Medical Terminology

Diagnosis

present condition

Prognosis

future condition

Acute

• short term

• sharp

Chronic

• long term

• returns

Sign

• objective

• observable signs

Symptom

• subjective

• patient’s explanation

Eponyms

• alzheimer’s disease

• achilles tendon

Prefix

the beginning of a word

Root

central part of the word

Suffix

ending part of a word

Combining form

combining word vowel (“o”) added to the root to help w/ pronunciation

Decoding 101

• identify word parts

• assign meanings

• reverse suffix to the front of the term

• define the term

-is

structure, thing

-um

structure, thing, membrane

-icle, -ole, -ule

small, tiny

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ous

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-emia

blood condition

-genic

produced by or in

-globin

protein

-ia

condition

-ion

process

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor, mass

-osis

condition, usually abnormal

-sclerosis

hardening

-stenosis

narrowing

-ptosis

prolapse

-graphy

recording

-metry

measurement

-opsy & -scopy

viewing

-ectomy

removal, excision

-plasty

surgical repair

-stomy

new opening

-tomy

incision

-tripsy

crushing

-tripter

machine to crush

-trite

instrument to crush

-tome

instrument to cut

-logy

study of

-logist

specializes in study of

-ist

one who specializes

-er

one who

-iatry

process of treatment

-iatrist, -iatrician

one who specializes in treatment

-iatrics

treatment

a- , an-

no, without

ante-

forward

anti-

against

dys-, para-, par-

abnormal

dia-

through, complete

endo-, end-

within

epi-

above, upon

inter-

between

intra-

within

per-

through

peri-

surrounding, around

pro-

before, forward

re-

back, backwards, again

retro-

behind

sub-

under, below

trans-

across, through

aden / o

gland

arthr / o

joint

bi / o

life

cardi / o

heart

cis / o

to cut

crin / o

to secrete

cyst / o

urinary bladder

cyt / o

cell

encephal / o

brain

enter / o

intestines

erythr / o

red

gastr / o

stomach

glyc / o

sugar

hemat / o or hem / o

blood

hepat / o

liver

leuk / o

white

nephr / o or ren / o

kidney

neur / o

nerve

onc / o

tumor

psych / o

mind

rhin / o

nose

sarc / o

flesh

Iatrogenic

• iatr / o → physicians or healer

• illness that arises as the result of a medical examination or treatment

• i.e. medications, complications, infections

Degenerative

• diseases that are progressive

• often w/ irreversible deterioration

• loss of function in the organs or tissues

• i.e. heart failure, arthritis, alzheimer’s

Inflammatory

• causing inflammation in the body due to the immune system working to fight infection, injury, or foreign body entry

• i.e. allergic reactions, autoimmune disorders

Traumatic

• serious injury or wound to the body

• severe emotional or mental distress

• i.e.diabetes, heart disease, infection

Neoplastic

• abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow & divide more than they should or don’t die off

• i.e. cancers, lipomas, fibroids, adenomas

Infectious

• disease or illness caused by microorganisms that invade the body & multiply

• caused symptoms & health complications

• i.e. hepatitis b, covid, influenza, salmonella

Obstructive

• blockage or obstruction that hinders/ interrupts flow

• i.e. asthma, copd, choledoclithiasis

Congenital (birth defects/anomoly)

• health condition present at birth

• can be due to genetic mutations, environmental factors, maternal health conditions

• i.e. spina bifida, clubfoot, cerebral palsy, down syndrome

Metabolic

• disruptions to the body’s chemical processes

• leads to diseases

• i.e. diabetes, Wilson’s disease, hemochromatosis, maple syrup urine disease

Immunologic

• arise when the body’s immune system overreacts, under-reacts, or attacks healthy tissues

• i.e. autoimmune diseases, allergies, vasculitis