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Medical Terminology

INTRODUCTION Understanding the terminology used in healthcare settings by physicians, nurses, and other professionals can be daunting. If you feel as though many of the terms sound like a foreign language, you’re right. Most medical terminology is primarily based in Greek or Latin as the language source. As a healthcare provider, it is important for you to be aware of common terminology used for patient care.

PURPOSE/OVERALL GOAL This module will help clarify medical terminology to prepare you for success in a variety of settings found throughout the healthcare industry. The goal of this module is to help you understand the make-up of medical terms and how to decipher their meaning.

COURSE OBJECTIVES After completing this module, the learner should be able to:

1. Better understand the meaning of medical terms 2. Understand the root, prefix, and suffix of a word 3. Understand how plurals are formed 4. Recognize commonly misspelled medical words 5. Demonstrate how to break down medical terms into understandable components

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BASICS Although many words used in the medical field such as “tympanocentesis” or “osteocarcinoma” can appear intimidating, when broken down into the basics, they can be easier to decipher. There are three primary parts used to form many words in healthcare:

Prefixes

Roots

Suffixes Although every word contains all three parts, having a good understanding of common prefixes, roots, and suffixes is the first step in being able to better understand the meaning of medical terms.

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THE ROOT In medical terminology, the root word is the central part of the word and usually references the body part or body system being mentioned. Root words are unique in that:

They typically cannot stand alone as a single word

They are incomplete without the addition of a prefix or suffix (or both) The following is a list of the most commonly seen root words in healthcare. Notice how each word appears abbreviated and, at times, ends in a vowel, suggesting the need to attach a suffix in order to become a meaningful word. For example, when you know that “nephr” refers to the kidney, you are one step closer to understanding the meaning of hydronephrosis and nephrology.

COMMONLY USED ROOT WORDS

ROOT WORD MEANING ROOT WORD MEANING

Abdomin/o Abdomen Corpus Trunk

Aden/o Gland Cortic/o Cortex

Aer/o Air, with air, with oxygen Cost/o Rib

Alg/ia Pain Crani/o Skull/Cranium

Angi/o Blood vessel Cyan/o Blue, Blueness

Anter/o Front Cyst/o Bladder

Arteri/o Artery Cyt/o Cell

Anti Against Derm/a, Derm/o, Dermat Skin

Arthr/o Joint Dors/i, Dors/o Back/Posterior

Audi/o Hearing Encephal/o Brain

Bio Life Enter/o Intestine

Brachi/o Arm Erythr/o Red

Brady Slow Gastr/o Stomach

Bronch/i, Bronch/o Bronchus Ger/o Old age

Carcin/o Cancer Gluc/o Sugar

Cardi/o, Cardi/a Heart Glyc/o Sugar/Sweet

Cephal/o Head Gynec/o Female

Cerebr/o Cerebrum, Brain Hemat/o Blood

Cervic/o Neck, Cervix Hepat/o Liver

Chem Drug Hist/o, Histi/o Tissue

Chondr/o Cartilage Hydr Water

Col/o Colon Hyster/o Uterus/Womb

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COMMONLY USED ROOT WORDS (continued)

ROOT WORD MEANING ROOT WORD MEANING

Immun/o Immune Pharmac/o Drug

Kerat/o Cornea Pharyng/o Pharynx

Lact/o Milk Phleb/o Vein

Lapar/o Abdomen, Loin, Flank Physi/o Body function

Laryng/o Larynx/Voice box Pneum/o Air/Lung

Leuk/o White Pod/o Foot

Lip/o Fat Proct/o Anus/Rectum

Lith/o Stone, Calcification Psych/o Mind/Mental

Lymph/o Lymph vessels Pulmon/o Lungs

Melan/o Dark pigmented/Black Pyel/o Pelvis, Kidney

Men/o Menstruation/Menses Radi/o X-ray/Radiation

Mening/o Meninges Ren/o Kidney

My/o Muscle Rhin/o Nose

Myel/o Bone marrow/Spinal cord Scler/o Hard/Hardening

Nas/o Nose Sept/o Infection

Nephr/o Kidney Spondyl/o Spine/Vertebrae

Neur/o Nerve Thorac/o Chest/Thorax

Ocul/o Eye Thromb/o Blood clot

Ophthalm/o Eyes Thyr/o Thyroid gland

Optic/o, Opt/o Seeing, Sight Trache/o Neck or neck-like

Or/o Mouth Trich/o Hair or hair-like

Oste/o Bone Urethr/o Urethra

Ot/o Ear Vas/o Blood vessel/Vas Deferens

Path/o Disease Ven/o Vein

Phag/o Eat/Swallow Ventr/i, Ventr/o Front of body

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THE PREFIX As you see from roots of words, they do not stand alone. “Cardia,” “gastro,” and “hydro” may give an idea of the topic, disease, or condition – but beyond this they have no real meaning. A prefix is placed at the beginning of root words to transform the root into a meaningful word. For example, adding the prefix “brady” to the root word “cardia” gives us “bradycardia,” meaning a slow heart rate. Although neither “brady” nor “cardia” can stand alone, together, they tell us about a potentially serious condition of the heart. The following is a list of commonly used prefixes in healthcare.

