thyroid gland {thyroid/o) orn not; without insomnia | condition (-ia) characterized by an inability to sleep (somn/o) macro- large macro-. | |] @ large tymph (tymp/o) cell (cyte) | lymphocyte micro- ‘small (ogy) the study of very small living organisms (bi/o} miosis condition (-sis) in which the pupils mio- less; small of the eye are constricted neo- neoplastic general term pertaining to (“c) the formation (plast/o) of new tissue; usually used to denote a... cancerous growth or tumor | pituitarism condition (-ism) in pan- all panhypo- which the production of ally pituitary (pituitary/o) hormones is reduced (hypo-)__* old age presbycusis hearing (-cusis) impairment that ‘occurs as a result of the aging process : false pseudocyesis false pregnancy (-cyesis); condition in which signs of pregnancy occur in a person who is not pregnant itching psoriasis condition (sis) characterized by scaling, itchy skin fast tachycardia condition (-a) characterized by @ fast heart (cardi/o) rate‘$3 Esedatiats of Medical Terminology a nerve cell that fs not covered by a myelin sheath (myefin/o) une not | unmyelinated | adjective (-ated) used to describe Suffixes to Describe Pathologic Conditions The following suffixes are commonly used to build words that describe the signs and symptoms of the disease. In many cases, the suffix describes the nature or magnitude of the pathologic change. You may notice that some suffixes listed are actually compound suffixes, consisting of two or more word elements. For example, the suffix -osis is a general word element meaning condition, while the ‘compound suffix ~sclerosis refers to any condition (-osis) in which hardening (scler/o) of a structure or substance occurs. Compound suffixes are common in terms related to pathologic conditions. Suffix ‘Meaning Example Definition a condition tachycardia condition characterized by a fast a\s (tachy-) heart (cardi/o) rate ~algia pain neuralgia pain that follows the anatomic ain pathway nerve (neur/o) -dynia pain ‘otodynia pain in the ear (ot/o) “edema ‘swelling lymphedema | swelling and accumulation of fluid in the tissue due to blockage of ‘the lymph (lymph/o) vessels “ema condition ‘emphysema condition in which tiny air sacs in the lungs are destroyed as a result of excessive inflation (emphys/o) esis condition diuresis condition in which urinary (ur/o) output is abnormal (di-) ia condition preumoni Tung (pneumon/o) condition “iasis condition nephrovlithiasis | _ condition characterized by the presence of stones (lith/o in one or both kidneys (nephr/o) ism condition hyper-thyreidism condition characterized by : : excessive (hyper) activity of the thyroid gland (thyroid/o) “| tis ‘condition aryngitis Inflammation of the larynx ' (laryng/o) ‘Iptic | destroying;dissolving | thrombolytic related to or involving the destruction of a blood clot(thromb/o) ~malada softening ‘osteomalacia ‘softening and weakening of the . bones (oste/o) ymegaly ‘enlargement ‘splenomegaly ‘enlargement of the spleen {splen/o} smycosis, Fungal infection otomycosis | fungal infection of the external ear