RT 103 MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

LECTURE 1

MRS. JULIET SALVADOR 1ST SEMESTER A.Y. 2023 – 2024

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

 Introduction amount that are descriptive and are used in
 Building Medical terms from word parts general
 Singular and plural endings  added to the front of a term
 Abbreviations May add meaning such as:
 The medical record  location of organ sub – = below
 Health care settings  number of parts mono – = one
 Confidentiality  time (frequency) post – = after
 Understanding Medical Terms  not all medical terms have prefix
 It is impossible to memorize all of the thousand
 when written by itself, followed by a hypen
medical terms
 You can distinguish the meaning of many
 intra–
different words by analyzing the word parts  hyper–
PRINCIPLES OF COMPONENT PARTS  multi–
 Most of the terms for the body's organs originated COMMON PREFIXES
from Latin words, whereas terms describing a – without,
homo – same peri – around
diseases that affect these organs have their origins away from
in Greek. Many prefixes and suffixes have more hyper – over,
an – without post – after
than a single definition so one must learn to use the above
definition that best describes the term. ante – before, hypo – under, pre – before, in
FUNDAMENTALS OF WORD STRUCTURE in front of below front of
 The fundamental elements in medical terminology infra – under,
are the component parts used to build medial anti – against beneath, pseudo – false
words. below
P = Prefix retro –
inter – among,
R = Word Root auto – self backward,
between
CF = Combining Form behind
S = Suffix intra – within, sub – below,
brady – slow
inside under
MEDICAL TERMS ARE BUILT FROM WORD dys – painful, super – above,
macro – large
difficult excess
PARTS
endo – within,
WORD PART EXAMPLE (MEANING) micro – small supra – above
inner
Cardiogram
Word root epi – upon,
(record of the heart) neo – new tachy – fast
over
Pericardium
Prefix eu – normal, trans – through,
(around the heart) pan – all
good across
Carditis
Suffix hetero – para – beside, ultra – beyond,
(inflammation of heart)
different beyond, near excess
Cardiomyopathy
Combining form per – through
(heart muscle disease)
PREFIX (P) NUMBER PREFIXES
 Means to fix before or to fix to the beginning of a bi – two ploy – many
word. A prefix is a syllable or a group of syllables hemi – half quad – four
placed at the beginning of a word to alter or modify mono – one semi – partial, half
the meaning of the word to create a new word. multi – many tri – three
 with more than a single definition that pertain to nulli – none uni – one
position or placement that pertain to number and
  Even if the second word root begins with a
WORD ROOT (WR) vowel (Gastroenteritis, not Gastrenteritis)
 A root is a word or word element from which other SUFFIX (S)
words are formed. It is the foundation of the word  Means to fasten on beneath or under. A suffix may
and conveys the central meaning of the word. be a syllable or group of syllables united with or
 Foundation of Term. General meaning of word, placed at the end of a word to alter or modify the
Often gives body system or part ( cardi = heart) or meaning of the word or to create a new word.
may be an action (cis = to cut)  that have more than a single meaning that pertain
GREEK WORD WORD ROOT to pathologic conditions used in diagnostic and
Kardia (heart) Cardi surgical procedures that are descriptive and are
Gaster (stomach) Gastr used in general.
 Attached to the end of a term
Hepar (liver) Hepat
Adds meaning such as:
Nephros (kidney) Nephr
 condition –algia = pain
Osteon (bone) oste  disease –itis = inflammation
COMBINING FORM (CF)  procedure –ectomy = surgical removal
 a word root to which a vowel has been added to join  all medical terms must have suffix (only
the root to a second root or to a suffix. The vowel mandatory word part)
"o" is the most common vowel used to make  when written by itself, precede with a hyphen.
