Medical Terminology Introduction

Overview

• Medical terminology is akin to learning a new language.
• Words can be broken down into parts: prefix (beginning), root (middle), and suffix (end).

Word Components

• Prefix: Descriptive; indicates amount, size, location, color, etc.
• Root: Subject of the word; often relates to body parts.
• Suffix: Indicates condition, process, procedure, amount, or location.

Common Prefixes

Size and Amount

• Macro-: Large (e.g., macroscopic)
• Micro-: Small (e.g., microscopic)
• Hyper-: Above normal (e.g., hypertension)
• Hypo-: Below normal (e.g., hypothermia)
• Eu- / Normo-: Normal (e.g., euthermic)
• Pan- / Omni-: All or encompassing (e.g., panorama)
• A- / An-: Absent or lacking
• Megalo-: Large or larger than average

Numerical

• Mono-: Single
• Di-: Double
• Tri-: Triple
• Quad-: Fourfold
• Poly-: Many
• Oligo-: Few or several

Speed

• Tachy-: Fast (e.g., tachycardia)
• Brady- / Brachy-: Slow (e.g., bradycardia)

Location

• Epi-, Peri-, Circum-: Around (e.g., perimeter)
• Endo-, Intra-: Inside (e.g., intracellular)
• Exo-, Extra-: Outside (e.g., extracellular)
• Inter-: Between (e.g., intercellular)
• Trans-: Across (e.g., transatlantic)
• Dia-, Per-: Through or complete (e.g., diameter)
• Medi- / Media-: In the middle
• Para-: Nearby
• Juxta-: Next to or beside (e.g., juxtaposition)

Movement

• Ab-: Away (e.g., abduction)
• Ad-: Toward (e.g., adduction)
• Dis-: Separate (e.g., displace)

Colors

• Chromo- / Chromato-: Color
• Leuko-: White (e.g., leukocyte)
• Erythro-: Red
• Cyano-: Blue (e.g., cyanosis)
• Chloro-: Green
• Melano-: Black (e.g., melanoma)
• Flav-: Yellow

Body-Related Terms

• Homeo-: Body
• Cephalo-: Head
• Cerv- / Cervical-: Neck
• Thoraco- / Thorax-: Chest
• Abdomino-: Abdomen
• Pelvo-, Pelvi-: Pelvis
• Periton-: Peritoneum
• Derm-: Skin
• Neuro-: Nerve
• Hemo-: Blood
• Arterio- / Angio-: Arteries
• Veno- / Vena-: Veins (e.g., vena cava)
• Vasculo-: Vascular
• Musculo- / Sarco-: Muscle
• Skelet- / Osteo-: Bone
• Cyto- / Cyt-: Cell

Neck and Thoracic Organs

• Thyro-: Thyroid
• Tracheo-: Trachea
• Esophago- / Esophageo-: Esophagus
• Thymo-: Thymus
• Masto- / Mammo-: Mammary gland
• Pulmo- / Pneumo-: Lung
• Cardio-: Heart

Abdominal Organs

• Gastro-: Stomach
• Hepato-: Liver (e.g., hepatitis)
• Cholecysto-: Gallbladder
• Spleno-: Spleen
• Pancreato-: Pancreas
• Adreno-: Adrenal gland
• Nephro-: Kidney
• Entero-: Intestine
• Colo-: Colon

Common Suffixes

• -ology: Study of (e.g., biology)
• -philia: Love of
• -phobia: Fear of
• -tension: Pressure (e.g., hypertension)
• -xia: Oxygen (e.g., hypoxia)
• -capnea: Carbon dioxide (e.g., hypercapnia)
• -pnea: Air (e.g., dyspnea)
• -ase: Enzyme

Next Steps

• Future lessons will cover disease states and processes.
• Practice problems will be provided to apply this knowledge.

Closing

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