Title: CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
> 2023 Assessment Technologies Institute, L.L.C 1
# Medical Terminology
Learning medical terminology might seem as daunting as learning another language. In a way, it is another language. When toddlers first start speaking actual words, they do not yet know what geography, philanthropy, or accountability mean. But with experience in listening and speaking, they learn to use and understand more words. They later notice connections among wordstheir prefixes, roots, and suffixes. As their vocabulary continues to expand, children usually master communication in their native language.
Medical assistants become fluent in medical terminology in much the same way, with one distinct advantage. They will first learn the basics in coursework and with learning activities such as this module. Here are the most common terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols needed to begin to navigate communication in this new career. Learning how to dissect some terms into their prefixes, roots, and suffixes can also expand understanding of terminology much faster than learning each word individually, fast-tracking to mastery in medical terminology.
Common Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols
Medical assistants see and use many abbreviations (a term that will refer here to symbols as well) in everyday practice. The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) have put some abbreviations on their Do Not Use and Error-Prone Abbreviations lists. Avoiding these abbreviations is essential because of their potential for misunderstanding and medical errors. The following table includes many abbreviations that should not be used. (For the full lists, go to The Joint Commission and ISMP websites.)
> DO NOT USE USE INSTEAD
> MS, MSO4 Morphine
> MgSO4 Magnesium sulfate
> Abbreviated medicaon name Full medicaon name
> Nitro Nitroglycerin
> u, U, IU Units
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> DO NOT USE USE INSTEAD
x3d mcg or microgram
cc mL
Apothecary units Metric units
od, O.D., OD Daily or intended me of administraon
q.d, qd, Q.D, QD, q1d, i/d Daily
q.o.d., QOD Every other day
Q6PM 6 p.m. daily
TIW, w 3 mes weekly
HS half-strength, bedme (hour of sleep)
SC, SQ, sub q subcutaneously
IN intranasal
IJ injecon
OJ orange juice
@ at
&, + and
/ per
AD, AS, AU right ear, le ear, both ears
OD, OS, OU right eye, le eye, both eyes
D/C, dc, d/c discharge or disconnue CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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Abbreviations
Many other abbreviations are facility-specific but not universal. For example, one hospital might call its storage and processing area for medical products central supply, while another might call it materials management. So, CS has no meaning (or a different meaning) in Hospital B, and MM has no meaning (or a different meaning) in Hospital A. Likewise, Hospital A calls the surgery area the operating room (OR), while Hospital B calls it the surgical suite (SS). Yet another hospital uses SS to mean its department of social services.
Many acronyms go back to long-outdated usage. Emergency room became common parlance when there was literally one rooman emergency or accident room. Even though todays hospitals have an enormous emergency department (ED), ER is still in prevalent use today. Other terminology changes over time. What was once the recovery room (RR) is now the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
There are many common abbreviations that reflect current clinical practice and are primarily universal. Providers use many of these when writing orders, often on prescription pads, for diagnostic tests and procedures. Here is a list of many of those common abbreviations.
