Overview
This lecture explains how to break down complex medical terminology into manageable parts, focusing on common prefixes, roots, and suffixes from Greek and Latin.
Breaking Down Medical Terms
- Medical terms often have a prefix (beginning), root (middle), and suffix (ending).
- Prefixes and suffixes modify the meaning of the root.
- Most terms are descriptive and can be understood when broken down into parts.
- Keeping a dictionary or list of Greek and Latin roots is recommended.
Common Roots and Their Meanings
- Osteo: bone (e.g., osteoarthritis, osteocyte).
- Myo/Sarco: muscle (e.g., myofiber, sarcoplasmic).
- Neuro: nerve (e.g., neuron).
- Derm: skin (e.g., epidermis, dermatitis).
- Angio: blood vessel (e.g., angioplasty).
- Veno/Phlebo: vein (e.g., phlebotomist).
- Cardio: heart (e.g., tachycardia).
- Rhino: nose (e.g., rhinoplasty).
- Tympano: eardrum (e.g., tympanic membrane).
- Nephro: kidney (e.g., nephron).
- Cranium: skull.
- Ophthalmo/Oculo: eye (e.g., ophthalmologist, ocular).
- Oto: ear (e.g., otoliths).
- Thrombo: blood clot (e.g., thrombosis).
- Hepato: liver (e.g., hepatitis).
- Mammo: breast (e.g., mammography).
- Colo: colon/large intestine (e.g., colonoscopy).
- Gastro: stomach.
- Ilio: small intestine.
- Thoro: chest (e.g., thoracic).
- Pneumo/Pleuro: lung (e.g., pneumonia, pleurisy).
Common Prefixes and Suffixes
- Macro/Mega: large; Micro: small.
- Hyper: overactive; Hypo: underactive.
- Tachy: fast; Brady: slow (often for heart rate).
- Chloro: green; Leuko: white; Erythro: red; Cyano: blue.
- Endo/Intra: within; Inter: between; Extra: outside; Peri: around; Trans: across.
- Echo: ultrasound (e.g., echocardiogram); Electro: electricity.
- -ectomy: removal; -gram: picture; -graph: process of creating an image.
- -scope: instrument for viewing; -stomy: creating an opening.
- Dis/Mal: not working properly or bad.
- -emia: blood condition; -itis: inflammation; -osis: disease/condition; -pathy: disease.
Examples of Word Breakdown
- Hypercholesterolemia: high blood cholesterol (hyper = high, cholesterol, emia = in blood).
- Dermatitis: skin inflammation (derm = skin, itis = inflammation).
- Colostomy: creating an opening in the colon (colo = colon, stomy = opening).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Prefix — start of a word, modifies root meaning.
- Root — main part of a word, base meaning.
- Suffix — end of a word, modifies or describes the root.
- Epidermis — outer layer of skin (epi = on top, dermis = skin).
- Angioplasty — procedure to open blood vessels.
- Nephron — functional unit of the kidney.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Start compiling your own list of Greek and Latin roots.
- Practice breaking down unfamiliar medical terms into their components.
- Review and memorize key prefixes, roots, and suffixes discussed.