MEDICAL MEDICAL TERMINOLOGYTERMINOLOGY

Most medical terms are Most medical terms are formed by a combination of formed by a combination of

basic word partsbasic word parts

Word PartsWord PartsWord RootsWord Roots

• • Act as the foundation of most medical termsAct as the foundation of most medical terms

• • Usually indicate the involved body partUsually indicate the involved body part

encephal/oencephal/o brainbraincardi/ocardi/o heartheartpneum/o pneum/o lunglung

SuffixesSuffixes• • Found at the end of a wordFound at the end of a word

• • Usually indicate the procedure, Usually indicate the procedure, condition, disorder, or diseasecondition, disorder, or disease

--ectomyectomy surgical removal ofsurgical removal of--osisosis abnormal conditionabnormal condition--omaoma tumortumor

PrefixesPrefixes• • Found at the beginning of a wordFound at the beginning of a word

• • Usually indicate location, time, Usually indicate location, time, number, or statusnumber, or status

postpost- - afterafterperiperi- - aroundaroundtritri- - threethree

Combining VowelsCombining Vowels

*A combining vowel *A combining vowel may be may be needed needed between the word root and the between the word root and the suffix to make the medical term suffix to make the medical term easier to pronounceeasier to pronounce

Combining VowelsCombining Vowels

1.1. A combining vowel – usually A combining vowel – usually ““oo””- is - is used when the suffix begins with a used when the suffix begins with a consonantconsonant

EX: EX: neur/oneur/o (nerve) + - (nerve) + -plastyplasty (surgical (surgical

repair)repair)neuroplastyneuroplasty

Combining VowelsCombining Vowels

2.2. A combining vowel is A combining vowel is not usednot used when the suffix begins with a vowelwhen the suffix begins with a vowel

EX: EX: neur/oneur/o (nerve) + - (nerve) + -itisitis (inflammation)(inflammation)

neuritisneuritis

3.3. A combining vowel is A combining vowel is alwaysalways used used when when two or more root words are joinedtwo or more root words are joined

EX: EX: gastr/ogastr/o(stomach) + (stomach) + enter/oenter/o(intestine)(intestine)gastroenterogastroentero

GastroenteroGastroentero + - + -itisitis = = gastroenteritisgastroenteritis

Combining VowelsCombining Vowels

4.4. A prefix A prefix does notdoes not require a require a combining vowelcombining vowel

Combining VowelsCombining Vowels

PracticePracticePrefix + Root Word + Prefix + Root Word +

SuffixSuffixpolypoly- - neur/oneur/o - -itisitis

polyneuritispolyneuritisinflammation of many nervesinflammation of many nerves

PracticePracticePrefix + Root Word + SuffixPrefix + Root Word + Suffixhyperhyper- - gastr/o gastr/o --algiaalgiaexcessive stomach painexcessive stomach pain

hypergastralgiahypergastralgiaexcessive stomach painexcessive stomach pain

Terminology GameTerminology Game

hyperemesishyperemesissplenomegalysplenomegalyhemangiomahemangiomabradypneabradypnea

cholecystectomycholecystectomyhyperglycemiahyperglycemiaosteomyelitisosteomyelitisendocarditisendocarditis

endoscopicretrogradecholangiopancreatogrendoscopicretrogradecholangiopancreatographyaphy

Assigned Root WordsAssigned Root Wordsangi/o angi/o vessel vesselcardi/o cardi/o heart heartcolon/o, col/o colon/o, col/o colon (lg intestine) colon (lg intestine)derm/o, dermat/o skinderm/o, dermat/o skinenter/o enter/o intestine intestinegastr/o gastr/o stomach stomachmy/o my/o muscle muscleneur/o neur/o nerve nervetrache/o trache/o trachea trachea

Assigned PrefixesAssigned Prefixes

hyper-hyper- excessive, aboveexcessive, abovehypo- hypo- less than, belowless than, belowpost- post- afterafterpre- pre- beforebefore

Assigned SuffixesAssigned Suffixes-algia -algia painpain-ectomy -ectomy surgical removal ofsurgical removal of-emesis -emesis vomitvomit-gram -gram recordrecord-ic -ic pertaining topertaining to-itis -itis inflammation ofinflammation of-ologist -ologist specialistspecialist-ology -ology study ofstudy of

-ostomy -ostomy artificial openingartificial opening-otomy -otomy incision intoincision into-plasty -plasty surgical repairsurgical repair-scopy -scopy visual examvisual exam-ia -ia conditioncondition-ism -ism conditioncondition-osis -osis conditioncondition-otic -otic conditioncondition

Assigned SuffixesAssigned Suffixes

PhysicianPhysician’’s Orderss Orders1.1. Diagnosis: Congestive Heart FailureDiagnosis: Congestive Heart Failure2.2. Intermittent Positive Pressure Intermittent Positive Pressure

Breathing every 4 hoursBreathing every 4 hours3.3. Chest x-ray immediatelyChest x-ray immediately4.4. Arterial blood gases, complete Arterial blood gases, complete

blood count, electrolytes, and blood count, electrolytes, and urinalysisurinalysis

5.5. Intravenous of normal saline at 100 Intravenous of normal saline at 100 cubic centimeters per hourcubic centimeters per hour

PhysicianPhysician’’s Orderss Orders1.1. Dx: CHFDx: CHF2.2. IPPB q4hIPPB q4h3.3. CXR statCXR stat4.4. ABGs, CBC, lytes, UAABGs, CBC, lytes, UA5.5. IV of NS @ 100cc/hrIV of NS @ 100cc/hr

Medical AbbreviationsMedical Abbreviations

• • Medical abbreviations are used to cut down Medical abbreviations are used to cut down on the time spent documenting patient careon the time spent documenting patient care

• • Some abbreviations are universal - others Some abbreviations are universal - others are specific to areas of the country or are specific to areas of the country or medical facilitiesmedical facilities

• • Upper and lower case specific Upper and lower case specific

Medical AbbreviationsMedical Abbreviations

EX: EX: ptpt = patient = patient PTPT = physical therapy = physical therapy

*It is YOUR responsibility to know the *It is YOUR responsibility to know the approved medical abbreviations for approved medical abbreviations for your medical facilityyour medical facility

Assigned AbbreviationsAssigned Abbreviations

Assigned AbbreviationsAssigned Abbreviations

Medical AbbreviationsMedical Abbreviations