Week 2: General Medical Terms 1

Comprehensive vocabulary list covering general medical suffixes, prefixes, timing factors, distribution terms, oncology, and quantifiers.

-ology

The study of

Cardiology

Heart study

Hematology

Blood study

Physiology

Body study

Etiology

The study of the cause; why a disease happened

Path

Sickness / disease

Pathology

Study of disease

Pathologist

Person who studies disease (organs, tissues)

Pathophysiology

Describes how the normal body changes once disease begins

Histo

Tissue

Histology

Examines tissues under a microscope

Biopsy

Tissue removed from a living patient for diagnosis

Necro

Dead

Necrosis

Death of cells of tissue while the patient is alive

Necropsy

Post mortem exam of an animal; determines cause of death or confirms diagnosis

Autopsy

Post mortem exam of a human

Epidemic

Disease levels exceed what is expected in a population over a specific timeframe; above the normal level

Generalized

Involve the entire body

Localized

Affect one area

Diffuse

Widespread

Systemic

Affects the entire body or body system (e.g., diabetes, renal failure, sepsis) and requires treatment of the entire body

Acute

Diseases that begin suddenly

Chronic

Diseases that lasts months / years

Peracute

Conditions that happen very fast, are extremely rapid, and often fatal because they progress so rapidly

Subacute

Falls between acute and chronic

Paroxysmal

Sudden episodes (seizures) characterized by sudden, temporary and recurrent attacks with normal periods in between

Idiopathic

Disease with unknown cause

Iatrogenic

Disease caused unintentionally by medical treatment

Lesion

An abnormality in tissue that does not describe cause; can be internal, external, temporary, or permanent

Oncology

The study of tumors and cancer

Neoplasm

Abnormal new growth

Benign Tumors

Tumors that grow but do not spread to other parts of the body

Malignant Tumors

Tumors that invade local tissue and then will spread or metastasize to other areas of the body

Neoplasia

New formation

-oma

Suffix for benign tumors (most of them)

Carcinoma

Malignant tumor of epithelial tissue

Sarcoma

Malignant tumor of connective tissue

Hematoma and Seroma

Terms that look like tumor names but are not neoplasia

Lymphoma and Malignant Melanoma

Tumors that are malignant but do not follow the standard naming guidelines

Abscess

Localized infection filled with fluid (pus / purulent exudate) consisting of old, dead white blood cells; painful and swollen

Lith

Rock / stone; solid mineral accumulations that can obstruct flow and cause pain

Uroliths

Stones in the urinary tract

Hydro

Water

Hydrocephalus

Excess fluid in the brain

Anhydrolysis / Anhidrosis

Inability to sweat, which impairs temperature regulation

Phobia

Fear

Stasis

Stoppage or slowing of normal flow

Homeostasis

Body's ability to maintain a stable internal condition despite changes in internal/external environmental conditions

Hemostasis

The stopping of bleeding using blood vessels, platelets, and clotting factors

A- / An-

Absence or lack of something (e.g., anoxia - no oxygen)

Dys-

Poor / painful function (e.g., dysuria - painful urination)

Central Nervous System

Brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

All the nerves outside of the central nervous system

Extra-

Outside

Intra-

Within

Inter-

Between

Peri-

Around (e.g., pericardium - tissue that surrounds the heart)

Para-

Near or beside; indicates proximity to a structure

Circum-

Around, surrounding, or encircling on all sides (e.g., circumferential suture)

Syn- / Sym-

Together or union

Synergism

Combined actions produce a greater effect

Symbiosis

Two different living organisms in close physical association where neither are harmed

Iso-

Equal or same (e.g., isotonic fluids)

Supra-

Above

Infra- / Infer-

Below

Hyper-

Excessive or above normal

Hypo-

Deficient or below normal

Ab-

Away from (e.g., abnormal)

Ad-

Toward or next to (e.g., adrenal gland)

Incise

To cut into

Excise

To cut out entirely

Excretion

Removes waste products

Secretion

Releases useful products

Pre-

Before

Ante-

Before; used in anatomical terms or for 'ante mortem' (before death)

Post-

After

Anti-

Against

Retro-

Behind or backward

Ecto- / Exo-

Outside

Endo-

Inside

Oligo-

Few or little

Poly-

Many

Mono- / Uni-

One

Bi- / Di- / Diplo-

Two or double

Bifurcation

One structure divides into two; branching or forking

Tri-

Three

Quad-

Four

-penia

Decrease or a lack of something

-philia

Attraction / excess / tendency

-cytosis

Excess number

Leuk / Leuko

White

Cyan

Blue

Eryth / Erythro

Red

Melan

Black or dark pigment

Micro

Small

Macro

Big / large