Med terms chapter 1

Acute

short term and sharp

Chronic

long term and returns

Diagnosis

present condition

Prognosis

future condition

Greek: glosso/o =

tongue

Latin: lingu/o =

tongue

Sign

 Objective

 Observable signs

Symptom

 Subjective

 Patient’s explanation

Eponyms

 Alzheimer disease

 Achilles tendon

Combining forms

 arthr/o

 gastr/o

 ophthalm/o

 ot/o

 rhin/o

Suffixes

 -algia

 -tomy

 -scope

 -logy

 -plasty

The patient complained of chronic gastralgia (pain of the stomach). Is this complaint a sign or a symptom?

Symptom

Building Terms: Rule #1

If the suffix starts with a vowel, a combining vowel is NOT needed to join the parts.

arthr/o + -itis = arthritis

Building Terms: Rule #2

If the suffix starts with a consonant, a combining vowel IS needed to join the two word parts.

arthr/o + -plasty = arthroplasty

Building Terms: Rule #3

If a combining form ends with the same vowel that begins a suffix, one of the vowels is dropped.

endocardi/o + -itis = endocarditis

Building Terms: Rule #4

If two or more combining forms are used in a term, the combining vowel is retained between the two, regardless of whether the second combining form is a vowel or a suffix.

gastr/o + enter/o + -itis

= gastroenteritis

Building Terms: Rule #5

Sometimes when two or more combining forms are used to make a term, special notice needs to be paid to the order in which the combining forms are joined.

esophag/o + gastr/o + duoden/o + -scopy

= esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Structure, thing

-is (ex: hypodermis)

Structure, thing, membrane

-um (ex: endocardium)

Small, tiny

-icle, -ole, -ule (ex: cuticle, arteriole, venule)

Suffixes that mean pertaining to:

-ac cardiac

-al - cervical

-ar - valvular

-ary - coronary

-eal - esophageal

-ic - hypodermic

-ous - subcutaneous

Pathology Suffixes (1 of 3)

-algia - cephalalgia

-emia - hyperlipidemia

-ia - agastria

-itis - tonsillitis

Pathology Suffixes (2 of 3)

-malacia - chondromalacia

-megaly - splenomegaly

Pathology Suffixes (3 of 3)

-ptosis - hysteroptosis

-sclerosis - arteriosclerosis

-stenosis - arteriostenosis

Diagnostic Suffixes

(-graphy) mammography

(-metry) spirometry

(-opsy) biopsy

(-scopy) hysteroscopy

Therapeutic Suffixes

(-ectomy) gastrectomy

(-plasty) rhinoplasty

(-stomy) colostomy

(-tomy) osteotomy

(-tripsy) lithotripsy

Instrument Suffixes (1 of 2)

(-graph) electrocardiograph

(-meter) thermometer

(-scope) ophthalmoscope

instrument Suffixes (2 of 2)

(-tome) osteotome

(-tripter) lithotripter

(-trite) lithotrite

Specialties/Specialist Suffixes (1 of 2)

(-logy) neonatology

(-logist) psychologist

(-ist) dentist

(-er) polysomnographer

Specialties/Specialist Suffixes (2 of 2)

(-iatry) psychiatry

(-iatrist) psychiatrist

(-iatrics) pediatrics

(-iatrician) pediatrician

Prefixes modify a medical term indicating:

 absence

 location

 number/quantity

 state

Prefixes (2 of 8)

 Are attached directly to the beginning of the

term

 May have more than one meaning

Prefixes 1-4

a- apneic

an- anophthalmia

ante- anteversion

anti- antibacterial

dys- dystrophy

endo-, end- endoscopy

epi- epigastric

Prefixes 5-8

hyper- hyperglycemia

hypo- hypoglossal

inter- intervertebral

intra- intradermal

para-, par- paraphilia

per- percutaneous

peri- pericardium

pre- prenatal

poly- polyneuritis

post- postictal

sub- subhepatic

Singular

vertebra

 arthrosis

 appendix

 arthritis

 phalanx

 endocardium

 digitus

 therapy

Plural

 vertebrae

 arthroses

 appendices

 arthritides

 phalanges

 endocardia

 digiti

 therapies

Categories of Terms

 Anatomy and physiology

 Pathology (diseases and disorders)

 Diagnostic procedures (tests)

 Therapeutic interventions (treatments)