Medical Terminology Prefixes

Introduction

• Presenter: John Campbell
• Topic: Medical terminology prefixes
• Purpose: Understanding how prefixes modify the meanings of medical terms.

Prefixes and Their Meanings

A or An

• Means "without"
  • Apnea: Without breath
  • Achlorhydria: Without hydrochloric acid in the stomach
  • Atony: Loss of muscle tone
  • Anemia: Reduced blood (hemoglobin)
  • Anesthetic: Without feeling

Anti

• Means "against/opposed to"
  • Antibiotic: Against bacteria
  • Anti-peristalsis: Opposite direction of peristalsis
  • Anti-inflammatory: Against inflammation

Ante

• Means "before"
  • Antenatal: Before birth

Brady

• Means "slow"
  • Bradypnea: Slow breathing
  • Bradycardia: Slow heart rate
  • Bradykinesia: Slow movement

Cardio

• Refers to "heart"
  • Cardiology: Study of the heart
  • Cardiomegaly: Enlarged heart

Chole

• Refers to "bile"
  • Cholecystectomy: Removal of gallbladder
  • Cholangitis: Inflammation of bile ducts

Col

• Refers to "colon"
  • Colostomy: Opening into the colon
  • Colitis: Inflammation of the colon

Cyst

• Means "fluid-filled space" or "bladder"
  • Cystitis: Inflammation of urinary bladder
  • Cystoscopy: Looking into the bladder

Endo

• Means "inside"
  • Endoscopy: Looking inside the body
  • Endocarditis: Inflammation of heart's inner layer

Entero

• Refers to "intestine"
  • Enteric: Related to the intestine
  • Gastroenterologist: Stomach and intestine specialist

Dys

• Means "abnormal/painful"
  • Dysuria: Painful urination
  • Dysmenorrhea: Painful menstruation
  • Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing
  • Dysphagia: Difficulty eating/swallowing
  • Dysphasia: Difficulty with speech

Gastro

• Refers to "stomach"
  • Gastritis: Inflammation of stomach
  • Gastroscopy: Looking into the stomach

Gly

• Related to "sugar"
  • Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar
  • Glycogen: Storage form of glucose

Hem/Hemo

• Related to "blood"
  • Hematuria: Blood in urine
  • Hematemesis: Blood in vomit
  • Hemoptysis: Coughing up blood

Hepat

• Related to "liver"
  • Hepatocyte: Liver cell
  • Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver

Hyper/Hypo

• Hyper: Above normal
• Hypo: Below normal

Lapar

• Related to "abdomen"
  • Laparotomy: Opening into abdomen

Litho

• Means "stone"
  • Lithotripsy: Crushing stones
  • Cholelithiasis: Condition of gallstones

Lipo

• Means "fat"
  • Lipoma: Fatty lump

Mal

• Means "abnormal"
  • Malnutrition: Abnormal nutrition

Mast

• Related to "breast"
  • Mastectomy: Removal of breast
  • Mastitis: Inflammation of breast

Myo

• Related to "muscle"
  • Myocarditis: Inflammation of heart muscle
  • Myopathy: Muscle disease

Nephro

• Related to "kidney"
  • Nephrologist: Kidney specialist
  • Nephritis: Inflammation of kidneys

Oligo

• Means "few/not enough"
  • Oliguria: Low urine output

Peri

• Means "around"
  • Pericarditis: Inflammation around heart

Prost

• Related to "prostate"
  • Prostatitis: Inflammation of prostate

Pyro

• Related to "heat"
  • Pyrexia: Fever
  • Antipyretic: Reducing fever

Tachy

• Means "abnormally fast"
  • Tachycardia: Fast heart rate
  • Tachypnea: Fast breathing

Conclusion

• Understanding prefixes helps decode medical terms.
• Prefixes provide insight into the condition or process described by the term.