Medical Terminology

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Medical Terminology

• Introduction to Basic Word Elements
• Spelling Pronunciation

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What is Medical Terminology

• Language of medical terms or words
• Derived from Latin or Greek
• Used to describe diseases, diagnosis,
  investigations, procedures, signs and symptoms,
  anatomy and physiology

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Structure / Elements of medical words

• Are a combination of smaller words / or word
  parts
• Consist of one or more of the following parts
• 1. Root words
• 2. Prefixes
• 3. Suffixes
• 4. Combining vowels
• 5. Combining forms

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1. Word Root

• Is the basic word part or foundation of the word
• Provides the meaning to the word
• Usually refers to a body part
• E.g. cardi refers to the heart
• gastr refers to the stomach

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Examples of word roots

• Word Root Body Part
• Gastr Stomach
• Gastric juices means acids in the stomach

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Example

• Word Root Body Part
• cardi heart
• Cardiac Arrest means heart attack
• 
  

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Example

• Word Root Body Part
• trache Trachea i.e.
  windpipe
• Tracheitis means inflammation of the trachea
• Pg 1

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2.Prefixes ( pre means before)

• Is the element at the beginning of the word
• Comes before the word root
• Prefix modifies or changes the meaning of the
  root word

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Application of prefixes

• The prefix pan means whole
• E.g. pan arthritis panarthritis
• 
  
• arthritis of the
  joints

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Application of prefixes

• E.g. INTER/COSTAL
• inter (between) costal (ribs)
• (prefix) (word
  root)
• INTERCOSTAL
• pg1.

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3.Suffixes

• Come at the end of the word root
• Modifies the word root
• Adds to the meaning to the word root
• Pg 2

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Application of Suffixes

• Itis - means inflammation
• E.g. appendicitis means inflammation of the
  appendix
• Algia - means pain
• E.g. pharynalgia means pain of the throat
• Pg 2

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Suffixes that mean relating to
ac cardiac Relating to the heart
al skeletal Relating to the skeleton
ar muscular Relating to the muscle
ary urinary Relating to urine
ic epigastric Relating to above the stomach
ive infective relating to infection
ous nervous Relating to nerves
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4.Combining vowels

• used to join various parts of the word
• a,e,i,o,u
• Most common vowels used are o and i
• Acts like a maths sign
• E.g. cardi /o/ logist
• Pg 2,3

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5.Combining form

• Is simply a root word plus a combining vowel
• E.g. gastr root word for stomach
• gastro combining form of stomach
• Gastro can now be joined to another root
• word or suffix
• Makes words easier to pronounce

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More combining forms
Body Part Word Root Combining Form
stomach gastr gastro
intestine enter entero
heart cardi cardio
nose rhin rhino
skin dermat dermato
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Interpreting the meaning of medical terms

• Breaking the words down makes it easier
• E.g. Gastro /enter / itis
• then look up meaning of each component
• Read the word backwards beginning with the suffix
• Listen to experts
• Ask your supervisor for clarification if unsure

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Interpreting medical termse.g. Gastroenterology

• 1.break up the word into its components
• 2.e.g.gastro / entero / logy
• 3.then read the meaning backwards i.e.
• 1.logy study of
• 2.entero intestines
• 3.gastro stomach
• Meaning study of the intestines and stomach

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Interpreting medical termse.g. gastroenteric

• Gastr (stomach) / o / enter
  (intestines) / ic
• root combining
  root suffix
• vowel
  
• Gastroenteric means relating to the stomach
  intestines

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Interpreting medical termse.g.Rhinoplasty

• Rhin (nose) / o / plasty
  (surgical repair of)
• root combining suffix
• vowel
  
• Rhinoplasty means surgical repair of the nose
  

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Dermatologist

• Dermat (skin) / o / logist
  (specialist)
• root combining
  suffix
• vowel
  
• Dermatologist means specialist who studies the
  skin

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Dropping a vowel when joining words

• If root word ends in a vowel suffix begins with
  a vowel, combining vowel is dropped
• e.g. gastr/o -itis
  gastritis
• (stomach) (inflammation of)
• If a prefix ends in a vowel root word begins
  with a vowel the combining vowel is dropped
• e.g. anti acid antacid (not
  antiacid)
• (against) (acid) (works
  against acid)

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When to leave the combining vowel in

• If the suffix begins with a consonant the
  combining vowel stays
• e.g. cardio pathy cardiopathy

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Pronunciation

• Lightly emphasise the first syllable
• Break up the words
• E.g. pericarditis peri card
  it is
• gastroenteritis gastro entero
  it is
• Myocardium myo cardi
  um

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Using dictionaries

• Stress marks used when word has gt one syllable
• Stress mark or , placed before syllable to be
  stressed
• Symbol ? is a neutral or unstressed vowel e.g.
  ain above or e in sicken
• Look up respiration
• gastrostomy

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Hints for pronouncing
Consonant Example
c (before a,o,u) k Cavity, colon,cure
c (before e,i ) s Cephalic, cirrhosis
ch k cholesterol
g (before a, o, u) g gallstone,gonad
g (before e, i ) j generic, giant
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Hints for pronouncing
Consonant Example
ph f phase, pharnyx
pn n pneumonia
ps s psychiatry, psychology
pt t ptosis, pterygium
rh,rrh rhythm, haemorrhoid
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Spelling medical terms correctly
Abduction Adduction move away from move towards
Arteritis Arthitis inflammation of an artery inflammation of a joint
Ileum Ilium lower part of small intestine hip bone
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Plurals

• Most words are made plural by adding used s, or
  replacing y with ies
• but
• Latin words use other letters

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Application of plurals
Singular ending Plural ending Singular example Plural example meaning
-a -ae vertebra hernia vertebrae herniae part of spine protrusion of an organ
-is -es diagnosis testis diagnoses testes identification of a disease male sex organ
-um -a bacterium ovum bacteria ova microorganism female egg cell
-us -i bronchus bacillus bronchi bacilli small airway type of bacterium
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English American Spelling

• American spelling drops any silent vowels i.e an
  o or a that is silent is left out of the
  spelling
• If c is pronounced as a hard k sound the
  Americans will spell it with a k
• Both English American is used

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American versus English spelling
English American Pronunciation Meaning
diarrhoea diarrhea di a - rear watery bowel motion
foetal fetal fee - tal child in womb
haematologist hematologist hem a tol - ogist blood specialist
leucocyte leukocyte lew ko - site white blood cell
oedema edema e- deema swelling
paediatrics pediatrics peedi - atrics area of child health
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Medical termsDiseases and disorders

• Aetiology - study of cause of diseases
• Signs clinical evidence of cause of diseases or
  disorders
• Symptoms indicators of disease that the patient
  is experiencing
• Disease set of signs and symptoms that disrupts
  normal function of a body system or organ
• Diagnosis is when the doctor finds or decides
  what is causing the signs and symptoms i.e. the
  disease or disorder

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Diseases and disorders

• Prognosis forecast of the outcome / recovery
  from the disease
• Morbidity presence of illness or disease
• Mortality death
• Acute beginning abruptly and usually intense
• Chronic refers to something lasting for a long
  time
• Terminal - will cause death
• Pg 6

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Disorder prefixes
Disorder Prefixes Meaning
a, an without
brady slow
dys difficult or painful
hyper above
hypo below
oligo few
poly many
tachy fast
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Disorder Suffixes pg 6
Disorder suffix Meaning
-ema swelling
-trophy nourishment
-ia condition of
-iasis abnormal condition of
-megaly enlargement
-oma tumour (mass which may or may not be cancerous)
-osis abnormal condition
-ptysis spitting up
-staxis dripping blood