Chapter 1: Intro to Med Term

Study materials from the Pthomegroup Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professionals 7th edition

the word root contains the ________ of a term

basic meaning

what is a combining form?

word root with a combining vowel added at the end (ex: combining form meaning stomach is gastr/o)

Where are suffixes located?

-at the end of word

suffixes usually indicate what?

the procedure, condition, disorder or disease

where are prefixes located?

at the beginning of word-

prefixes usually indicate what?

location, time, number, or status

word roots usually indicate what?

the part of the body involved

T or F: word roots can stand alone

false; a suffix must always be added to end for complete term

The rules for creating a combining form by adding a __A___ apply when a suffix beginning with a __B__ is added to the ___C____.

A) vowel

B) consonant

C) word root

myel/o

spinal cord

my/o

muscle

oste/o

bone

neur/o

nerve

arthr/o

joint

cyan/o

blue

erythr/o

red

leuk/o

white

melan/o

black

poli/o

gray

-algia

pain, painful condition

dys-

bad, difficult, or painful

-ectomy

surgical removal, cutting out

hyper-

excessive, increased

hypo-

deficient, decreased

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition, disease

-ostomy

`the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface

-otomy

cutting, surgical incision

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhage

bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

abdominocentesis

surgical puncture of abdominal cavity to remove fluid

acronym

word formed from initial letter of major parts of a compound term : IDK = I dont know

acute

describes condition with rapid onset, severe course, and relatively short duration

angiography

process of producing a radiographic (x-ray) study of blood vessels after injection of contrast to make blood vessels visible

appendectomy

surgical removal of appendix

arteriosclerosis

abnormal hardening of walls of artery/ies

arthralgia

pain in joints

colostomy

surgical creation of artificial excretory opening between the colon and body surface

cyanosis

blue discoloration of the skin caused by lack of adequate oxygen in the blood

dermatologist

physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin

diagnosis

“DX” identification of disease (plural =diagnoses)

diarrhea

frequent flow of loose or watery stools

edema

swelling caused by abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues, or cavities of the body

endarterial

pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery

eponym

disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered/described it

erythrocyte

mature red blood cell

fissure

groove or crack-like sore of the skin; also describes normal folds in contours of brain

fistula

abnormal passage, often due to surgery, injury or draining of abscess

gastralgia

“stomachache” pain in the stomach

gastritis

inflammation of stomach

gastroenteritis

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

gastrosis

any disease of the stomach

hemorrhage

loss of large amount of blood in short time

hepatomegaly

abnormal enlargement of liver

hypertension

higher than normal blood pressure

hypotension

lower than normal blood pressure

infection

invasion of body by pathogenic organism

inflammation

localized response to injury or to the destruction of tissues

interstitial

between parts of tissue

intramuscular

within muscle

laceration

torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut wound

lesion

pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

malaise

feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often first indication of infection or disease

mycosis

abnormal condition or disease caused by fungus

myelopathy

pathologic change or disease in spinal cord

myopathy

pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue

myorrhexis

rupture of muscle

natal

pertaining to birth

neonatology

study of disorders of newborn

neurorrhaphy

suturing together the ends of a severed nerve

otorhinolaryngology

study of ears, nose, and throat

palpation

examination technique where examiner’s hands used to feel for texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts

palpitation

pounding or racing heart

pathology

study of all aspects of diseases

phalanges

bones of fingers and toes; plural = phalanx

poliomyelitis

viral infection of the gray matter of the spinal cord

prognosis

prediction of probable course and outcome of disorder (plural = prognoses)

pyoderma

acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infection

pyrosis

“heartburn” discomfort due to the regurgitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus

remission

temporary, partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of disease without achieved cure

sign

objective evidence of a disease *patient and other means of eval

supination

act of rotating arm so that palm of hand is forward or upward

suppuration

formation or discharge of pus

supracostal

above or outside ribs

symptom

subjective evidence of disease *only patient eval

syndrome

set of signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process

tonsillitis

inflammation of the tonsils

trauma

wound or injury

triage

medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and proper place of treatment

viral

pertaining to virus

leukocyte

white blood cell

melanosis

any condition of unusual deposits of black pigment in body tissues or organs

gastr/o

stomach

enter/o

small intestine

what is the rule when combining two word roots?

the combining vowel always added to first word root and only added to the second word root if suffix begins with consonant

neuroplasty

surgical repair of a nerve