## Common Abbreviaons and Ac ronyms
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> Abd Abdomen CCelsius
> ABGs Arterial blood gases C&S Culture and sensivity
> a.c. Before meals Ca Calcium; cancer
> ACLS Advance cardiac life support CABG Coronary artery bypass gra
> Ad lib As desired CAD Coronary artery disease
> ADHD Atenon deficit hyperacvity
> disorder
> CBC Complete blood count
> AKA Above-the-knee amputaon CC Chief complaint
> AMA Against medical advice CDC Centers for Disease Control and
> Prevenon
> ASA Aspirin cm Cenmeter
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> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
ASAP As soon as possible CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
BE Barium enema CNS Central nervous system
BKA Below -the-knee amputaon CP Chest pain
BM Bowel movement CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitaon
BMI Body mass index c/o Complains of
BP Blood pressure COPD Chronic obstrucve pulmonary
disease
BPH Benign prostac hypertrophy Csf Cerebrospinal fluid
BPM Beats per minute CT Computed tomography
BRP Bathroom privileges Cv Cardiovascular
BSA Body surface area CVA Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
BUN Blood urea nitrogen CXR Chest x-ray
Bx Biopsy d Day
c With D&C Dilaon and curetage
D/C, dc Discharge, disconnue HIV Human immunodeficiency virus
DM Diabetes mellitus HPV Human papillomavirus
DNR Do not resuscitate HTN Hypertension
DOB Date of birth Hx History
DTap Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine
I&D Incision and drainage
Dx Diagnosis I&O Intake and output CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
ECG, EKG Electrocardiogram ICU Intensive care unit
ED Emergency department IUD Intrauterine device
EEG Electroencephalogram K Potassium
ENT Ear, nose, and throat KUB Kidneys, ureters, bladder
F Fahrenheit L Liter or le
FBS, FBG Fasng blood sugar/glucose lb Pound
f/u Follow up LLE Le lower extremity
FUO Fever of unknown origin LLL Le lower lobe
Fx Fracture LLQ Le lower quadrant
GI Gastrointesnal LMP Last menstrual period
GTT Glucose tolerance test LUE Le upper extremity
gt Drop LUQ Le upper quadrant
GU Genitourinary Mg/dl Milligrams per deciliter
GYN Gynecology, gynecologist MI Myocardial infarcon
H, hr Hour mL Milliliters
Hct Hematocrit MM Mucous membrane
HEENT Head, ears, eyes, nose, throat mm Hg Millimeters of mercury
HF Heart failure MRI Magnec resonance imaging
Hgb Hemoglobin MS Mulple sclerosis
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
N/V Nausea/voming CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
NB Newborn RLL Right lower lobe
NG Nasogastric RLQ Right lower quadrant
NKA/NKDA No known allergies/No known drug
allergies
R/O Rule out
NPO Nothing by mouth (nil per os) ROM Range of moon
NS Normal saline RT Respiratory therapy/therapist
NSAID Nonsteroidal an -inflammatory
drug
RUE Right upper extremity
OB Obstetrics RUQ Right upper quadrant
OC Oral contracepve Rx Prescripon
OOB Out of bed s Without
OP Outpaent SOB Shortness of breath
OT Occupaonal therapy/therapist Stat Immediately
OTC Over-the-counter STI Sexually transmited infecon
PA Posteroanterior, physician assistant Sx Symptoms
p.c. Aer meals (post cibos) T&A Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
PE Physical examinaon, pulmonary
embolism
TB Tuberculosis
PID Pelvic inflammatory disease TIA Transient ischemic atack
PMS Premenstrual syndrome Tx Treatment
PO By mouth UA Urinalysis
PRN As needed URI Upper respiratory infecon CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> ABBREVIATION/
> ACRONYM MEANING
> PT Physical therapy/therapist UTI Urinary tract infecon
> pt Paent VS Vital signs
> RRight WBC White blood cell
> RA Rheumatoid arthris WNL Within normal limits
> RBC Red blood cell YO, y/o Years old
> RLE Right lower extremity
Acronyms and Symbols
Some medical symbols have fallen out of use because of their tendency toward misinterpretation, especially in handwriting. Some of those are on the Do Not Use and Error-Prone Abbreviations lists. Examples are the symbols for greater than and less than (> and <), as well as those for greater than or equal to and less than or equal to (≥ and ≤). Those lists also advise against using @ and &, as people can mistake them for the numeral 2. Likewise, the plus sign should not be used, because it can look like the numeral 4. When in doubt, spell it out. Here are a few symbols that medical assistants might still see in handwritten medical records. These can also be risky: ↑ could look like the numeral 7, ↓ could look like the numeral 1, and º could look like the numeral 0.
