GW Intro to Medical Terminology Ch.1 The Basics and the Body

anter/o

front

arthr/o

joint

bi/o

life

cardi/o

heart

caud/o

tail

cephal/o

head

cervic/o

neck; cervix (neck of uterus)

col/o, colon/o

large intestine; colon

cost/o

rib

cyt/o

cell

dist/o

away from the point of origin; far; distant

dors/o

back of the body

enter/o

intestines (usually the small intestine)

gastr/o

stomach

glyc/o

sugar; glucose

hepat/o

liver

hist/o

tissue

infer/o

below

later/o

side

lip/o

fat

log/o

study

medi/o

middle

my/o

muscle

neur/o

nerve

path/o

disease

poster/o

back (of body); behind

proxim/o

near the point of origin; near; close

sarc/o

flesh; connective tissue

super/o

above

thorac/o

chest

ventr/o

belly side of body; ventral aspect

vicer/o

internal organs

a-, an-

not; without

ante-

before

anti-

against

bi-

two; both

brady-

slow

endo-

in; within

epi-

on; over; upon

hyper-

above; above normal; excessive

hypo-

below; below normal; deficient

inter-

between

intra-

within; into

peri-

around; surrounding

sub-

below; under

supra-

above

tachy-

fast

trans-

across

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -iac, -ial, -ic, -ical, -ior

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-cyte

cell

-ectomy

surgical removal; excision

-emia

blood condition

-gen

substance that produces

-ia

condition

-ine

a substance (noun) pertaining to (adjective)

-itis

inflammation

-logist

specialist (one who studies)

-logy

study of

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor; mass

-osis

abnormal condition

-pathy

disease

-plasty

surgical repair

-stomy

surgical opening

-tomy

process of cutting; incision

-um

structure; tissue; thing

AAF

African-American female

abd

abdomen; abdominal

CBC

complete blood (cell) count

c/o

complains of; complaining of

consult

consultation

CT

computerized tomography; computed tomography

CXR

chest X-ray

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

ER

emergency room

hs

half strength; bedtime

ht

height

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

OB/GYN

obstetrician / gynecologist

OR

operating room

postop

after surgery; postoperative

preop

before surgery; preoperative

Pro. time

prothrombin time (blood-clotting test)

Pt, pt.

patient

PTT

partial thromboplastin time (blood-clotting test)

SOB

shortness of breath

stat, STAT

immediately

T&C

type and cross-match

UA

urinalysis

VS, V/S

vital signs

WNL

within normal limits

wt

weight

y/o

year(s) old; year old