Medical Terminology Word Structure

cyan/o

means blue

erythr/o

means red

leuk/o

means white

melan/o

means black

poli/o

means gray

neur/o

means nerve

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-itis

inflammation

-ectomy

surgical removal

crani/um

skull

cardi

heart

-ac, -ic, -al, -ical, -ous

suffixes meaning pertaining to

gastr

stomach

-ago, -iasis, -osis, -ion, -pathy, -ia, -ism

suffixes meaning abnormal condition

path

disease

-ology

study of

-algia

pain and suffering

-dynia

meaning pain

-megaly

means enlargement

hepat/o

liver

-malacia

abnormal softening

arteri/o

artery

-necrosis

tissue death

sclerosis

abnormal hardening

-stenosis

abnormal narrowing

-centesis

means a surgical puncture to remove fluid

abdomin/o

abdomen

-graphy

means the process of producing a picture or record

angi/o

blood vessel

-gram

means a picture or record

my/o

muscle

-scopy

means visual examination

anthr/o

joint

-rrhage and -rrhagia

means bleeding (usually used to describe sudden, severe bleeding)

hem/o

blood

ten/o

tendon

-rrhea

means flow or discharge and refers to the flow of most bodily fluids

dia-

means through

natal

means pertaining to birth

nat

means birth

prenatal

means the time and events before birth

perinatal

refers to the time and events surrounding birth

peri-

means surrounding

ab-

away from, negative, absent

dextro-

right side

ex-

out of, outside, away from

macro-

large, abnormal size, or long

mega-, megalo-

large, great

ad-

toward, to, in the direction of

sinistro-

left side

in-

in, into, not, without

micro-

small

oligo-

scanty, few

post-

after, behind

dys-

means bad, difficult, or painful

eu-

means good, normal, well, or easy

inter-

means between or among

intra-

means within or inside

sub-

means under, less, or below

laryng/o

larynx or throat

rhino/o

means nose

ot/o

means ear

lith

means stone

appendic-

means appendix

A sign

objective evidence of disease, such as a fever

A symptom

subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache

diagnosis

is the identification of a disease

differential diagnosis (D/DX)

Is an attempt to determine which one of several possible diseases is causing the signs and symptoms that are present (also known as a rule out (R/O))

Prognosis

a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease

disease

a condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally.

end-

means within

anther/o

means plaque or fatty substance

-oma

means tumor

col-

means colon

pyel-

means the renal pelvis

ileum

Is the last and longest portion of the small intestine. (Memory aid: ileum is spelled with an e as in intestine)

ilium

Is part of the hip bone (Memory aid: ilium is spelled with an i as in hip)

mening-

means the meninges

tendin-

means tendon

Infection

the invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease-producing) organism. Infection can remain localized (near the point of entry) or can be systemic (affecting the entire body)

exudate

any fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound

laceration

a torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut

lesion

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury

mucous (adjective)

describes the specialized membranes that line the body cavities

mucus (noun)

refers to the fluid secreted by mucous membranes

myc/o

means fungus

myel/o

bone marrow or spinal cord

my/o

muscle

-ologist

means specialist

dermat-

means skin

-ology

means the study of

pyel/o

renal pelvis (which is part of the kidney)

py/o

means pus

pyr/o

means fever or fire

supination

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

suppuration

the formation of pus

viral

means pertaining to a virus

vir-

virus or posion

virile

means having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male