Medical Terminology Made Easy

Introduction

• Purpose: Simplify understanding of medical terminology.
• Structure of Medical Terms:
  • Prefix: Describes characteristics (location, direction, number, quantity, size, color).
  • Root: Core meaning, often related to body part or system.
  • Suffix: Describes disease, condition, procedure, or test.

Example Breakdown

• Hyperthyroidism:
  • Hyper: Above normal, excess.
  • Thyroid: Thyroid gland.
  • Ism: Condition.
  • Meaning: Overactive thyroid gland producing too much hormone.

Common Prefixes

Quantity

• Mono: One (e.g., monocle).
• Uni: One (e.g., unicycle).
• Bi/Di/Diplo: Two (e.g., bicycle, biceps).
• Tri: Three (e.g., tricycle, triceps).
• Quadri: Four (e.g., quadrilateral, quadriceps).
• Semi/Hemi: Half (e.g., semicolon).
• Equa/Iso: Equal (e.g., equilateral triangle).
• Eu/Normo: Normal (e.g., euglycemic, normotensive).

Amounts and Sizes

• Hyper: Above normal, excess (e.g., hyperactive).
• Hypo: Below normal (e.g., hypoglycemia).
• A/An: Absent, lacking (e.g., anoxia).
• Pan/Omni: All (e.g., pancytopenia).
• Multi/Poly: Many (e.g., polygon).
• Micro: Small (e.g., microscope).
• Macro/Megalo: Large (e.g., megalo = mega).
• Oligo: Few, very little.

Color

• Chromo/Chromato: Color (e.g., chromosome).
• Alb: Pale/white (e.g., albino).
• Chloro: Green (e.g., chlorophyll).
• Cyano: Blue (e.g., cyanosis).
• Erythro: Red (e.g., erythrocytes).
• Glauco: Opaque/gray.
• Leuko: White (e.g., leukocytes).
• Melano: Black (e.g., melanoma).
• Polio: Gray.
• Porphyr: Purple.
• Rodo: Rose/red.
• Xantho: Yellow (e.g., xanthochromia).

Time and Speed

• Pre: Before (e.g., pre-operative).
• Post: After (e.g., post-operative).
• Pro/Ante: Before (e.g., antepartum).
• Re: Again (e.g., repeat).
• Retro: Backward (e.g., retro fashion).
• Neo: New (e.g., neonatal).
• Chrono: Time (e.g., chronological).
• Tachy: Fast (e.g., tachycardia).
• Brady: Slow (e.g., bradycardia).

Location or Position

Above/Below

• Epi/Hyper/Supra/Super: Above.
• Sub/Hypo/Infra: Below.

Left/Right

• Dextro: Right.
• Levo/Sinistro: Left.

Front/Back

• Anti/Antero/Ventri: Front (e.g., ventriloquist).
• Postero/Dorsi: Back (e.g., dorsal fin).

Around/Between

• Peri/Circum: Around.
• Endo/Intra/Intro: Inside.
• Exo/Extra/Ecto: Outside.
• Ab: Away from.
• Ad: Toward.
• Trans: Through/across.

Middle/Lateral

• Meso/Meta/Medio: Middle (e.g., mesoderm).
• Lateral: Lateral.
• Para: Nearby.
• Juxta: Next to.
• Inter: Between.

Both/Same/Opposite

• Ambi/Amphi: Both sides (e.g., ambidextrous).
• Ipsi: Same.
• Contra: Against.

Conclusion

• Understanding prefixes helps in deciphering medical terms.
• Future videos will cover roots and suffixes.
• Resources available on the website linked in the description.