Medical Terminology An Introduction Using Medical Abbreviations Shortened
Medical Terminology An Introduction
Using Medical Abbreviations • Shortened forms for convenience • Usually just letters • Agencies have their approved lists of abbreviations—if not on list, do not use • Health care workers are expected to recognize most common abbreviations
Medical Terminology was derived primarily from Greek & Latin --these were the languages of scholarly people in ancient times
Greeks: founders of modern medicine • Hippocrates— –Four body humors: –black bile, yellow bile, blood & phlegm –Too much black bile caused depression –Called condition melancholy –Literally means condition of black bile
Because of this use of two languages, you might see different terms & acronyms that mean the same thing. Example: • EKG - “K” (kardia) = heart --Greek electro/kardio/gram • E CG -“C” (cardia) = heart -- Latin electro/cardio/gram
• Impossible to memorize all the medical words individually, so determine meaning of words by breaking it into parts • These word parts are used over and over in different combinations • If the word parts are known, then the word can be broken down and interpreted
Medical terminology is very interesting & insightful.
Take the word Amazon. • Greek mythology tells us of beautiful, fierce woman warriors. • They were excellent in archery & fighting. • They fought oppression of men. • Men called them Amazon warriors.
What does the Greek word amazon mean? • Amazon comes from the Greek word: amazos • The “a” is a prefix that means “without” • “mazos” is the word root, which means “breast” • Translated, Amazon refers to “without a breast” • Greek mythology has it that these fierce women cut off their right breast in order to better handle their bows and arrows.
Another interesting medical root is gastr/o • This root means stomach • gastr/itis = inflamed stomach • Gastr/ologist = stomach doctor
How is it, then, that the calf muscle is called the gastrocnemius muscle? • In ancient times, gastr/o was a Greek word meaning “belly” • Since calf muscle “bellied” out, the root gastr/o was used to describe it.
Medical words are like individual jigsaw puzzles-each piece is a word part that comes together to form a medical term. pre fix root suffix
Example: dermat ologist dermatologist = skin doctor
Medical terms may have 4 word parts: 1. 2. 3. 4. Root Prefix Suffix Combining form
1. the word root • Gives basic meaning of term • each medical term contains one or more roots • Unlike English roots, which can stand alone, most medical roots are meant to be used in combinations. Example: heart - cardi/
In medical terminology roots usually indicate a body part: dent/o enter/o pulmon/o cardi/o
2. the prefix is • a word part added before a root to modify its meaning • many medical terms do not have a prefix Example: pretest
A prefix usually indicates a: • Number • Time • Position • Sense of negation
Prefix examples: • “number” prefixes Ø uni- (uni/corn) Ø bi- (bi/lateral) Ø tri- (tri/athlon) • “time” prefixes Ø pre- (pre/test) Ø post- (post/test)
• “position” prefixes Ø sub- (sub/marine) Ø trans- (trans/atlantic) Ø hypo- (hypo/dermic) • “negation” prefixes Ø a- (a/moral) Ø an- (an/aerobic)
3. the suffix is • a word part added to end of root to modify its meaning • most medical terms have a suffix Example: root--teach to teacher teach
In medical terminology, a suffix often times indicates: • a procedure ( -ectomy = surgical removal of) append/ectomy • a condition ( -osis = abnormal condition of) halit/osis • a disease ( -itis = inflammation of) tonsill/itis
root / prefix / suffix examples: • Root example: • Suffix example: • Prefix example: writer writ rewrite • See how both the suffix & prefix modify the root?
4. Combining Vowel • usually an “o” that is used between word parts • eases pronunciation Examples: therm/o/meter
• occasionally other vowels are used: “i” or “e” pelv/i or chol/e • A root word plus a vowel is referred to as a “combining form”. root = hepat/ combining hepat/o form =
• Roots & combining forms are indicated by slash “/ ” between root and vowel. cardi/o
IMPORTANT: Try to learn combining forms rather than word roots because: combining forms are easier to pronounce. Example: Difficult to pronounce: gastr Easier to pronounce: gastr/o
Guidelines For Using Combining Vowels • Rule 1 –If a suffix begins with a vowel, only use word root—not the combining form. • Example –suffix: -itis –root + suffix –hepat + -itis = hepat/itis
• Rule 2 -If a suffix begins with a consonant, use the combining vowel Example: word root therm/ combin. vowel o suffix -meter
Rule 3 • To link two root words, always use a combining vowel. Example: word roots splen/ o combin. vowel hepat/ suffix -itis
In most instances, the combining vowel is retained between two roots -even if the 2 nd root begins with a vowel. word roots combin. vowel suffix chondr/ o arthr/ -algia
• even if the last letter of the 1 st root ends with a vowel (oste/) & • the 1 st letter of the 2 nd root begins with a vowel (arthr/), • you must still use the combining “o” • Example: • oste/ + o + arthr/ + -itis
Rule 4 • Never use a combining vowel after a prefix, even if root begins with a consonant. Example: Never, never, NEVER!!! NO “O” HERE! prefix word root suffix post pos / rhin/o -plasty
Three Basic Steps to Defining & Interpreting Medical Words: 1. First, define the suffix 2. Second, define the prefix (if one is used) 3. Last, define the middle part (root) of word
Example 1: sub/gastr/algia sub- + gastr/ + (under) (stomach) prefix root 2 3 -algia (pain) suffix 1
Example 2: trans/cardi/o/pulmon/itis trans- + cardi/o (across) (heart) + pulmon/ + -itis (lungs) (inflam. ) prefix root suffix 2 3 4 1
Example 3: peri/oste/o/arthr/o/megaly peri(around) prefix 2 + oste/o (bone) root 3 + arthr/o (joints) root 4 + -megaly (enlargement) suffix 1
little note… • the root for heart = cardi/ • when you put this root with suffix, -itis, drop one “i” • instead of cardi/itis you would have: carditis
Time to practice!
- Slides: 40