MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
dr. Siti Farida I.T. Santyowibowo, SpM MEU Univ. Mataram Mataram
The WORD PARTS
Root word:
The basic meaning of the word, usually, but not always, indicate the involved part of the body
Suffix:
Comes at the end of the word. Usually, but not always, indicate procedure, condition, disorder, or disease
Prefix:
Always comes at the beginning of the word. Usually, but not always, indicate location, time, number, or status
WORD ROOTS
Indicating body parts:
Myel/o (spinal cord) My/o (muscle) Oste/o (bone) Myel/o (bone marrow) Neur/o (nerve) Arthr/o (joint)
WORD ROOTS
Indicating color
Cyan/o: blue Cyanosis= blue discoloration of the skin (cyano=blue, -osis=condition Erythr/o: red Erythrocyte= mature red cells (erythr/o= red, cytes= cells) Leuk/o: white Leukocytes = white blood cells (leuk/o= white, -cytes= cells)
WORD ROOTS
Melan/o: black Melanosis = any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment (melan/o= black, -osis= condition) Poli/o: gray Poliomyelitis = a viral infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord (poli/o= gray, myel= spinal cord, -itis= inflammation)
Word Root Guidelines
A word root cannot stand alone Combining vowels apply when adding suffixes to word root Prefixes are placed at the beginning of the word, combining vowels are unnecessary
Word Root Guidelines
Neur/o + plasty: combining vowel o = Neuroplasty Neur/o + itis: combining vowel not used, = Neuritis Gastr/o + enter/o = gastroenter Gastr/o + enter/o + itis = gastroenteritis A prefix is added to the word root without a combining vowel
SUFFIXES
Meaning Pertaining to Changes the word root into an adjective
Cardi cardiac
Examples
-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal,- ical, -ial, -ic -ine, -ior, -ory, -ous, -tic Abdominal, pulmonary, brachial, colonic
SUFFIXES
Suffixes as noun endings Changes the root into a noun
Crani + -um = cranium
Examples:
-a, -e, -um, -us, -y
SUFFIXES
Meaning abnormal condition/ disease Gastr/o + osis = gastrosis Examples:
-ago, -esis, -ia, -iasis, -osis, -ion, -ism, Lithiasis, diathesis, uremia, botulism
SUFFIXES
Suffixes related to pathology Pathology = the study of disease Examples:
-algia, -dynia, -itis, -malacia, -megaly, -necrosis, -sclerosis, -stenosis Cephalgia, acrodynia, gastritis, keratomalacia, arterionecrosis, hepatomegaly, arteriosclerosis, arteriostenosis
SUFFIXES
Suffixes related to Procedures Examples:
-centesis, -ectomy. graphy, -gram, plasty, -scopy Amniocentesis, thyroidectomy, arteriography, arteriogram, labioplasty, endoscopy
SUFFIXES
Double RRs -rrhage/ -rrhagia: bursting forth -rrhaphy: to suture or stitch -rrhea: abnormal discharge or flow of body fluids -rrhexis: rupture
PREFIXES
A prefix is added to the beginning of a word to change the meaning of that term Prefixes usually indicate location, time, or number Example:
Natal = pertaining to birth Prenatal= the time and events before birth Perinatal= the time and events surrounding birth Postnatal= the time and events after birth
Contrasting and Confusing Prefixes
Ab-: away from
Abnormal: not normal, away from normal
Ad-: toward, in the direction of
Addiction: drawn toward or a strong dependence on a drug of substance
Dys-: bad, difficult, painful
Dysfunctional: an organ/ part not working properly
Eu-: good, normal, well, easy
Euthyroid: a normally functioning thyroid gland
Contrasting and Confusing Prefixes
Hyper-: excessive or increase Hypertension: blood pressure that is higher than normal Hypo-: deficient or decreased Hypotension: blood pressure that is lower than normal Inter-: between or among Interstitial: between, but not within parts of a tissue Intra-: within or inside Intramuscular: within the muscle Sub-: under, less, below Subcostal: below a rib or ribs Supra-: above or excessive Supracostal: above or outside the ribs
Determining meanings on the basis of word parts
Otorhinolaryngology:
Ear Nose Larynx Study of Nerve Choroid Retina Inflammation
Neurochorioretinitis:
SPELLING: forming plurals
-a -ex/ -ix -is -ae -ices -es Bursa
Appendix Diagnosis
bursae
appendices diagnoses
-itis
-nx -on
-ides
-ges -a
Meningitis
Phalanx Criterion
meningitides
phalanges criteria
-um
-us
-a
-i
Diverticulum
Alveolus
diverticula
alveoli
LOOK ALIKE, SOUND ALIKE TERMS AND WORD PARTS
Arteri/o, ather/o, athr/o Ileum, ilium Infection, inflammation Laceration, lesion Mucous, mucus Myc/o, myel/o, my/o -ologist, -ology -ostomy, -otomy
LOOK ALIKE, SOUND ALIKE TERMS AND WORD PARTS
Palpation, palpitation Prostate, prostrate Pyel/o, py/o, pyr/o Supination, suppuration Suturing, ligation Triage, trauma Viral, virile
Origin of Words
Latin Greek others
Root words
Body part Abdomen Blood Bone Brain Eyelid Kidney Nose Greek root Lapar/oHaemat-/hemat-/ haem-
Latin Root AbdominSanguiOssiCerebr/o PalpebrRenNas-
Oste/o Encephal/o BlepharoNephroRhino-
Things to do
Look for more words and find their meanings
REFERENCE
Ehrlich, A.; Schroeder, C.L.; (2004) Introduction to Medical Terminology, Thomson - Delmar Learning, Canada
