Medical Terminology Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Focus on Chapter 3: Suffixes
• Goals: Define new suffixes, review previous ones, build a foundational understanding.

Combining Forms

• Abdomen: Abdomen
• Acro: Extremities
• Accu: Sharp, severe, sudden
• Adeno/Adino: Gland
• Adipo: Fat
• Amni: Amnion
• Angi: Vessel (e.g., angioplasty)
• Arterio: Artery (e.g., arteriosclerosis)
• Arthro: Joint (e.g., arthritis)
• Axillo: Armpit
• Bio: Life (e.g., biology)
• Blephar: Eyelid (e.g., blepharoectomy)
• Broncho: Bronchial tubes (e.g., bronchitis)
• Carcinoma: Cancer
• Cardi: Heart
• Chem: Drug (e.g., chemotherapy)
• Chondro: Cartilage
• Chron: Time (e.g., chronological)
• Colo: Colon
• Cyst: Urinary bladder
• Encephalo: Brain
• Erythro: Red
• Hemo: Blood
• Hepato: Liver (e.g., hepatitis)
• Hydro: Water
• Inguin: Groin
• Lapar: Abdomen (e.g., laparoscopy)
• Laryngo: Larynx
• Leuko: White (e.g., leukocytes)
• Lympho: Lymph
• Memo/Masto: Breast
• Morpho: Shape or form
• Muco: Mucus
• My: Muscle; Mile: Spinal cord
• Necro: Death (e.g., necrotizing fasciitis)
• Nephro: Kidney
• Neuro: Nerve
• Neutral: Neutrophil
• Nucleo: Nucleus
• Ophthalmo: Eye
• Osteo: Bone
• Patho: Disease
• Peritoneal: Peritoneum
• Phago: To eat or swallow
• Phleb: Veins
• Plasma: Formation
• Pleuro: Pleura
• Pneumo: Lung (e.g., pneumonia)
• Pulmo: Lungs
• Rady: X-rays
• Rect: Rectum
• Reno: Kidney
• Rhin: Nose (e.g., rhinovirus)
• Sarco: Flesh
• Spleno: Spleen
• Staphylo: Clusters (e.g., staphylococcus)
• Strep: Twisted chains (e.g., streptococcus)
• Thoraco: Chest
• Thrombo: Clot
• Tonsils: Tonsils
• Trachea: Tracheo
• Vino: Vein

Suffixes

• -algia: Pain
• -cele: Hernia
• -centesis: Puncture to remove fluid
• -coccus: Berry-shaped bacterium
• -cyte: Cell
• -dynia: Pain (e.g., pleurodynia)
• -ectomy: Excision, removal (e.g., laryngectomy)
• -emia: Blood condition (e.g., anemia)
• -genesis: Condition of producing (e.g., pathogenesis)
• -gram: Record (e.g., mammogram)
• -graph: Instrument for recording
• -itis: Inflammation (e.g., arthritis)
• -logy: Study of (e.g., biology)
• -lysis: Breakdown (e.g., hemolysis)
• -malacia: Softening (e.g., chondromalacia)
• -megaly: Enlargement (e.g., acromegaly)
• -oma: Tumor, mass (e.g., myoma)
• -opsy: To view (e.g., biopsy)
• -osis: Condition, usually abnormal (e.g., necrosis)
• -pathy: Disease (e.g., cardiomyopathy)
• -penia: Deficiency (e.g., leukopenia)
• -phobia: Fear (e.g., acrophobia)
• -plasia: Development, formation
• -plasty: Surgical repair (e.g., rhinoplasty)
• -ptosis: Drooping, falling
• -rrhea: Flow, discharge (e.g., diarrhea)
• -sclerosis: Hardening (e.g., arteriosclerosis)
• -scope: Instrument for visual
• -scopy: Process of examination
• -stasis: Controlling
• -stomy: Opening to form a mouth
• -therapy: Treatment (e.g., hydrotherapy)
• -tomy: Incision, cutting into
• -trophy: Development, nourishment
• -er: One who (e.g., examiner)
• -eal: Condition, process
• -ist: Specialist
• -ole/-ule: Little, small (e.g., arteriole)
• -um/-us: Structure, substance
• -y: Condition, process
• -ac/-al/-ar/-ary/-eal/-ic/-ical/-ous/-tic: Pertaining to
• -oid: Resembling

Building Terms with Suffixes and Combining Forms

• Examples of combined terms and meanings:
  • Arthritis: Inflammation of the joint
  • Blepharoptosis: Drooping eyelid
  • Ischemia: Loss of normal blood flow
  • Osteogenic: Produced by bone tissue
  • Staphylococci: Berry-shaped bacteria that grow in clusters

Blood Cells Overview

• Erythrocytes: Red blood cells
• Leukocytes: White blood cells (granulocytes and mononuclear)
• Thrombocytes: Platelets
• Granulocytes: Basophils, neutrophils, eosinophils
• Mononuclear cells: Lymphocytes, monocytes

Disorders and Conditions

• Acromegaly: Excessive growth hormone production after puberty
• Laparoscopy: Minimally invasive abdominal surgery
• Adenoids: Lymphatic tissue that may block nasal passageways

Key Points

• Understanding suffixes and combining forms is crucial for term formation.
• Repetition and flashcards are recommended for memorization.
• Suffixes often dictate the type of condition or process described by medical terms.