Medical-Terminology-for-Healthcare-Professions-1693506564

Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions

Introduction

• Medical terminology is a language used in healthcare settings.

• Medical terms are built from Greek and Latin word parts.

• Medical terms include acronyms, eponyms, and modern-day language terms.

• Learning a new language can be daunting.

• This book offers methods for breaking down medical words.

• Commitment to memorizing word parts, learning the rules, and identifying the rebels is needed.

• Apply the rules to the word parts you have memorized.

• Support learning with the context of anatomy and physiology.

• Consider where in the body the medical term is referencing and then how it works within the body.

• This will build a medical terminology foundation that you can continue to grow in future healthcare courses.

• This book is an adaptation of "Building a Medical Terminology Foundation", published by Carter and Rutherford at eCampus Ontario.

• Revisions in text and activities for clarification and flow.

• The anatomy and physiology content of this OER has been adapted from the OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology OER by Betts et al.

• Both books are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

• Interactive content is built into each chapter that is available only in the online format.

• If using a PDF copy or EPUB version of this book, you will be directed to a hyperlink to access the interactive content.

• Glossary terms will be bolded in green and their definitions can be found in the glossary at the end of the book.

• You will work through each body system that includes word parts, whole medical terms, and common abbreviations associated with that particular body system.

• At the end of each body system chapter is a vocabulary list of associated terms related to that body system.

• The interactive reinforcement activities require you to click, drag and drop, listen and repeat, flip, and test yourself.

• This OER book was curated and created for Healthcare Administration, Health Sciences, and Pre-Professional students, our hope is that you will take this OER and customize it for your program and share again.

1. Word Parts and Rules

Learning Objectives

• Identify word parts in medical terms.

• Examine the rules for building medical terms.

Word Parts

• Medical terms are built from word parts.

• Word parts:

  • Prefix(beginning of the word)

  • Word root(base/meaning of the word)

  • Suffix(end of the word)

  • Combining form vowel(e,i,o)

  • Combining form = word root + combining form vowel

Examples

• Osteoarthritis

  • Oste/o/arthr/itis – Inflammation of bone and joint.

  • Oste/o is a combining form that means bone

  • arthr/o is a combining form that means joint

  • -itis is a suffix that means inflammation

• Intravenous

  • Intra/ven/ous – Pertaining to within a vein.

  • Intra- is a prefix that means within

  • ven/o – is a combining form that means vein

  • -ous is a suffix that means pertaining to

• Place slashes between word parts and a slash on each side of a combining form vowel.

Language Review

Short Vowels

• a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y are indicated by lower case.

Long Vowels

• A, E, I, O, U are indicated by upper case.

Consonants

• Consonants are all of the other letters in the alphabet.

• b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, and z.

Language Rules

• Language rules are a good place to start when building a medical terminology foundation.

• Many medical terms are built from word parts and can be translated literally

Rule 1

• When combining two combining forms, you keep the combining form vowel.

  • Example: Gastr/o/enter/o/logy

Rule 2

• When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a consonant, you keep the combining form vowel.

  • Example: Gastr/o/enter/o/logy

Rule 3

• When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a vowel, you drop the combining form vowel.

  • Example: Intra/ven/ous

Rule 4

• A prefix goes at the beginning of the word and no combining form vowel is used.

  • Example: Intra/ven/ous

Rule 5

• When defining a medical word, start with the suffix first and then work left to right stating the word parts.

• Add filler words without changing the meaning of the word.

  • Example: Intra/ven/ous - Pertaining to within the vein or Pertaining to within a vein.

2. Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the difference between a prefix and a suffix.

• Differentiate prefixes that deal with body parts, color, and direction.

• Distinguish suffixes that deal with procedures.

Prefixes

• Prefixes are located at the beginning of a medical term.

• The prefix alters the meaning of the medical term.

• It is important to spell and pronounce prefixes correctly.

• Many prefixes that you find in medical terms are common to English language prefixes.

Technique to Help with Memorization

• Start by reviewing the most common prefixes.

• Consider common English language words that begin with the same prefixes.

• Compare them to the examples of use in medical terms.