> SYMBOL MEANING
> #Pounds, number
> ↑ Increase
> ↓ Decrease
> Male
> Female
> ‘ Feet
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> SYMBOL MEANING
> Inches
> ° Degrees
Medical Word Building
As familiarity with medical terminology grows, it becomes easy to notice similarities among these terms. That is because many of them share common roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Putting together these components builds many medical terms. However, it doesnt work to just mix and match three components and find a word that is in universal use. For example, hemi- means half, narc means sleep, and -ism means condition. But a patient chronically getting half the amount of sleep they should get isnt heminarcism. There is no such word. Also, with some combinations, the result requires interpretation, because the literal meaning might vary a little from the actual meaning. An example is antibiotic, a combination of the prefix anti-, meaning against, and the word root bio, meaning life. Antibiotics are not incompatible with life. They kill a particular type of living organism: bacteria. Also, not all medical terms adhere to the prefix-root-suffix schema. However, looking at a word that has any one of those word components in it can offer a clue to what the term means.
Word Roots
Word roots are the core component of many words. Medical terms usually have one root but can have two or more.
For example, hem- means blood, and -rrhage means excessive flow. The o between the two creates the medical term hemorrhage, meaning excessive blood flow. Not all word roots relate to a body system or a body part, but the following tables lists some of the terms that do.
Common Word Roots
## Endocrine
> WORD ROOT MEANING
> Aden Gland
> Pancreat Pancreas
> Thyr Thyroid gland
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## Hematologic
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Hem, hemat Blood
Phleb Vein
Thromb Clot
## Musculoskeletal
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Arthr Joint
Brachi Arm
Cervic Neck
Chondr Carlage
Cost Rib
Crani Skull
Dactyl Finger or toe
Fibr Connecve ssue
My Muscle
Oste Bone
Pod Foot
Sacr Sacrum
Spondyl, vertebr Vertebra CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> WORD ROOT MEANING
Ten, tendin Tendon
## Gastrointesnal
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Abdomin Abdomen
An Anus
Appendic Appendix
Bil, chol Bile, gall
Col Colon
Dent Teeth
Enter Intesnes
Esophag Esophagus
Gastr Stomach
Gingiv Gums
Gloss Tongue
Hepat Liver
Icter Jaundice
Ile Ileum
Lapar Abdominal wall
Lingu Tongue
Pancreat Pancreas CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> WORD ROOT MEANING
Pepsia Digeson
Phag Eang, swallowing
Proct Rectum
Splen Spleen
Stomat Mouth
## Genitourinary/Reproducve
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Andr Male
Colp Vagina
Cyst Bladder
Gravid Pregnant
Gynec Female
Hyster Uterus
Mamm, mast Breast
Metr Uterus
Nephr Kidney
Ov Ovum
Oophor Ovary
Orchid Tescles
Prostat Prostate gland CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> WORD ROOT MEANING
Pyel Pelvis of the kidney
Ren Renal/kidney
Salping Fallopian tube
Ureter Ureters
Ur Urinary
Vesic Bladder
## Respiratory
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Bronch Bronchial
Laryng Larynx
Nas Nose
Pleur Pleura
Pneum, pneumon Lungs, air
Pulmon Lung
Rhin Nose
Steth Chest
Thorac Thorax
Trache Trachea CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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## Integumentary
WORD ROOT MEANING
Derm, dermat Skin
Hidr Sweat
Trich Hair
Onych Nail
Xer Dry
## Cardiovascular
WORD ROOT MEANING
Angi Blood vessel
Arteri, arter Artery
Cardi Heart
Vas Vessel
Ven Vein
## Neurologic
WORD ROOT MEANING
Blephar Eyelid
Cephal Head
Cerebr Cerebrum
Encephal Brain CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> WORD ROOT MEANING
