Medical Terminology Simplified

Introduction

• Medical Terminology: Language used to describe anatomy, structures, conditions, diagnoses, procedures, treatments, etc.
• Structure of Medical Terms: Most terms have a prefix, root, and suffix.

Components of Medical Terms

• Prefix: Optional; describes location, direction, number, amount, size, or color.
• Root: Core meaning; pertains to body part or system.
• Suffix: Indicates disease, condition, procedure, specialty, or test.

Example

• Hyperthyroidism: "Hyper" (above normal) + "Thyroid" (thyroid gland) + "Ism" (condition) = Overactive thyroid condition.

Common Prefixes

Quantity

• Mono/Uni: One or single (e.g., monocle, unicycle).
• Bi/Di/Diplo: Two or double (e.g., biceps, bicycle).
• Tri: Three or triple (e.g., tricycle).
• Quad: Four (e.g., quadriceps).
• Semi/Hemi: Half (e.g., semicolon).
• Equa/Iso: Equal (e.g., equilateral triangle).
• U/Normo: Normal (e.g., normotensive).

Amounts and Sizes

• Hyper: Above normal (e.g., hyperglycemia).
• Hypo: Below normal (e.g., hypoglycemia).
• A/An: Absent or lacking (e.g., anoxia).
• Pan/Omni: All (e.g., pancytopenia).
• Multi/Poly: Many (e.g., polycystic).
• Micro: Small (e.g., microscope).
• Macro/Megalo: Large (e.g., macrophage).
• Oligo: Few or scant.

Colors

• Chromo/Chromato: Color (e.g., chromosome).
• Alb: Pale or white (e.g., albino).
• Chloro: Green (e.g., chlorophyll).
• Cyano: Blue (e.g., cyanosis).
• Erythro: Red (e.g., erythrocyte).
• Glauco: Gray.
• Leuko: White (e.g., leukocyte).
• Melano: Black (e.g., melanoma).
• Polio: Gray.
• Porphyr: Purple.
• Roto: Rose or red.
• Xantho: Yellow (e.g., xanthochromia).

Time and Speed

• Pre: Before (e.g., pre-operative).
• Post: After (e.g., post-operative).
• Ante/Anti: Before (e.g., antepartum).
• Re: Again (e.g., repeat).
• Retro: Backward (e.g., retrograde).
• Neo: New (e.g., neonatal).
• Chrono: Time (e.g., chronological).
• Tachy: Fast (e.g., tachycardia).
• Brady: Slow (e.g., bradycardia).

Location or Position

• Epi/Hyper/Supra/Super: Above or on.
• Sub/Hypo/Infra: Below or under.
• Dextro: Right side.
• Levo/Sinistro: Left side.
• Anti/Antero/Ventro: Front.
• Postero/Dorsi: Back.
• Peri/Circum: Around or surrounding.

Inside, Outside, Away, Toward, Through

• Endo/Intra/Intro: Inside.
• Exo/Extra/Ecto: Outside.
• Ab: Away from.
• Ad: Toward.
• Trans: Through or across.

Middle, Lateral, Nearby, Between

• Meso/Meta/Media: Middle or midline.
• Lateral: To one side.
• Para: Nearby or beside.
• Juxta: Next to.
• Inter: Between.
• Ambi/Amphi: Both sides.
• Ipsi/Contra: Same vs. opposite sides.

Conclusion

• Understanding the meaning of prefixes can simplify medical terminology.
• Subscribe for more videos on roots and suffixes, as well as other medical topics.

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