Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology

Allied Medicine 500 with Maxwell at Ohio State University - All Campuses

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By: Elean Yang
Textbook:

Medical Terminology for Health Professions (Medical Terminology for Health Professions (Ehrlich))
Created: 2011-01-16
Size: 136 flashcards
Views: 601

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types of word parts

word roots
combining forms
suffixes
prefixes

word roots

foundation of terms
body part
color

combining forms

word root + vowel
combine word root with suffix
ease of pronunciation
"o" most common

suffixes

(end)

procedure
(abnormal) condition
disorder
disease
pertaining to
noun endings
pathology

prefixes

(beginning)

location
time
number
status

combining vowel is not used

when suffix begins with a vowel

combining vowel is used

when suffix begins with consonant

combining vowel is always used

when 2 or more root words are joined

do prefixes require combining vowels?

gastr/o

stomach

hepat/o

liver

my/o

muscle

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

neur/o

nerve

nat/o

birth

tonsill/o

tonsil

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

poli/o

gray

arthr/o

joint

-algia

pain, painful condition

-osis

abnormal condition

-itis

inflammation

arthralgia

joint pain

gastrosis

abnormal stomach condition

neuritis

inflammation of the nerve

abdomin/o

abdomen

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-rrhexis

rupture

-pathy

disease

abdominocentesis

surgical puncture in the abdomen to remove fluid

myorrhexis

muscle rupture

myelopathy

disease of the spinal cord

ot/o

ear

rhin/o

nose

laryng/o

throat

-ology

study of

enter/o

small intestine

sub-

under, less, below

cost/o

rib

-al

pertaining to

intra-

within, inside

muscul/o

muscle

-ar

pertaining to

-dynia

pain

-malacia

abnormal softening

-megaly

enlargement

-necrosis

tissue death

-rrhage, -rrhagia

bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

-stenosis

abnormal narrowing

-ectomy

surgical removal, cutting out, excision

-graphy

the process of producing a picture or record

-gram

a picture or record

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-scopy

visual examination

-lysis

breakdown, separation, setting free, destruction, loosening

-pexy

surgical fixation

pre-

before, in front of

peri-

surrounding, around

post-

after, behind

uni-

one

bi-

twice, double, two

tri-

three

quad-

four

intra-

within, inside

opposite of inter-

end-, endo-

in, within, inside

inter-

between, among

opposite of intra-

dys-

bad, difficult, or painful

opposite of eu-

brady-

slow

tachy-

fast, rapid

eu-

good, normal, well, or easy

opposite of dys-

ab-

away from, negative, absent

opposite of ad-

ad-

toward, to, in the direction of

opposite of ab-

hyper-

excessive, increased

opposite of hypo-

hypo-

deficient, decreased

opposite of hyper-

sub-

under, less, below

opposite of supra-

supra-

above, upper, excessive

opposite of sub-

plural of a

plural of ex/ix

ices

plural of is

plural of itis

ides

plural of nx

ges

sign

objective evidence of disease

ex:) fever

objective

sign can be evaluated or measure by patient or others

symptom (SIMP-tum)

subjective evidence of disease

ex:) pain or headache

subjective

sign can be evaluated or measure only by patient

syndrome (SIN-drohm)

set of signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process

diagnosis (dye-ag-NOH-sis)

identification of a disease

diagnose = process of reaching diagnosis

diagnoses = plural

differential

aka rule out (R/O)

attempt to determine which of several diseases can be producing present signs and symptoms

prognosis

prediction of probable course and outcome of disorder

prognoses = plural

acute

rapid onset, severe course, short duration

chronic

long duration, can be controlled but rarely cured

remission

temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of symptoms of a disease w/o having achieved a cure

disease

condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally

some are named for their signs and symptoms

ex:) chronic fatigue syndrome = persistent overwhelming fatigue of unknown origin

eponym (EP-oh-nim)

disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first

ex:) Alzheimer's disease => German neurologist Alois Alzheimer

acronym (ACK-roh-nim)

word formed from initial letter of major parts of a compound term

ex:) laser = light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation

ileum (ILL-ee-um)

last and longest portion of small intestine

(memory aid: ileum is spelled with e as in intestine)

ilium (ILL-ee-um)

part of hip bone

(memory aid: ilium is spelled with an i as in hip)

infection (in-FECK-shun)

invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease producing) organism

can remain localized (near point of entry) or systemic (affecting entire body)

signs and symptoms include: malaise, chills and fever, redness, heat and swelling, or exudate from a wound

malaise

feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease

exudate

fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound

inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun)

localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues

cardinal signs (indications) caused by extra blood flowing into area as part of healing process are: erythema, hyperthermia, edema, and pain

myc/o

fungus

-ostomy

surgically creating an opening

-otomy

study of

-ologist

specialist

palpation (pal-PAY-shun)

examination technique in which the examiner's hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts

palpitation (pal-pih-TAY-shun)

pounding or racing heart

prostate (PROS-tayt)

male gland that lies under the erinary bladder and surrounds the urethra

prostrate (PROS-trayt)

to collapse and be lying flat or to be overcome with exhaustion

pyel/o

renal pelvis (part of the kidney)

py/o

pus

pyr/o

fever or fire

supination (soo-pih-NAY-shun)

act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward

suppuration (sup-you-RAY-shun)

formation or discharge of pus

triage (tree-AHZH)

medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment

trauma (TRAW-mah)

wound or injury (the types that might occur in an accident, shotting, natural disaster, or fire)

viral (VYE-ral)

pertaining to a virus

vir/o

virus or poison

virile (VIR-ill)

having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male

diagnosis

DDx

differential diagnosis

intramuscular

path

pathology

prog