Medical Terminology

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Medical Terminology

• EMS Program
• University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
• Paramedic Training Division

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Medical Terminology
The Language of medicine
To effectively communicate Those who work in
medicine must speak and understand the same
language
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There are three potential parts of a medical term
Prefix Root word Suffix
Tonsil itis Tonsillitis
suffix
med term
root
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Root Words
Often refers to an anatomical part Conveys the
essential meaning
Ov Nephr/o Hemo Hepat/o Ocul/o Chole Pyret/o
Gastr/o Pneum/o Mening/o Cyst/o Edem Neur/o Alveol
/o
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Examples of Root-Root words
Sternoclavicular Musculoskeletal Genitourinary
when 2 root words or a root-suffix are added,
sometimes a combining vowel will be added to
make it easier to speak
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Prefixes
are never used alone add a quantifier, color or
a position to a word.
Brady-cardia Tachy-cardia Apnea Bilateral Ambidext
rous
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Common Prefixes
above
supra infra cost chole
rib
Bad, painful, difficult
inside
Beneath, under
sub cyst dys endo olig
gallbladder
scanty/small amount
urinary/bladder/sac of fluid
sometimes a prefix is also a root! clear as mud
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Suffixes
found at the end of the word to alter the
meaning of the word describes a
condition/diagnosis/disorder/procedure
Hematotoxic
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Important suffixes
to remove
otomy
ectomy
the study of
ology
pain
surgical incision
itis
to create an opening
ostomy
centesis
Inflammation of
odyn/o
break down/separation
lysis
surgical perforation/puncture
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More important suffixes..
to repair
algia
pain
emia
a condition
plasty
blood condition
rrhea
drainage
osis or ia
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And even more suffixes
pathy
weakness
paresis
urination
rrhagia
disease
uria
tumor
breathing
esthesia
nervous sensation
pnea
oma
bursting forth
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Combining Vowel
use when joining.
root to root (gastrohepatitis)
OR
root to a suffix that begins with a
consonant (cardiomegaly)
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Easy straightforward.right???
Ot/o Aur/o Auricul/o
Opthalm/o Optic/o Opt/o
osis ic ia
Peri Ambi per circum
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The anatomy dissection of a medical term
Pericardiocentesis
The aspiration of fluid from the pericardium (sac
of fluid) around theheart
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The anatomy dissection of a medical term
combining vowel
root word (x2)
prefix
Suffix
Costochondritis
Inflammation of the ribs/cartilage
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The anatomy dissection of a medical term
Lithotripsy
Endocarditis
Antipyretic
Substernal
Periorbital
Supraventricular tachycardia
paronychia
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Common medical terms
Idiopathic
Hypoglycemia
Rales
Status epilepticus
Stridor
Syncope
Aphasia
Iatrogenic
Hyperglycemia
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Anatomical Planes and Positions
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Anatomical Planes imaginery straight line
divisions of the body

• Frontal or Coronal plane divides anterior
  (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) (1)
• Sagittal Plane
• runs vertically through the body (2)
• Transverse or horizontal plane divides superior
  and inferior (3)

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Anatomical Position

• Standing up with the feet and hands facing the
  examiner

Always refer to the patients left or right, not
yours
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Body Positions
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or internal rotation
or external rotation
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Abbreviations
Use only approved abbreviations to avoid
confusion
Be mindful of capitalized lower case letters
Abbreviations can cause legal nightmares
Remember the purpose of documentation
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The mother called because the child woke up
coughing and appears to have difficulty
breathing.
4 yo child found sitting in a tripod position.
Alert, follows commands,skin warm, dry pink.
RR 12,able to appreciate intermittent episodes
of stridor with deep barky cough. No intercostal
or substernal retractions noted.
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Medical Slang.we have it too ?
Hi5
FLB
FLK
PID shuffle
Donut of Death
CKS
Banana bag
Gassers
Acute Pneumoencephalopathy