Introduction to Medical Terminology

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Introduction to Medical Terminology
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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

• The process of dividing medical words into
  component parts.
• Analysis of words will make medical terminology
  easier to understand
  and remember.

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ORIGINS

• Word parts generally come from two language
  origins
• Greek
• Latin

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5 BASIC WORD PARTS

• Root word
• Suffix
• Prefixes
• Combining vowel
• Combining form

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ROOT WORD

• Root Word foundation of the word, usually
  indicates the involved body part
• Examples
• cardi - ?
• cephal
• gastr
• cyt
• A medical term can have one or more root words.
• Ex. cardi/o/thorac/ic pertaining to heart and
  chest

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SUFFIXES

• Word ending usually indicates a procedure,
  condition, disorder or disease.
• Read from the suffix backwards to the root word
  for the correct meaning.
• Suffixes can be nouns or adjectives
• All medical words have suffixes (star or asterick
  this point)
• Examples
• -itis -ic -logy -lysis

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PREFIXES

• Word beginning usually indicates location, time,
  or a number
• Not all medical words have prefixes
• Examples
• a-
• pre-
• hyper-
• sub-

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COMBINING VOWELS AND FORMS

• Combining Vowel
• A vowel that links two word parts together
• Usually an o
• Has no meaning of its own (EX -
  cardi/o/thoracic)
• Combining Form root word plus a combining vowel
• Examples
• Hemat/o
• Cardi/o
• Gastr/o
• Oste/o

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RULES FOR USING COMBINING VOWELS

• When the ending of the root word and the
  beginning of the suffix are both consonants, use
  a combining vowel.
• Example hemat/o/logy
• When the ending of the root word is a consonant,
  and the beginning of the suffix is a vowel, do
  not use a combining vowel.
• Example gastr/itis (incorrect would be
  gastroitis)

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RULES FOR USING COMBINING VOWELS

• 3. A combining vowel is always used when two root
  words are joined.
• Example cardi/o/thorac/ic
• 4. A prefix does not require a combining
• vowel
• Example epi/gastr/ic

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TAKING TERMS APART

• Determine a medical words meaning by looking at
  the component pieces.
• Start at the suffix (all medical terms will have
  one)
• Identify if there is a prefix (not all medical
  terms will have one)
• Locate the root words (there may be more than
  one)
• Identify the meaning of each word part as you
  separate them

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TAKING TERMS APART

• Remember!
• If you have any doubt about the correct meaning
  of a word, use a medical dictionary (appendix,
  internet) to double check the definition.

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SPELLLING

• In medicine, spelling is critical!!!
• One wrong letter could mean an entirely different
  place on the body or test to be performed
• Example ilium (bone in the hip) and ileum (part
  of the small intestine) what would happen if
  you ordered the wrong test??