A- | Without |
Ante- | Before, forward |
Endo- | Within |
Multi- | More than one or many |
Neo- | New |
Nulli- | Never or none |
Peri- | Surrounding |
Post- | After, behind |
Primi- | First |
Balan/o | Glans penis |
Cervic/o | Cervix |
Colp/o | Vagina |
Cortic/o | Cortex |
Cyst/o | Urinary bladder, cyst, sac of fluid |
Episi/o | Vulva |
Gravid/o | Pregnancy |
Gynec/o | Woman, female |
Hysteri/o | Uterus |
Lact/o | Milk |
Mamm/o | Breast |
Mast/o | Breast |
Medull/o | Middle |
Men/o | Menstruation |
Metr/o, metri/o | Uterus |
My/o | Muscle |
Nephr/o | Kidney |
O/o | Egg |
Obstetr/o | Pregnancy, childbirth |
Onc/o | Tumor |
Oophor/o | Ovary |
Orch/o, orchi/o, orchid/o | Testis |
Ov/o | Egg |
Ovari/o | Ovary |
Ovul/o | Egg cell |
Ped/o | Child |
Pen/o | Penis |
Phall/o | Penis |
Prostat/o | Prostate gland |
Salping/o | Fallopian tube |
Semin/i | Semen, seed |
Sperm/o | Sperm |
Spermat/o | Spermatozoa, sperm cells |
Test/o | Testis |
Thel/o | Nipple |
Theli/o | Nipple |
Trigon/o | Trigone |
Umbilic/o | Umbilicus |
Ur/o | Urinary, urinary tract |
Ureter/o | Ureter |
Urethr/o | Urethra |
Urin/o | Urine |
Uter/o | Uterus |
Vagin/o | Vagina |
Vas/o | Vas deferens |
Vulv/o | Vulva |
-arche | To begin |
-gravida | Pregnancy |
-ic | Pertaining to |
-logy | The study of |
-para | To bear, bring forth |
-partum | Birth, labor |
-salpinx | Fallopian tube |
-spermatozoa | Sperm |
-uria | Urine |
AI* | Artificial insemination |
G* | Gravida |
IVF | In vitro fertilization |
NICU | Neonatal intensive care unit |
OB/GYN | Obstetrician-gynecologist |
P* | Para |
STDs | Sexually transmitted diseases |
STIs | Sexually transmitted infections |
A- | No, without |
Dys- | Abnormal, bad, diffi cult, painful |
Epi- | Above, on, upon |
Hydro- | Water |
Mega- | Large |
Neo- | New |
Para- | Beside, near |
Poly- | Many, much |
Retro- | Behind |
Balan/o | Glans penis |
Carcin/o | Cancer |
Cervic/o | Cervix |
Colp/o | Vagina |
Crypt/o | Hidden |
Cyst/o | Urinary bladder, cyst, a sac of fluid |
End/o | In, within |
Mast/o | Breast |
Meat/o | Meatus, opening |
Men/o | Menstruation |
Metr/o, metri/o | Uterus |
Noct/o | Night |
Olig/o | Scanty |
Oophor/o | Ovary |
Orch/o | Testes |
Peritone/o | Peritoneum |
Phim/o | Muzzle |
Py/o | Pus |
Pyel/o | Renal pelvis |
Salping/o | Fallopian tube |
Spermat/o | Spermatozoa, sperm cells |
Test/o | Testis |
Troph/o | Development |
Ur/o | Urine |
Vulv/o | Vulva |
-algia | Pain |
-cele | Hernia |
-dynia | Pain |
-ectasis | Dilation, widening |
-emia | Blood condition |
-lithiasis | Condition of stones |
-oma | Mass, tumor |
-plasia | Development, formation, growth |
-plasm | Formation, structure |
-ptosis | Drooping, falling, prolapse |
-rrhagia | Bursting forth with blood |
-rrhea | Flow, discharge |
-rrhexis | Rupture |
-spadia | To tear, cut |
-stenosis | Narrowing |
BPH | Benign prostatic hyperplasia |
CIN | Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia |
CKD | Chronic kidney disease |
ESRD | End-stage renal disease |
HPV | Human papillomavirus |
OAB | Overactive bladder |
PCOS | Polycystic ovary syndrome |
PID | Pelvic inflammatory disease |
PKD | Polycystic kidney disease |
UTI | Urinary tract infection |
Dia- | Complete, through |
Litho- | Stone |
Trans- | Across, through |
Cyst/o | Urinary bladder, cyst, sac of fluid |
Episi/o | Vulva |
Hem/o | Blood |
Leiomy/o | Smooth muscle |
Lith/o | Stone |
Mamm/o | Breast |
Mast/o | Breast |
Meat/o | Meatus, opening |
Myom/o | Muscle tumor |
Oophor/o | Ovary |
Perine/o | Perineum |
Pyel/o | Renal pelvis |
Salping/o | Fallopian tube |
Tox/o | Poison |
-lysis | Loosen, breakdown, destruction |
-pexy | Fixation, to put in place |
-rrhaphy | Suture |
-stomy | New opening |
-tomy | Process of cutting |
-tripsy | To crush |
BUN | Blood urea nitrogen (test) |
C&S | Urine culture and sensitivity test |
D&C | Dilation and curettage |
DRE | Digital rectal examination |
ESWL | Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy |
GFR | Glomerular filtration rate |
HSG | Hysterosalpingography |
IVP | Intravenous pyelogram |