combining forms. They are found at the beginning  –logy
of a word or within a word.  –sclerosis
 Typically used to write word roots  –cyte
 Also use the word root/ combining vowel format
Ex: cardi/o, arthr/o, gastr/o COMMON SUFFIXES
–malacia
COMMON COMBINING FORMS –genic
–algia (pain) (abnormal
aden/o gastr/o neur/o (producing)
softening)
(gland) (stomach) (nerve) –megaly
carcin/o hemat/o ophthalm/o –cele (hernia, –ia (state,
(enlargement,
(cancer) (blood) (eye) protrusion) condition)
large)
cardi/o –iasis
hydr/o (water) ot/o (ear) –oma (tumor,
(heart) –cise (cut) (abnormal
chem/o immun/o path/o mass)
condition)
(chemical) (immune) (disease) –osis (abnormal
cis/o laryng/o (voice –cyte (cell) –logy (study of)
pulmon/o (lung) condition)
(to cut) box) –pathy
dermat/o morph/o rhin/o –dynia (pain) –ism (state of)
(disease)
(skin) (shape) (nose) –plasia
enter/o (small nephr/o ur/o (urine, –ectasis –itis
(development,
intestine) (kidney) urinary system) (dilation) (inflammation)
growth)
–gen (that –plasm
COMBINING VOWEL which
–logist (one
(formation,
 Make it possible to pronounce long terms who studies)
produces) development)
 Usually an “o”
–genesis
Combine two word parts: –lysis –ptosis
(produces,
 Between two word roots (destruction) (drooping)
generates)
 Between word root and suffix
 If the suffix begins with a vowel IDENTIFYING MEDICAL WORDS
 Do not use a combining vowel (Arthritis,  Spelling medical words of Greek origin are often
not Arthroitis) difficult to spell because many begin with a silent
 If the suffix begins with a consonant letter or have a silent letter within the word. Spelling
 Use a combining vowel (Arthroscope, not of all medical words is extremely important because
Arthrscope) the addition or omission of a single letter may
Combining Vowel Rules: change the meaning of the word.
 Combining vowel is typically kept between two
word roots
 SPELLING GUIDELINES: to trunk or a
proximal to elbows.
 If the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the structure.
combining vowel from the combining form Ribs are exterior to
and add the suffix. Outside; the lungs
External
 If the suffix begins with a consonant, keep exterior to Scrotum is exterior to
the combining vowel and add the suffix to the testes
the combining form. Brain is internal to the
 Keep the combining vowel between two or Within; skull
Internal
more roots in a term. interior to The heart is internal
to the thoracic cage.
MEDICAL WORD COMPONENTS Pertaining to
 Word Roots – foundation of a word the side; The radius is lateral to
Lateral
 Suffixes – added after the word root toward the ulna
 Prefixes – added before the word root side
 Combining Forms – word root + vowel usually “o” Pertaining to The mouth is medial
or “i” the middle; to the cheeks
Medial
Note: compound word contains 2 or more word root. toward the The ulna is medial to
midline radius
DIRECTIONAL TERMS Pertaining to
TERM DEFINITION EXAMPLE the outer wall The parietal pleura
 The navel is on the Parietal
of body line the chest cavity.
anterior of the body. cavity
Front of the
 Toes are anterior to Pertaining to
Anterior body; The visceral pleura
ankle Visceral the covering
(ventral) towards the covers the lungs
 Esophagus is of an organ
front
anterior to vertebral
body. POSITION AND DIRECTION
 The heel is posterior COMBINING
MEANING EXAMPLE
to the toes FORM
 The Esophagus is antero anterior; front  anteroposterior
Posterior Back of body;
posterior to the caudo tail  caudad
(Dorsal) near the back
trachea cephalo head  cephalic
 The knuckles are disto far; farthest  distal
posterior to the palm back; back of
 Chest is superior to dorso  dorsal
Superior Above; the body
the abdomen  abduction (ion=
(Cephalic, toward the from; away
 Heart is superior to ab– act of, duct= to
Cranial) head from
the stomach lead)
 Bullet would ad– toward  adduction
penetrate deep into
epi– above; upon  epigastric
Away from the abdomen
Deep hypo– under; below  hypodermic
the surface  Arteries are deep
compared to the infra– under; below  infracostal
veins. inter– between  intercostal
The metacarpal veins CELLS AND TISSUES
Superficia Toward or on are superficial
COMBINING
l the surface compared to auxiliary MEANING EXAMPLE
FORM
vein.
