Medical Terminology Made Easy: Understanding Medical Roots

Introduction

• This video simplifies medical terminology, focusing on roots.
• Previous videos covered prefixes and abbreviations.
• Medical words typically consist of a prefix (beginning), root (middle), and suffix (end).

Brief Recap of Terms

• Prefix: Describes location, direction, number, size, or color.
• Root: Often pertains to a body part or system.
• Suffix: Indicates disease, disorder, condition, procedure, or specialty.

Focus on Medical Roots

• Roots are the subject of the term, relating to body parts or systems.
• May form the beginning or middle of the word, sometimes combined with other roots.

Common Medical Roots

1. Abdominal: Refers to abdomen.
2. Arterio: Relates to arteries (e.g., arteriosclerosis).
3. Brachio: Means arm (e.g., brachial pulse).
4. Bronch: Pertains to bronchi of the lungs (e.g., bronchitis).
5. Carcino: Refers to cancer (e.g., carcinogen).
6. Cardio: Means heart (e.g., cardiovascular).
7. Colo: Relates to colon (e.g., colonoscopy).
8. Cito: Refers to cells (e.g., cytotoxic).
9. Derm/Dermato: Means skin (e.g., dermatologist).
10. Encephalo: Refers to brain (e.g., encephalitis).

More Common Roots

1. Gastro: Refers to stomach (e.g., gastritis).
2. Intestino: Pertains to intestines (e.g., intestinal obstruction).
3. Myo: Means muscle (e.g., myocardium).
4. Neuro: Refers to nerves (e.g., neuron).
5. Oculomotor/Ophthalmo: Pertains to eyes (e.g., ophthalmologist).
6. Oto: Refers to ears (e.g., otoscope).
7. Palma: Pertains to lungs (e.g., pulmonologist).
8. Thoraco: Means chest (e.g., thoracotomy).
9. Thyro: Pertains to thyroid gland (e.g., thyrotoxicosis).
10. Viscera: Refers to internal organs (e.g., visceroceptors).

Additional Common Roots

1. Histo/Histio: Means tissue (e.g., histology).
2. Hepato: Refers to liver (e.g., hepatomegaly).
3. Nephro: Means kidney (e.g., nephrolithiasis).
4. Onco: Pertains to tumor/mass (e.g., oncogene).
5. Osteo: Means bones (e.g., osteophyte).
6. Cranial: Refers to skull (e.g., craniotomy).
7. Adipo: Relates to fat (e.g., adipose tissue).
8. Adreno: Pertains to adrenal glands (e.g., adrenocortical).
9. Arthro/Articulo: Means joint (e.g., arthroscopy).
10. Cephalo: Refers to head (e.g., cephalocaudal).

Final Set of Common Roots

1. Pneumo: Another term for lungs (e.g., pneumonia).
2. Cerebellum: Refers to cerebellum of the brain.
3. Cerebro: Relates to cerebrum (e.g., cerebrovascular).
4. Systo: Refers to urinary bladder (e.g., cystoscopy).
5. Duodenal/Duodenal: Pertains to duodenum (e.g., duodenography).
6. Glossal: Means tongue (e.g., macroglossia).
7. Laryngo: Refers to larynx (e.g., laryngospasm).
8. Lympho: Means lymph (e.g., lymphadenopathy).
9. Musculo: Means muscle (e.g., musculoskeletal).
10. Naso: Refers to nose (e.g., nasopharynx).

Conclusion

• Understanding roots helps in comprehending medical terminology.
• Next video will focus on suffixes.
• Notes and tables available on the website linked in the description.