Medical Terminology Chapter 1

-ac

suffix: pertaining to

-ago

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-al

suffix: pertaining to

-algia

prefix: pain, suffering (ex: gastralgia)

-an

suffix: pertaining to

-ar

suffix: pertaining to

-ary

suffix: pertaining to

-centesis

suffix: surgical puncture to remove excess fluid (ex: abdominocentesis)

-dynia

suffix: pain (algia and dynia)

-eal

suffix: pertaining to

-ectomy

suffix: surgical removal (ex: appendectomy)

-esis

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-graphy

suffix: process of producing a record, photo or x-ray (ex: photography)

-ia

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-ial

suffix: pertaining to

-iasis

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-ical

suffix: pertaining to

-ice

suffix: pertaining to

-ine

suffix: pertaining to

-ion

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-ior

suffix: pertaining to

-ism

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-itis

suffix: inflammation

-malacia

suffix: abnormal softening (ex: osteomalacia)

-necrosis

suffix: tissue death (ex: necrophilia)

-ologist

suffix: specialist (dermatologist)

-ology

suffix: study of (ex: pathology)

-oma

suffix: tumor (ex: cancer)

-ory

suffix: pertaining to

-osis

suffix: abnormal condition (ex: endometriosis)

-ostomy

suffix: surgical opening (gastrostomy)

-otomy

suffix: surgical incision (ex: lobotomy)

-ous

suffix: pertaining to

-pathy

suffix: abnormal condition or disease

-plasty

suffix: surgical repair (ex: rhinoplasty)

-rraphy

suffix: surgical suturing (ex: cardiorraphy)

-rrhag/ia

suffix: sudden severe bleeding/ abnormal fluid discharge (ex: diarrhea)

-sclerosis

suffix: abnormal hardening (ex: atherosclerosis)

-scopy

suffix: visual examination (ex: colonoscopy)

-stenosis

suffix: abnormal narrowing

-tic

suffix: pertaining to

ab-

prefix: away from, absent, negative (ex: ABnormal)

acronym

a word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term

acute

rapid and severe but short duration

ad-

prefix: towards, in the direction of (ex: ADdiction)

appendic-

appendix (ex: appenectomy)

arteri/o-

artery (ex: arteritis)

arthr-

joint (ex: arthritis)

ather/o-

plaque, fatty substance (ex: atherosclerosis)

cardi/o-

heart (cardiology)

chronic

long duration, can be controlled but rarely cured

col-

colon (ex: colonoscopy)

crani-

skull (ex: cranium)

cyan-

blue

dermat-

skin (ex: dermatology)

dextro-

prefix: right side

diagnosis

identification of a disease

differential diagnosis/rule out

an attempt to determine which one of several possible diseases is causing the signs and symptoms that are present

disease

condition where body parts are not functional

dys-

prefix: bad, painful, difficult (ex: DYSfunctional, dyslexia)

edema

swelling caused by excess fluid in cells/tissue

end-

within

enter-

small intestine (ex: gastroenteritis)

eponym

something that is named after the person who discovered it

erythr/o-

red (ex: erythrocytes)

eu-

prefix: good, normal, easy (ex: EUphoria)

ex-

prefix: outside

exudate

any fluid that leaks out of an infected wound

fissure

groove/crack like sore of skin

fistula

abnormal passage

gastr/o-

stomach (ex: gastritis)

hem(at)-

blood (hemorrhage)

hepat-

liver (ex: hepatitis)

hyper-

prefix: excessive, increased (ex: hypertension)

hypo-

prefix: deficient, decreased (ex: hypotension)

ileum

last and longest portion of the small intestine

ilium

part of hip bone

in-

prefix: inside

infection

invasion of the body by pathogenic organism

inflammation

a localized response to an injury or to the destruction of tissues

inter-

prefix: between, among (ex: intersection)

intra-

prefix: within, inside (ex: intramuscular, within the muscles)

key indicators of inflammation

Erythema (redness), hyperthermia (heat), edema (swelling), pain

laceration

torn or jagged wound

laryng-

throat (ex: laryngitis)

lesion

pathologic change of tissue

leuk-

white (ex: leukemia)

lith-

stone (ex: lithium)

macro-

prefix: large, long

malaise

the feeling of uneasiness and discomfort

mega/lo

prefix: big

mening-

meninges (ex: meningitis)

micro-

prefix: small

my/o-

muscle (ex: myocardial)

myco-

fungus (ex: mycology)

myel/o-

spinal cord/bone marrow (ex: myelin)

nat-

birth (ex: prenatal)

neo-

new (ex: neonatology)

oligo-

prefix: small in size/quantity, few

oste/o

bone (ex: osteoporosis)