Esthesi Sensaon
Irid, ird Iris
Mening, meningi Membranes, meninges
Myel Spinal cord, bone marrow
Myring Eardrum
Neur Nerve
Ocul, ophthalm Eye
Ot Ear
## Other
> WORD ROOT MEANING
Adip Fat
Bio Life
Carcin Cancer
Cry Cold
Dors Back poron of the body
Gluc, glyc Sugar
Hemi Hernia
Hist Tissue
Hydra Water
Lact Milk CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> WORD ROOT MEANING
> Later Side
> Lip Fat
> Lith Stone
> Med, medi Middle
> Narc Numbness, stupor, sleep
> Necr Death
> Onc Tumor
> Path Disease
> Ped Child; foot
> Psych Mind
> Pyo Pus
> Pyr Fever, heat
> Sepc Infecon
> Therm Heat
Combining Root Words
A combining form is a word root with a combining vowel. Often, the combining vowel makes the medical term easier to pronounce. In most cases, the combining vowel is an o, but it is sometimes i or e. A combining form should be used when the last word root in a medical term connects with a suffix that begins with a consonant. When the word root connects with a suffix that starts with a vowel, just the word root should be used. CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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## Combining Form Examples
> WORD ROOT COMBINING VOWEL COMBINING FORM SUFFIX MEDICAL TERM
> Col OCol/o -stomy Colostomy
> Cephal OCephal/o -algia Cephalagia
> Col OCol/o -ectomy Colectomy
> Cephal OCephal/o -dynia Cephalodynia
When the suffix begins with a vowel, the word root is used. Examples include cephalalgia and colectomy. However, when the suffix begins with a consonant, the combining form is used, as in colostomy and cephalodynia. When connecting two word roots, always use the connecting vowel, even if the following word root begins with a vowel.
Prefixes
Prefixes are word components that appear at the beginning of a word to change the meaning of the rest of the word. They generally mean the same thing in each word they modify. Some medical terms have no prefix. An example is splenectomy, a combination of the word root splen, meaning spleen, and the suffix -ectomy, meaning removal. The following is a list of some of the common prefixes medical assistants will encounter.
## Common Prefixes
> PREFIX MEANING PREFIX MEANING
> A-, an-Without Mega-Exceponally large
> Ab-Away, from Meso-Middle
> Ad-Toward Meta-Over, beyond
> Ambi-Both Micro-Small
> Ante-Before Mono-One
> An -Against Mul -Many
> Auto-Self Neo-New
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> PREFIX MEANING PREFIX MEANING
Bi- Two, twice, double Nulli- None
Brady- Slow Peri- Around
Circum- Around Poly- Many
Contra- Against Post- Aer, behind
De- Down Pre-, pro- Before, in front of
Dys- Painful, abnormal,
difficult, bad
Presby- Older age
Endo- Within, inside Primi- First
Epi- Above, on Pseudo-
Eu- Normal, good Quadri- Four
Ex-, extra-, exo- Outside of Retro- Behind, in back of
Hemi- Half Sten- Narrowed
Hyper- Above, excessive, increased
Sub- Under
Hypo- Below, decreased, insufficient
Super-, supra- Above, excess
Infra- Beneath Sym-, syn- Together, with
Inter- Between, among Tachy- Fast
Intra- Within, during Trans- Across
Levo- To the le Tri- Three
Macro- Large Ultra- Beyond, excess
Mal- Bad Uni- One CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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Suffixes
Suffixes are word components that appear at the end of the word to change the meaning of the rest of the word. Some medical terms have no suffix, such as appendix. Some medical terms combine a prefix and a suffix with no word root. An example is hemiplegia, a combination of the prefix hemi-, meaning half, and the suffix -plegia, meaning paralysis. The following tables list some of the common general suffixes medical assistants will encounter, as well as some that are more specific to clinical disorders and medical, surgical, and diagnostic procedures.