adipo fat  adipooid
Further from
Toes are distal to the lipo fat  lipectomy
the point of
ankle cyto cell  cytology
Distal attachment,
Elbows are distal to chondro cartilage  chondroma
to trunk or a
shoulders. fiber; fibrous
structure fibro  fibroblast
Proximal Near the Ankle are proximal to tissue
point of the toes histo tissue  histology
attachment, Shoulders are histio tissue  histioblast
myo muscle  myocarditis EPIDERMOLYSIS
flesh;  lysis – (destruction) loosening
sarco connective  sarcoma  epi – above
tissue  dermo – (dermis) skin
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
COMBINING HYPERHIDROSIS
MEANING EXAMPLE  osis – abn. condition
FORM
albino white  albinism  hyper – excessive
 hidro – sweating
 jaundice
jaundi yellow
=ice– noun ending
xanto yellow  xanthoderma DERMATOLOGIST
 cyanoderma;  logist – (specialist in the study of)
cyano blue
cyanosis specialist in the study and treatment of
erythemo red  erythema  dermato – (skin) skin diseases
erythemato red  erythematous
melano black  melanoma DERMATOLOGY
cutaneo skin  subcutaneous  logy – study of
dermo skin  hypodermic  dermato – (skin) skin and its diseases
dermato skin  Dermatitis
hidro sweat  hyperhydrosis
DERMATOPATHY
sudoro sweat  sudoresis
 pathy – any disease
dry: scaly  dermato – skin
ichthyo  ichthyosis
(fishlike)
kerato
horny tissue;  keratosis DERMATOPLASTY
hard cornea = abn. horny growth  plasty – surgical repair (plastic surgery)
fungus (pl.  dermato – skin
myco  dermatomycosis
fungi)
onycho nail  onychomalacia
DERMATOME
 tome – (to cut apart) instrument for
ungulo nail  ungula avulsion
cutting
 pilonidal  dermato – skin
= nidus– nest
pilo hair
= growth of hair in
dermoid cyst HYPODERMIC
tricho hair  trichopathy  ic – pertaining to
hardening;  hypo – below or under
sclera  scleroderma
sclera  dermo – (dermis) skin
squamo scale  squamous
 xeroderma SUBUNGUAL
xero dry = mild form of  al – pertaining to
ichthyosis  sub – below or beneath the
 unguo – nail
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
ABBREVIATIONS
ANHYDROSIS
 AP– anteroposterior
 osis – abn. condition
 PA– posteroanterior
 an – (without; not) inadequate
 Lat– lateral
 hidr – (sweat) perspiration or sweating
Bx, bx biopsy
BCC Basal Cell Carcinoma
DIAPHORESIS
decub decubitus; decubitus ulcer; bedsore
 esis – condition
 dia – (through; across) profuse derm dermatology
 phoro – (to carry; to transmit) sweating DLE Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Eczema Asthma and Hay Fever
EAHF
Eczema Allergy and Hay Fever
FS Frozen Section MUSCULAR SYSTEM
ID Intradermal TERM MEANING EXAMPLE
Intramuscular; Infectious chest or
IM pectus  pectoral
Mononucleosis breast
I&D Incision and drainage diaphragm partition  diaphragmatic
oint, ung ointment  phrenic; phrenic
phren diaphragm
SC; sc; sub nerve
Subcutaneous
q; subcu delta triangular  deltoid
SLE Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Superficial Musculoaponeurotic BICEPS BRACHII
SMAS
System (flap); plastic surgery  Bi – two
XP; XDP Xeroderma pigmentosum  ceps – heads
 brachium – arm
MUSCULAR SYSTEM
FLEXOR DIGITORUM PROFUNDUS
VOLUNTARY  flexor – enables bending
 voluntas – will – controlled at will  digits – fingers
INVOLUNTARY  profundus – deep
 in – not
 voluntas – will – controlled at will TRAPEZIUS MUSCLE
 automatic  trapezium – four sides
 diamond shape muscle at posterior neck
TENDON and thorax
 sometimes called sinew, cord, or leader
LATISSIMUS DORSI
TENDINITIS  latus – broad
 tendon + itis (inflammation)  Latissimus – broadest
 also tendonitis
TENOSYNOVITIS
 tendon + syn (together) + itis
GLUTEUS MAXIMUS
(inflammation)  gluteus – buttocks
 inflammation of the tendon sheath  maximus – largest
 there is a gluteus medius and gluteus
minimus
MUSCLES ARE NAMED ACCORDING TO:
 LOCATION GASTROCNEMIUS
 Pectoralis minor – smaller muscle of the  gastro – belly (stomach)
chest or breast  knee – leg
 Pectoralis major – larger muscle of the
chest or breast LIGAMENTUM TERES
 Pectus – breast  aka round ligament
 SHAPE  aka ligamentum capitis femoris
 Quadratus – four sides muscle  aka ligament of the femoral head
 Rectus – straight muscle
 Deltoid – triangular (delta + oid = FOVEA CAPITIS
resembles)  pit of the head (small hole on the
 DIRECTION OF FIBERS femoral head)
 Transverse – crossways
 Oblique – at an angle
 BY ACTION
 Flexor digitorum – bender of fingers
 NUMBER OF PARTS
 Biceps – two heads
 Triceps – three heads
 Quadriceps – four heads