Medical Terminology

You need to know…

• Terms are built from word parts• Remember the meanings of the word parts• Build terms from the word parts and spell them correctly• Differentiate word parts that look alike• Understand positional – directional terminology

Building Terms from Word Parts

Medical terminology vocabulary is a collection of word parts.

Three main word parts:1. Prefixes - Describe in terms of quantity, location or state2. Combining Forms - Subject of the term (what the term is about). Many of them are related to Anatomy. They contain two parts:

• Word Roots• Combining Vowels

3. Suffixes – Give information whether the word describes body part, disease or procedure

Decifering the Meaning

• Medical Term – Microbiology• Prefix – Micro, which means ‘small’• Suffix – Logy, which means ‘study of’• Combining Form – Bio, the root word, which

means ‘life’ and ‘o’ , the combining vowel.Microbiology is the study of small lifeDictionary definition: the study of small organisms

Remembering the meaning of word parts

1. Suffix – ectomy = removal, excision, resection E.g.: hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Hyster/o+ectomy Surgical removal of the uterus 2. Suffix – stomy = new opening E.g.: gastrostomy (new opening of the stomach) Gastr/o+stomy Surgical creation of an artificial opening into the stomach

How to Remember the Words• Analyzing or Decoding the Words CARD ???

Check for word parts,Assign meanings,Reverse the meaning of the suffix to the front, andDefine the term.

E.g.: GASTROSCOPY1. Check for word parts Gastro (combining form) + Scopy (suffix) 2. Assign meaning Gastro(stomach) + Scopy (the process of viewing)3. Reverse the position of the suffix and put it in the

beginning of the word Scopy+gastro4. Define the term – The process of viewing the stomach

Make Your Own Flash Cards

Combining Forms SuffixesArthr/o (joint) -algia (pain)Gastr/o (stomach) -ectomy (removal)Hepat/o (liver) -scope (instrument to view)Nephr/o (kidney) -itis (inflammation)Ophthalm/o (eye) -plasty (surgical repair)Ot/o (ear) Scopy (process of viewing)Rhin/o (nose) -tomy (incission)

Building Terms from Word Parts

Should I Keep or Drop the Combining Vowel?????

• If the suffix starts with a vowel, DROP the vowel of the combining form.

Arthr/o(joint)+algia(pain) Arthroalgia Arthralgia• If the suffix starts with a consonant, KEEP

the vowel of the combining form. Rhino (nose)+ plasty (surgical repair) Rhinoplasty

Remember All depends on the suffix!!!!

Positional Terminology

The issues of ‘right’ and ‘left’ are extremely important.

Divide the abdominal region into 4 quadrantsQuad = four

1. Right upper quadrant2. Left upper quadrant3. Right lower quadrant4. Left lower quadrant

Directional Terminology

Proximal means ‘near’ or ‘close’

Distal means ‘far’

Two ways to look at the proximal and distal terms.1. Beginning (proximal) and ending of

(distal)an organ

Proximal end of esophagus

Distal end of esophagus

When proximal and distal are used to describe locations on the arms and legs - keep the definitions of near and far in mind. Look at the point of reference to the attachment which is where your arms and legs are attached to your body. Your arms are attached at your shoulders, your legs areattached at your hips.