COMMONLY USED PREFIXES

PREFIX MEANING PREFIX MEANING

a-, an- without em- in

ab- away from endo-, intra- inside

ad- toward epi- upper, above

adipo- fat eu- normal, well

ambi- both exo- outside, on outer side

amphi- about, on both sides extra- outside, beyond

ante- before hemi- half

anti- against hemo-, hema- blood

aut- self homo- same, alike, similar

bi- both, two hydro- water, fluid, liquid

brady- slow hyper- excessive, above

circum- round hypo- deficient, below

con- with, together im-, in- not

contra- against inter- between

de- away from intra-, intro- within, inside

di- two iso- equal, same

dia- through, apart, across later- side

dis- reversal, apart from, separation lipo- fat

diplo- double macro- large

dys- painful, difficult mal- bad, difficult

e-, ex- out, away from mega- large

echo- sound, bounce micro- small

ecto- outside mono-, uni- one, single

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COMMONLY USED PREFIXES (continued)

PREFIX MEANING PREFIX MEANING

neo- new pyr-, pyro- fever, heat

non- not retro- backward, behind

onco- tumor semi- half

onych- nail of the finger or toe sub- below

opistho- backward, behind super-, supra- above, upper, excessive

opt- vision, eye sym- together, with

ortho- straight tachy- fast

para- beside, near to tele- distant, far

peri- around toxi- poison

poly- many, much trache- trachea, windpipe

post- behind, after trans- across

pre-, pro- before, in front of ultra- beyond, excess

pseudo- false

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THE SUFFIX The suffix is a letter or a group of letters added to the end of a word that can change its meaning.

In healthcare, a suffix may be used to indicate a disease, condition, or procedure.

Multiple endings can be added to root words to provide different meanings. The following is a list of commonly used suffixes in healthcare.

COMMONLY USED SUFFIXES

SUFFIX MEANING SUFFIX MEANING

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ic

pertaining to

-ia

condition of diseased or abnormal state

-algia pain -ial pertaining to

-apheresis removal -iasis condition

-ase enzyme -iatry physician; treatment

-asthenia weakness -ician one who

-capnia carbon dioxide -ictal seizure; attack

-cele hernia; protrusion -ism state of

-centesis surgical puncture to aspirate fluid -itis inflammation

-cide causing death -lepsy seizure

-crine separate; secrete -lysis loosening; dissolution; separating

-crit to separate -lytic destroy; reduce

-cyte cell -malacia softening

-desis surgical fixation; fusion -mania madness, insane desire

-depsia thirst -megaly enlargement

-eal pertaining to -metry measurement

-ectasis stretching; dilatation; expansion -morph form, shape

-ectomy excision or surgical removal -odynia pain

-emesis vomiting -oid resembling

-emia blood condition -ologist one who studies & practices (specialist)

-esis condition -ology study of

-esthesia sensation -oma tumor; swelling

-genesis origin, cause -opia vision (condition)

-genic producing; originating; causing -opsy to view

-gram record; x-ray film -oorhagia rapid flow of blood; hemorrhage

-graph record -orrhaphy suturing; repairing

-graphy process of recording; x-ray filming -orrhea flow; excessive discharge

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COMMONLY USED SUFFIXES (continued)

SUFFIX MEANING SUFFIX MEANING

-orrhexis rupture -pnea breathing

-osis abnormal condition (means increased when used with blood cell word roots)

