Medical Terminology

Dr. Bassim I. ALSheibani

1. Common Suffixes

2. Common Prefixes

3. Body Planes

4. Body Directions

Common Suffixes

Although the suffix is last in a medical term, it most

often comes first in its definition

For example, appendicitis means “inflammation(-

itis) of the appendix.” So the suffix, in this case -itis,

provides us with the first word of the defining phrase

Categories of Suffixes

1. Suffixes that signify medical conditions

2. Suffixes that signify diagnostic terms, test

information, or surgical procedures

3. Suffixes associated with a medical specialty or

specialist

4. Suffixes that convert a noun to an adjective

Suffixes That Signify Medical Conditions

No Suffix Refers to Example

1 itis inflammation Hepatitis

2 megaly enlargement Splenomegaly

3 algia pain Arthralgia

4 cele protrusion, hernia Gastrocele

5 malacia softening Osteomalacia

6 Plegia paralysis Cardioplegia

7 Rrhexis rupture Cardiorrhexis

Suffixes That Signify Diagnostic Terms, Test Information, or Surgical Procedures

No Suffix Refers to Example

1 centesis surgical puncture Thoracocentesis

2 ectomy surgical removal Nephroectomy

3 genesis producing Spermatogenesis

4 pexy surgical fixation Cardiopexy

5 plasty surgical repair Urthroplasty

6 rrhaphy suture Gastrorraphy

7 scope device for viewing Arthroscope

8 scopy act of viewing Colonoscopy

9 Tomy incision Thoracotomy

10 graphy act of graphic or pictorial recording Electrocardiography

Suffixes Associated with a Medical Specialty or Specialist

No Suffixes Specialist

Suffixes Specialty

1 ist Pharmacist

cy Pharmacy

2 ian Pediatrician

ics Pediatrics

3 iatrist Psychiatrist

iatry Psychiatry

4 logist Cardiologist

logy Cardiology

Suffixes That Denote Adjectives

No Suffixes Noun Adjective Form

1 or extension extensor

2 al Urethra Urthral

3 oid epidermis epidermoid

4 ic hypothalamus hypothalamic

5 ular gland glandular

Common Prefix

A prefix is a word element that comes at the

beginning of a word

When one is present, it always comes at the very

beginning of the word and is critical to its meaning.

For example, hyper glycemia (“high blood sugar”)

and hypo glycemia (“low blood sugar”) name

conditions that are exact opposites

Categories of Prefixes

1. Prefixes of time or speed

2. Prefixes of direction

3. Prefixes of position

4. Prefixes of size or number

5. Prefixes of Color

Prefixes of Time or Speed

Ante- (pre- before, ex: antenatal)

Brady- (abnormally slow rate of speed )

Neo- (new)

Post- (after)

Tachy- (rapid, abnormally high rate of speed, EX:

Tachypnea is a rapid breathing rate)

Prefixes of Direction

endo- within (endocardium ,the inner part of the heart)

epi- upon, subsequent to (Epicardium)

exo outside

extra- beyond

hyper- above, beyond normal (hypertension)

hypo- below, below normal (hypotension)

Prefixes of Direction

pan- all or everywhere

para- alongside, like

retro- backward, behind (ex: retrograde)

infra- below

inter- between

intra- inside (ex: intraventricular)

anti- against, opposed (ex: antihypertensive)

Prefixes of Size or Number

bi- two (ex: biannual)

hemi-, semi- half (ex; hemisphere)

macro- big

micro- small

mono- one (ex: monoarticular)

olig-, oligo- a few or little (ex: oliguria)

Poly, many (ex: polyuria)

Prefixes of Size or Number

quadri- four (ex: quadriplegia)

tri- three (ex: triceps)

uni- one

Prefixes of Color

Levels of Organization

Cells, Cytology

Tissues, Histology

– epithelial

– connective

– muscle

– nervous

Organs

Systems

Organism

Body Planes

Imaginary horizontal and

vertical lines

Easier to describe

location of organ or

problem

the two major body cavities and their subdivisions

Ventral cavity is front

body cavity;

subcavities (thoracic

and abdominopelvic)

Dorsal cavity is ack

body cavity;

subcavities (cranial

and spinal)

The Anatomic Position and Directional Terms

In the anatomic position,

the body is erect and

facing forward with the

palms of the hands also

facing forward

The Anatomic Position and Directional Terms

Body Directions

No Anatomic

Position Direction

1 anterior or

ventral toward the front and away from the back ofthe body

2 posterior or

dorsal toward the back and away from the front of the body

3 distal away from the attachment point of a limb (arm or leg)

4 proximal toward the attachment point of a limb (arm or leg)

5 inferior away from the head

6 superior or

cranial toward the head

7 Lateral away from the middle of and toward the side of

the body

8 medial toward the middle of the body

Divisions of the Abdomen

right upper quadrant RRQ

left upper quadrant LUQ

right lower quadrant RLQ

left lower quadrant LLQ

Divisions of the Abdomen