Common Suffixes
## General
> SUFFIX MEANING
> -age Related to
> -cidal, -cide Pertaining to killing
> -form Shape
> -fuge Driving away
> -iatry, -iatrist Healing by a provider/healer
> -ical Pertaining to
> -ion Process
> -logy, logist Study of, one who studies
> -ole Litle, small
> -opia Vision
> -phylaxis Protecon, prevenon
> -pnea Breathing
> -therapy Treatment
> -uria Urine
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## Surgery/Procedures
> SUFFIX MEANING
-centesis Surgical puncture
-cise Cut, remove
-clasis Break down
-desis Stabilizaon, binding
-ectomy Removal, excision
-gram Record
-graph Instrument for recording
-graphy Process of recording
-ion Process
-lepsy Seizure, convulsion
-lysis Destrucon, separaon
-meter Device for measuring
-metry Process of measuring
-pexy Fixaon, to put in place
-plasty Surgical repair, reformaon
-scopy Visual examinaon
-spasm Involuntary twitch
-stasis Stopping or controlling
-stomy A new opening
-tomy Incision CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> SUFFIX MEANING
-tripsy Crushing
## Disorders/condions
> SUFFIX MEANING
-algia Pain
-asthenia Weakness
-cele Swelling, herniaon
-dynia Pain
-ectasis Dilaon, expansion
-emesis Voming
-emia Blood condion
-gen Producing
-ia, -ism Condion of
-iasis Presence of, formaon of
-I Inflammaon
-malacia Weakening or soening of
-mania Obsessive preoccupaon
-megaly Enlargement
-oid Seeming like
-ole Small
-oma Tumor CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> SUFFIX MEANING
-osis Condion, usually abnormal
-pathy Disorder, disease
-penia Deficiency, decrease
-phagia Eang, swallowing
-phasia Speech
-phobia Fear
-plasia Formaon of
-plegia Paralysis
-ptosis Drooping, falling
-rrhage Bursng forth
-rrhea Flow, discharge
-rrhexis Rupture
-sclerosis Hardening condion
-trophy Development
Common Terms
Usually, it is best to use lay terms instead of medical terminology when communicating with patients to ensure patients understand. Develop a knowledge base of lay terms associated with medical terms to effectively communicate with patients. CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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## Medical Terms
> MEDICAL TERM LAY LANGUAGE
Hypertension High blood pressure
Angina Chest pain
Acute New, urgent, sudden
Chronic Ongoing
Alopecia Hair loss
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) Stroke
Myocardial infarcon Heart atack
Edema Swelling
CT scan CAT scan
Cryotherapy Freezing off
Abdomen Stomach
Tachycardia Fast heart rate, heart beang fast, heart racing
Bradycardia Low heart rate, heart beang slow
Hyperglycemia High blood sugar
Hypoglycemia Low blood sugar
GERD Heartburn
Shortness of breath Trouble breathing
Phalanges Fingers and toes
Arrhythmia Irregular heart rhythm
Erythrocytes Red blood cells CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> MEDICAL TERM LAY LANGUAGE
Vergo Dizziness, room spinning, dizzy, lightheaded
Syncope Fainng, temporary loss of consciousness
Deep vein thrombosi s (DVT) Blood clot
Osteoarthris Wear and tear
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Lou Gehrigs disease
Positional and Directional Terminology
Knowledge of the medical terms that indicate directions and positions is essential for communicating in health care. For example, for various types of examinations and diagnostic procedures, not only must patients be positioned correctly or optimally, those positions and how the patient tolerated them must also be documented.
The following are lists of words medical assistants can use to help understand directional terms, as well as a list of terms that are essential for positioning.
> TERM DEFINITION
Anatom ical posion Standard frame of reference in which the body is standing up, face forward, arms at the sides, palms forward, and toes pointed forward
Supine Lying face up
Prone Lying face down
Dorsal recumbent Lying facing upward with flexed knees, feet flat on floor
Fowler posion Sing upright with back angled at 90 degrees
Semi-Fowlers posion Sing with back angled at 45 degrees
> TERM DEFINITION
Anterior Toward the front of the body, also known as ventral.
Posterior Toward the back of the body, also known as dorsal. CCMA 3.0 Focused Review
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> TERM DEFINITION
Superior Above; toward the head
Inferior Below; toward the feet
Medial Closer to the midline of the body
Lateral Further from the midline of the body (toward the side)
Superficial Closer to the surface of the body; more external
Deep Farther from the bodys surface; more internal
Proximal Closer to the bodys trunk
Distal Further from the bodys trunk
Dextrad To ward the right
Sinistrad Toward the le