MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Dr Michael P Gillespie CATEGORIES OF

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Dr. Michael P. Gillespie

CATEGORIES OF MEDICAL TERMS v. Descriptive – descriptive medical terms describes the shape, size, color, function etc. of the anatomical structure. v. Eponyms – literally “putting a name upon” - are used to honor someone who first discovered or described an anatomical structure, diagnosed a disease, or developed a medical instrument or procedure. • Eponyms give no useful information about what the item is or where it is located.

EXAMPLES OF EPONYMS v. Fallopian tubes (uterine tubes) – Gabriello Fallopio v. Eustachean tubes (auditory tubes) – Bartolommeo Eustachii

OBJECTIVES v. Analyze words by dividing them into component parts. • Do not simply memorize terms. • Break words up into their component parts. v. Relate the medical terms to the structure and function of the human body. • The medical terms will be easier to understand if you know their context in health and disease processes. v. Be aware of spelling and pronunciation problems. • Some medical terms are pronounced alike, but spelled differently (i. e. ilium and ileum). • Some medical terms are similar and a mispronunciation can lean to a misunderstanding (i. e. urethra and ureter).

ELEMENTS OF MEDICAL TERMS v. Root – the root is the foundation of the word. All medical words have one or more roots. v. Prefix – word beginning. Usually identifies some subdivision or part of the central meaning. v. Suffix – word ending. Modifies the central meaning. v. Combining vowel – usuallu an “o”. Links the root to a suffix or another root. v. Combining form – combination of the root plus the combining vowel.

WORD ROOT v. Therm = heat v. Hypothermia – less heat v. Thermometer – measuring heat

EXAMPLE v. Myocarditis v. Prefix Root v. Myo = muscle card = heart Suffix it is = inflammation

PREFIX CHANGE v. Myocarditis – inflammation of the muscle layer of the heart v. Pericarditis – inflammation of the outer layer of the heart v. Endocarditis – inflammation of the inner layer of the heart

SUFFIX CHANGE v. Cardiologist – a physician specializing in the heart v. Cardiomyopathy – damage to the heart muscle layer v. Cardiomegaly – enlargement of the heart

3 GENERAL RULES v 1. Read the meaning of the medical terms from the suffix back to the beginning of the term and across. v 2. Drop the combining vowel (usually o) before a suffix beginning with a vowel: gastritis not “gastroitis”. v 3. Keep the combining vowel between two roots: gastroenterology, not “gastrentology”.

HEMATOLOGY v. HEMAT /O v. Root / Combining vowel / LOGY / Suffix v. Hemat means blood and logy means the process of study. v. Hematology means the process of study of blood.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM v. Electr / o / cardi /o / gram v. Root / CV / Suffix / CV v. Elect means electricity v. Cardi means heart v. Gram means record v. Electrocardiogram means record of the electricity in the heart.

GASTRITIS v. Gastr / it is v. Root / suffix v. Gastr means stomach v. It is means inflammation v. Gastritis means inflammation of the stomach.

GASTROENTEROLOGY v. Gastr /o / enter /o / logy v. Root CV Suffix v. Gastr means stomach v. Enter means intestines v. Logy means the process of study v. Gastroenterology means process of study of the stomach and intestines

COMBINING FORMS v. Hemat /o v. Root / combining vowel v. Gastr /o v. Root / combining vowel v. Cardi /o v. Root / combining vowel v. Combining forms are used with many different suffixes.

PREFIXES v. Hypo / gastr / ic v. Prefix / Root / Suffix v. Below / stomach / pertaining to v. Hypogastric means pertaining to below the stomach v. Epi / gastric v. Prefix / Root v. Above / stomach v. Epigastric means pertaining to above the stomach

COMMON PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES v. Itis = inflammation (tonsillitis, appendicitis, hepatitis) v. Osis = abnormal condition (cyanosis) v. Ectomy = to cut out [remove] (appendectomy, tonsillectomy) v. Otomy = to cut into (tracheotomy) v. Ostomy = to make a [mouth] (colostomy) v. A / an = without / none (anemia, areflexia)

COMMON PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES v. Micro = small (microscopic) v. Macro = large (macroscopic) v. Mega / megaly = enlarged (megacolon, organomegaly) v. Scopy / scopic = to look / observe (colonoscopy) v. Graphy / graph = recording an image (mammography) v. Gram = the image (mammogram) v. Ology / ologist = study / specialize in (cardiologist, rheumatology)

WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS Root Meaning Example Stomato Mouth Stomatitis Dento Teeth Dentist Glosso / linguo Tongue Glossitis, lingual gland Gingivo Gums Gingivitis Encephalo Brain Encephalitis Gastro Stomach Gastritis Entero Intestine Gastroenteritis Colo Large intestine Colitis, megacolon

WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS Root Meaning Example Procto Anus / rectum Proctitis, proctologist Hepato Liver Hepatitis, hepatomegaly Nephro / rene Kidney Nephrosis, renal Orchiso Testis Orchiditis Oophoro Ovary Oophorectomy Hystero / metro Uterus Hysterectomy, endometritis Salpingo Uterine tubes Hysterosalpingogr am Dermo Skin Dermatitis

WORD ROOTS FOR ORGANS Root Meaning Example Masto / mammo Breast Mammography, mastectomy Osteo Bones Osteoporosis Cardio Heart Electrocardiogram Cysto Bladder Cystitis Rhino Nose Rhinitis Phlebo / veno Veins Phlebitis, phlebotomy Pneumo / pulmo Lung Pneumonitis, pulmonologist Hemo / emia Blood Hematologist, anemia