© Copyright Clinical Assessments by Prophecy, a Division of Advanced Practice Strategies
MT: 1
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
MT: 2
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.
MT: 3
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
MT: 4
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
MT: 5
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
MT: 6
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
MT: 7
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
MT: 8
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
MT: 9
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
MT: 10
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.
MT: 11
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
MT: 12
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)
MT: 13
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.