Common Prefixes

Body Part Prefixes

Color Prefixes

Physical Property and Shape Prefixes

Direction and Position Prefixes

Quantity Prefixes

Suffixes

• Suffixes are word parts that are located at the end of words.

• Suffixes can alter the meaning of medical terms.

• It is important to spell and pronounce suffixes correctly.

• Suffixes in medical terms are common to English language suffixes.

• Suffixes are not always explicitly stated in the definition of a word.

• It is common that suffixes will not be explicitly stated when defining a medical term in the workplace.

• However, when transcribing or reading medical reports the suffix is always clearly written.

• In order to properly spell and pronounce medical terms, it is helpful to learn the suffixes.

Common Suffixes

Procedure Suffixes

3. Body Terminology

Learning Objectives

• Assess medical language learning to the context of anatomy and physiology

• Investigate the basic architecture and levels of organization of the human body

• Evaluate the anatomical position, regional terms, directional terms, body planes, and body quadrants for anatomical positioning

• Recall body cavities and the functions of associated membranes

• As you memorize the language components of medical terminology, it is important to support that learning within the context of anatomy and physiology.

• Proceeding through the body system chapters, you will learn word parts, whole medical terms, and common abbreviations.

• It is important to put into context where in the body the medical term is referencing, and then consider how it works within the body.

• Anatomy focuses on structure and physiology focuses on function.

• Much of the study of physiology centers on the body’s tendency toward homeostasis.

Levels of Organization

• Consider the structure of the body in terms of fundamental levels of organization that increase in complexity:

  • Subatomic particles

  • Atoms

  • Molecules

  • Organelles

  • Cells

  • Tissues

  • Organs

  • Organ systems

  • Organisms

  • Biosphere

Atoms

• All matter in the universe is composed of one or more unique pure substances called elements.

• Familiar examples are hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and iron.

• The smallest unit of any of these pure substances (elements) is an atom.

• Atoms are made up of subatomic particles such as the proton, electron, and neutron.

Molecules

• Two or more atoms combine to form a molecule, such as the water molecules, proteins, and sugars found in living things.

• Molecules are the chemical building blocks of all body structures.

Cell

• A cell is the smallest independently functioning unit of a living organism.

• Even bacteria, which are extremely small, independently-living organisms, have a cellular structure. Each bacterium is a single cell.

• All living structures of human anatomy contain cells, and almost all functions of human physiology are performed in cells or are initiated by cells

• A human cell typically consists of flexible membranes that enclose cytoplasm, a water-based cellular fluid, together with a variety of tiny functioning units called organelles.

• In humans, as in all organisms, cells perform all functions of life.

Tissue

• A tissue is a group of many similar cells (though sometimes composed of a few related types) that work together to perform a specific function.

Organ

• An organ is an anatomically distinct structure of the body composed of two or more tissue types.

• Each organ performs one or more specific physiological functions.

Organ System

• An organ system is a group of organs that work together to perform major functions or meet the physiological needs of the body.

• Assigning organs to organ systems can be imprecise since organs that “belong” to one system can also have functions integral to another system.

• In fact, most organs contribute to more than one system.

Organism

• The organism level is the highest level of organization.

• An organism is a living being that has a cellular structure and that can independently perform all physiologic functions necessary for life.

• In multicellular organisms, including humans, all cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems of the body work together to maintain the life and health of the organism.

Anatomical Position

• Anatomists and healthcare providers use terminology for the purpose of precision and to reduce medical errors.

• For example, is a scar “above the wrist” located on the forearm two or three inches away from the hand? Or is it at the base of the hand? Is it on the palm-side or back-side?

• By using precise anatomical terminology, we eliminate ambiguity.

• Anatomical terms derive from ancient Greek and Latin words.

• To further increase precision, anatomists standardize the way in which they view the body. Just as maps are normally oriented with north at the top, the standard body “map,” also known as the anatomical position, is that of the body standing upright with the feet at shoulder width and parallel, toes forward.

• The upper limbs are held out to each side, and the palms of the hands face forward.

• Using this standard position reduces confusion. It does not matter how the body being described is oriented, the terms are used as if it is in anatomical position.

• For example, a scar in the “anterior (front) carpal (wrist) region” would be present on the palm side of the wrist.