-poiesis formation

-ostomy Surgical opening -porosis passage

-otomy, -tomy Cut into or incision -ptosis dropping; sagging; prolapse

-ous Pertaining to -salpinx fallopian tube

-paresis Slight paralysis -sarcoma malignant tumor

-pathy disease -sclerosis hardening

-penia deficiency -scopy visual examination

-pexy Surgical fixation of an organ -scopic visual examination

-pepsia digestion -sepsis infection

-phagia Eating, swallowing -spasm sudden involuntary muscle contraction

-phobia Abnormal fear of or aversion to specific objects or things

-stasis control; stop

-phonia Sound or voice -stalsis contraction

-phoria feeling -stenosis constriction; narrowing

-physis growth -thorax chest

-plasm growth; substance; formation -tocia birth, labor

-plasty plastic or surgical repair, reconstruction

-tripsy surgical crushing

-plegia paralysis, stroke -trophy nourishment

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FORMING PLURALS With English plurals, it is common to add an “s” or “es” to the end of a word to indicate multiples. However, creating the plural form of many medical words is not quite as simple. Since most medical terms are based in Greek and/or Latin, a new set of guidelines must be followed. Words ending in –en:

To pluralize a word ending in –en, change the –en to –ina

Example: singular = lumen, plural = lumina Words ending in –a:

To pluralize a word ending in –a, keep the –a and an –e

Example: singular = vertebra, plural = vertebrae Words ending in –ma:

To pluralize a word ending in –ma, keep the –ma and a –ta

Example: singular = sarcoma, plural = sarcomata Words ending in –us:

To pluralize a word ending in –us, change the –us to –i

Example: singular = alveolus, plural = alveoli Words ending in –is:

To pluralize a word ending in –is, change the –is to –es

Example: singular = diagnosis, plural = diagnoses Words ending in –um:

To pluralize a word ending in –um, change the –um to –a

Example: singular = ileum, plural = ilea Words ending in –ix:

To pluralize a word ending in –ix, change the –ix to –ices

Example: singular = appendix, plural = appendices Words ending in –ex:

To pluralize a word ending in –ex, change the –ex to –ices

Example: singular = cortex, plural = cortices Words ending in –ax:

To pluralize a word ending in –ax, change the –x to –ces

Example: singular = thorax, plural = thoraces Words ending in –on:

To pluralize a word ending in –on, change the –on to –a

Example: singular = criterion, plural = criteria

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Words ending in –nx:

To pluralize a word ending in –nx, change the –x to -ges

Example: Singular = pharynx, plural = pharynges Words ending in –y:

To pluralize a word ending in –y, change the –y to –ies

Example: singular = deformity, plural = deformities Words ending in –yx:

To pluralize a word ending in –yx, change the –yx to –yces.

Example: singular = calyx, plural = calyces NOTE: Although these are general guidelines to pluralizing words, keep in mind that there are always exceptions to the rules. For example, the plural and singular forms of some words may be the same.

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SPELLING Changing just one letter of a medical term can alter the meaning of the word. Although it can be challenging, careful and correct documentation is extremely important. There are many words in medical terminology that are commonly misspelled. The following is a list of words that are commonly misspelled. A quick review will help to ensure accurate spelling and documentation in the medical record. Abscess Adolescence Alopecia Alzheimer Aneurysm Arrhythmia Asphyxia Asystole Auscultation Catheter Cirrhosis Curettage Decubitus Diabetes Mellitus Diaphoresis Diaphragm Dilatation Diphtheria Eczema

Effusion Epididymitis Fascia Gauge Gonorrhea Hemoptysis Hemorrhoid Humerus Hygiene Icterus Inoculate Intussusception Ischemia Melanin Oophorectomy Ophthalmology Orthopnea Palliative

Palpitation Perineum Peritoneum Peroneal Prosthesis Protocol Pruritus Rhythm Sagittal Sedentary Sieve Splenectomy Supersede Syncope Syphilis Tonsillectomy Ventricle Xiphoid

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PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER Now that you have a greater understanding of the primary elements of medical terminology, let’s review how to put everything together. The following are examples of terms you may encounter in healthcare, broken into their primary elements.

Aero + Sinus + Itis = Aerosinusitis (painful sinus troubles due to changing atmospheric pressures)

Neuro + Fibro + Matosis = Neurofibromatosis (a genetic disease in which patients develop multiple soft tumors throughout the nervous system

Tympano + Centesis = Tympanocentesis (drainage of fluid from the middle ear by using a small-gauge needle to puncture the tympanic membrane)

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CONCLUSION Remember that by breaking medical terms down into their primary elements, it can be easier to comprehend their meaning. If you are uncertain of a word, it is always best to consult with the provider that wrote it, or consult a medical dictionary. One online resource is http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php. REFERENCES:

Medical Terminology A through Z. Global RPh. Available at: http://www.globalrph.com/medterm.htm. Accessed December 10, 2016.

Medilexicon Available at: http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php. Accessed December 10, 2016.

The Foremost of Medical Building Blocks...Prefixes. MedicineNet, Inc. Available at: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6963. Accessed December 10. 2016.