Pre-Med Course ‘14

MedicalTerminology

BY: KAREEM HUSSEIN

Important general suffixes

Suffix Meaning Ex.

-cyte Cell Leuko/cyte

-genesis X -lysis Formation X Destruction

Lipo/genesis .. Prote/o/lysis

-megaly Enlargement Cardio/megaly

-graphy The process Electro/cardio/graphy ECG

-gram The record (result) Electro/encephalo/gram

-penia X -osis Decreased X increased

Leuko/cyto/(penia-osis)

-otomy To cut into Trache/otomy

-ectomy To cut out Mast/ectomy

-pathy Diseased Neuro/pathy

-algia = -algesia Pain Neur/algia

Suffix Meaning Ex.

-oma Tumor Ost/e/oma

-plegia Paralysis Quadr/i/plegia

-plasia Development (no. of cells)

Hyper/plasia

-trophy Development (size) a/trophy .. hyper/trophy

phage Eat Dys/phagia .. Phago/cyte

-rrhea Increased discharge Rhino/rrhea .. Dia/rrhea

-cide Kill Insect/i/cide .. Sperm/i/cide

-cele Abnormal protrusion Meningio/cele

-plasty Reconstruction Rhino/plasty

-oid Resemble Cub/oid

1. Musculoskeletal System

Term meaning Ex.

Oste/o- Bone Oste/oma

Chondr/o- Cartilage Chondro/cyte

Arthr/o- Joint Arthr/it is

Myel/o- Bone marrow Myel/oma

My/o- = myos/o- Muscle Myos/it is

Ten/o- = tend/o- Tendon (muscle to bone)

Tendon/it is

Ligament/o- Ligament (bone to bone)

Ligament/ous injury

-malacia Softning Osteo/malacia

-porosis Porous (eaten away)

Osteo/porosis

Orthopaedist

Muscle biobsy

2. Cardiovascular system

term Meaning Ex.

Cardi/o- Heart Myo/card/itis

Angi/o- Vessel Angio/gram

Ven/o- = Phleb/o- Vein Phleb/itis

Arteri/o = ather/o artery atherosclerosis

Haem/o- Blood Hemo/lysis

-emia Blood An/emia

-stasis To stop Hemo/stasis

-rhythm Regularity a/rrhythmia

Cardiac catheterization

atherosclerosis

ECG

murmur

3. Respiratory System

Term Meaning Ex.

Rhin/o- Nose Rhino/rrhea

Laryng/o- Larynx “Voice box” Laryng/otomy

Trache/o- Trachea “windpipe” Trache/otomy

Bronch/o- Air passageway Bronch/oscopy

Pne/u- = -Pnea Air breath lung Dys/pnea

Pulmo- Related to lung Pulmonary artery

-ptysis Spitting Hemo/ptysis

Laryngeoscopy

Endotracheal intubation

4. Nervous system

term Meaning Ex.

Neuro- Nerve Neur/ology

Cephal/o Head Ceph/algia

Encephal/o = cerebr/o

brain Encephal/itis

Cerebell/o Cerebellum /itis

Myel/o Spinal cord Myelo/gram

Mening/o Membranes around mo5

Mening/itis

Lumbar puncture

EEG, CT & MRI

5. Digestive System

Endoscopy

Ultrasonography

Chewing > ingestion > digestion > absorption > resorption & defacation

Term Meaning Ex.

Gastr/o- Stomach Gastr/ectomy

Chol/e- Bile Cholecyst/itis

Emes/o- Vomit Hema/emesis

Litho/o- Stone Chole/lith/otomy

-centesis To puncture Abdomino/centesis

-Tripsy To crush Chole/lito/tripsy

6.Urinary System

Term Meaning

Nephr/o- = Ren/o- kidney Nephro/pathy

Pyel/o- Renal pelvis Pyelo/gram

Ureter/o- Ureter uretritis

Cyst/o- Bladder Cyst/it is

Ur/o- = -uria Urine Poly/uria .. Uro/genital

Poly- X olig/o- Much X few Poly/uria .. Olig/uria

Nocturia

Enuresis

IV X retrograde pyelogram

Dialysis

Litho/tripsy

7. Reproductive System

MALE FEMALE

Andr/o- (male) Gynec/o- = gyn/o- (female)

Testis = orchid/o- = testicle oophor/o- (ovary)

Epididem/o (epididymis) Salping/o- (fallobian tube)

Prostat/ic (prostate) Cervix

-gravid/a (pregnant)

-partum (give birth)

Mast/o = mamm/o (breast)

Cryptorchidism

Varicocele (varicose veins)

BPH

Dilatation & curettage D&C

8. Ophthalmology

Term Meaning Ex.

-opia Vision My/opia .. Hyper/opia

-tropia Turning exo/tropia

Conjunctiv/o- Conjunctiva /itis

Phac/o- = lent/o- lens Phaco/emulsification

Scler/o Sclera (white) Scleral (adj)

Iro- = irido- Iris (colored) Ir/itis

Retino- Retina (seeing part)

Retinitis

Corn/e- = kerat/o- cornea Corneal

Cyclo- Ciliary body Cyclitis

Lacrim/o Tears Lacrimal gland Squint = strabismus

Cataract

glaucoma