• The term “anterior” would be used even if the hand were palm down on a table.

• A body that is lying down is described as either prone or supine.

• These terms are sometimes used in describing the position of the body during specific physical examinations or surgical procedures.

Regional Terms

• The human body’s numerous regions have specific terms to help increase precision.

• Notice that the term “brachium” or “arm” is reserved for the “upper arm” and “antebrachium” or “forearm” is used rather than “lower arm.”

• Similarly, “femur” or “thigh” is correct, and “leg” or “crus” is reserved for the portion of the lower limb between the knee and the ankle.

• You will be able to describe the body’s regions using the terms from the anatomical position.

Terminology is used for the purpose of precision reduction of medical error.

Directional Terms

• Directional terms are essential for describing the relative locations of different body structures.

• For instance, an anatomist might describe one band of tissue as “inferior to” another or a physician might describe a tumor as “superficial to” a deeper body structure.

• Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body. The toes are anterior to the foot.

• Posterior (or dorsal) describes the back or direction toward the back of the body. The popliteus is posterior to the patella.

• Superior (or cranial) describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper. The orbits are superior to the oris.

• Inferior (or caudal) describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column). The pelvis is inferior to the abdomen.

• Lateral describes the side or direction toward the side of the body. The thumb (pollex) is lateral to the digits.

• Medial describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the body. The hallux is the medial toe.

• Proximal describes a position in a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body. The brachium is proximal to the antebrachium.

• Distal describes a position in a limb that is farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body. The crus is distal to the femur.

• Superficial describes a position closer to the surface of the body. The skin is superficial to the bones.

• Deep describes a position farther from the surface of the body. The brain is deep to the skull.

Body Planes

• A section is a two-dimensional surface of a three-dimensional structure that has been cut.

• Modern medical imaging devices enable clinicians to obtain “virtual sections” of living bodies.

• We call these scans. Body sections and scans can be correctly interpreted, however, only if the viewer understands the plane along which the section was made.

• A plane is an imaginary two-dimensional surface that passes through the body.

• Sagittal plane divides the body vertically into right and left sides.

  • Midsagittal / median plane runs directly down the middle of the body.

  • Parasagittal plane divides the body into unequal right and left sides.

• Frontal plane divides the body into an anterior (front) portion and a posterior (rear) portion.

  • Coronal plane (“corona” is Latin for “crown”).

• Transverse plane divides the body or organ horizontally into upper and lower portions.

  • Transverse planes called cross-sections.

Body Cavities and Serous Membranes

• The body maintains its internal organization by means of membranes, sheaths, and other structures that separate compartments.

• The dorsal (posterior) cavity and the ventral (anterior) cavity are the largest body compartments.

• These cavities contain and protect delicate internal organs, and the ventral cavity allows for significant changes in the size and shape of the organs as they perform their functions.

• The lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines, for example, can expand and contract without distorting other tissues or disrupting the activity of nearby organs.

Subdivisions of the Posterior (Dorsal) and Anterior (Ventral) Cavities.

• The posterior (dorsal) and anterior (ventral) cavities are each subdivided into smaller cavities.

The posterior (dorsal) cavity has two main subdivisions:

• The cranial cavity houses the brain.

  • Protected by the bones of the skulls and cerebrospinal fluid.

• The spinal cavity (or vertebral cavity) encloses the spinal cord.

  • Protected by the vertebral column and cerebrospinal fluid.

The anterior (ventral) cavity has two main subdivisions:

• The thoracic cavity is the more superior subdivision of the anterior cavity, and it is enclosed by the rib cage.

  • The thoracic cavity contains the lungs and the heart, which are located in the mediastinum.

  • The diaphragm forms the floor of the thoracic cavity and separates it from the more inferior abdominopelvic cavity.

• The abdominopelvic cavity is the largest cavity in the body.

  • No membrane physically divides the abdominopelvic cavity.

  • The abdominal cavity houses the digestive organs, the pelvic cavity, and the reproductive organs.

Abdominal Regions and Quadrants

• To promote clear communication, for instance about the location of a patient’s abdominal pain or a suspicious mass, healthcare providers typically divide up the cavity into either nine regions or four quadrants.

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