PCNL | Percutaneous nephrolithotomy |
PSA | Prostate-specifi c antigen |
SUN | Serum urea nitrogen (test) |
TUIP | Transurethral incision of the prostate |
TUMT | Transurethral microwave thermotherapy |
TURP | Transurethral prostatectomy |
Hemi- | Half |
Meso- | Middle |
Sub- | Below |
Arachn/o | Spider |
Astr/o | Star |
Cephal/o | Head |
Cerebr/o | Cerebrum |
Dur/o | Dura mater |
Encephal/o | Brain |
Home/o | Same |
Mening/o, Meninge/o | Meninges |
Myel/o | Spinal cord, bone marrow |
Neur/o | Nerves |
Olig/o | Scanty |
Psych/o | Mind |
Scler/o | Hardening |
-oid | Resembling |
-stasis | To stop, control, place |
ACh | Acetylcholine |
CNS | Central nervous system |
CSF | Cerebrospinal fluid (this abbreviation could cause confusion; when in doubt, write it out) |
PNS | Peripheral nervous system |
A- | Without |
Bi- | Two |
Epi- | Above |
In- | Not |
Intra- | Within |
Neo- | New |
Para- | Abnormal |
Quadri- | Four |
Tetra- | Four |
Contus/o | To bruise |
Dipl/o | Double |
Encephal/o | Brain |
Hemat/o | Blood |
Hydr/o | Water |
Idi/o | Unknown |
Isch/o | Hold back |
Later/o | Side |
My/o | Muscle |
Myel/o | Spinal cord, bone marrow |
Narc/o | Numbness, stupor, sleep |
Phren/o | Mind |
Pol/o | Extreme |
Radicul/o | Nerve root |
Schiz/o | Split |
Spin/o | Spine |
Spondyl/o | Vertebra |
-blastoma | Immature tumor cells |
-cele | Hernia |
-esthesia | Without sensation or feeling |
-ia | Condition |
-lepsy | Seizure |
-lithesis | Slippage |
-lysis | Loosen, breakdown, destruction |
-oma | Mass, tumor, collection of fluid |
-paresis | Weakness |
-phasia | Speech |
-plasm | Formation, structure |
-plegia | Paralysis |
-sclerosis | Hardening |
-somnia | Sleep |
-stenosis | Narrowing |
-trophic | Pertaining to stimulating |
ALS | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis |
CP | Cerebral palsy |
CSF | Cerebrospinal fluid (this abbreviation could cause confusion; when in doubt, write it out) |
CVA | Cerebrovascular accident |
ICP | Intracranial pressure |
LOC | Loss (or level) of consciousness |
MS | Multiple sclerosis |
NTD | Neural tube defect |
OCD | Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
PTSD | Post-traumatic stress disorder |
TBI | Traumatic brain injury |
TIA | Transient ischemic attack |
Trans- | Across, through |
Angi/o | Vessels |
Crani/o | Skull |
Cutane/o | Skin |
My/o | Muscle |
Myel/o | Spinal cord, bone marrow |
Son/o | Sound |
-tomy | Process of cutting |
CT | Computed tomography |
EEG | Electroencephalogram, electroencephalographic |
LP | Lumbar puncture |
MRI | Magnetic resonance imaging |
NCS | Nerve conduction study |
NCV | Nerve conduction velocity (test) |
PET | Positron emission tomography |
PSG | Polysomnography |
TENS | Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation |
Mal- | Bad |
CEUs | Continuing education units |
CLIA | Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 |
DNI | Do not intubate |
DNR | Do not resuscitate |
DPOA | Durable power of attorney |
HCPA | Health care power of attorney |
HHS | U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |
HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act |
OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
PHI | Protected health information |
POA | Power of attorney |
ACA | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act |
AHA | American Hospital Association |
AMA | American Medical Association (this abbreviation could cause confusion; when in doubt, write it out) |
CHIP | Children’s Health Insurance Program |
CPT | Current Procedural Terminology |
EHR | Electronic health record |
EMR | Electronic medical record |
HDHP | High-Deductible Health Plan |
HMO | Health maintenance organization |
HSA | Health Savings Account |
ICD | International Classification of Diseases |
POS | Point-of-service (plan) |
PPO | Preferred provider organization |
WHO | World Health Organization |
ASC | Ambulatory surgical center |
DME | Durable medical equipment |
LTACH | Long-term acute care hospital |
LTC | Long-term care |
PCP | Primary care physician |
SNF | Skilled nursing facility |