Ch' 5 Medical Terminology

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Ch. 5 Medical Terminology
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Using Word Parts

• Prefixes (P) used at the beginning of a medical
  term.
• Describe, modify or limit the term
• Not all medical terms use prefixes
• Examples
• a- without
• trans- through
• intra- within

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Using Word Parts

• Suffixes (S) the word ending
• Changes the meaning of a wordyou can make a word
  a noun, verb, or adjective
• All medical terms have a suffix
• Examples
• -al, -ic, -ar, -y pertaining to
• -ectomy excision/surgical removal
• -it is inflammation
• -pathy disease

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Using Word Parts

• Word Root (WR) the basic meaning of the term
• Typically indicates a body part, but not always
• All medical terms must have one or more word
  roots
• Examples
• neur/o nerve
• cost/o rib
• oste/o bone
• erythr/o red

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Using Word Parts

• Combining Vowel
• Usually an o
• Used between word roots or when a suffix begins
  with a consonant.
• Examples
• Neurology
• neur/o -logy
• Osteocyte
• oste/o -cyte
• Neural (drop the combining vowel)
• neur/o -al

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Decoding Medical Terms

• Reading a medical term is a step-by-step
  process.
• Start with the suffix and define it
• Next the prefix and define it
• Then, go to the word root and define
• Lastly, define the word as a whole

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Decoding Medical Terms

• Practice
• Intraneural
• Megalocephalic
• Cardiomegaly
• Costectomy
• Transneurocostal
• Angiogram
• Laryngocentesis
• Rhinitis
• Bronchitis