Introduction to Medical Terminology

7th Edition

Medical Terminology for Health ProfessionsAnn Ehrlich/Carol L.Schroeder

© 2013 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved

Introduction to Medical Terminology

Chapter 1


Primary Medical Terms

• Primary medical terms enable you to prioritize terms in your study of medical terminology.


What Parts Are the Key!

• Four basic types of word parts are used tocreate complex medical terms:

– Word roots– Combining forms– Suffixes– Prefixes

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What Parts Are the Key!


Word Parts Work Together

Click Here to play Word Parts Work Together animation


Word Roots

• Word roots usually, but not always, indicate thepart of the body involved.

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Word Roots

• Examples:– cardi = heart– gastr = stomach– neur = nerve

Note: Word roots do not mean pertaining to orrelating to; that meaning comes from the suffix.


Combining Forms

• Created by adding a vowel (usually the letter“o”) to the end of a word root.

• Used when connecting word roots or whenthe word root is joined to a suffix that beginswith a consonant.

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Combining Forms

• Examples:– cardi/o = heart– gastr/o = stomach– neur/o = nerve

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Combining Forms


Suffixes

• Suffixes usually, but not always,indicate theprocedure, condition, disorder, or disease.

• Examples:– cardiomegaly– gastralgia– neuritis

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Suffixes

• Examples:


Prefixes

• Prefixes usually, but not always, indicatelocation, time, number, or status.

• Examples:– pericardium– epigastric– polyneuritis

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Prefixes

• Examples:


Determining Meanings on theBasis of Word Parts

• Decipher these medical terms based on theirword parts:– cardiologist– gastritis– neuralgia

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Determining Meanings on theBasis of Word Parts

• An example to take apart:


Combining Word Parts

Click Here to play Combining Word Parts animation


Additional Lessons in This

Chapter• Using a medical dictionary• The “sounds-like” pronunciation system• Why spelling counts • Caution when using abbreviations

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Additional Lessons in This

Chapter• Singular and plural endings • Basic medical terms • Look-alike, sound-alike terms and word parts


Key Word Parts and Definitions

• -algia – pain, painful condition

• dys- – bad, difficult, or painful

• -ectomy – surgical removal, cutting out, excision

• hyper-– excessive, increased

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• hypo- – deficient, decreased

• -itis – inflammation

• -osis – abnormal condition, disease

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• -ostomy – the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the

body surface• -otomy

– cutting, surgical incision• -plasty

– surgical repair• -rrhage

– bleeding, abnormal excessive fluid discharge

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• -rrhaphy – surgical suturing

• -rrhea – flow or discharge

• -rrhexis – rupture

• -sclerosis – abnormal hardening


Questions


Question

A vertebra is a bone in the spine. What is theplural of vertebra?

a. vertebrasb. vertebric. vertebrae


Answer

c. vertebrae


Question

Intra- means within or inside. True or False?


Answer

False. Inter- means within or inside. Intra- means between or among.


Question

Losing a large amount of blood in a shorttime is a:

a. hemorageb. hemorrhagec. hemorhage


Answer

b. hemorrhage


Question

The ilium is part of the hip bone, and the ileum ispart of the small intestine.

True or False?


Answer

True


Answers to Learning Exercises


Matching Word Parts 11.1. dys-1.2. hyper-1.3. -megaly1.4. -algia1.5. -ectomy

Matching Word Parts 21.6. -osis1.7. -malacia1.8. hypo-1.9. -itis1.10. -necrosis

Chapter 1 Answers


Matching Word Parts 31.11. -rrhage1.12. -ostomy1.13. -otomy1.14. -plasty1.15. -rrhaphy

Matching Word Parts 41.16. -scopy1.17. -rrhexis1.18. -stenosis1.19. -sclerosis1.20. -rrhea

Chapter 1 Answers


Definitions1.21. myelopathy1.22. hypertension1.23. natal1.24. symptom1.25. disease

Matching Terms and Definitions 11.26. leukocyte1.27. prognosis1.28. edema1.29. acute1.30. supination

Chapter 1 Answers


Matching Terms and Definitions 21.31. palpation1.32. exudate1.33. lesion1.34. palpitation1.35. laceration

Which Word?1.36. gastritis1.37. suppuration1.38. trauma1.39. viral1.40. appendectomy

Chapter 1 Answers


Spelling Counts1.41. eponym1.42. inflammation1.43. fissure1.44. neurorrhaphy1.45. tonsillitis

Matching Terms1.46. gastrosis1.47. syndrome1.48. myorrhexis1.49. gastralgia1.50. pyoderma

Chapter 1 Answers


Term Selection1.51. arteriosclerosis1.52. sign1.53. gastroenteritis1.54. arthralgia1.55. dermatologist

Sentence Completion1.56. hypotension1.57. angiography1.58. supracostal1.59. differential1.60. fistula

Chapter 1 Answers


True/False1.61. True1.62. False1.63. True1.64. False1.65. True

Word Surgery1.66. ot/o, rhin/o, laryng, -ology1.67. myc, -osis1.68. poli/o, myel, -itis1.69. neo-, nat, -ology1.70. end-, arteri, -al

Chapter 1 Answers


Clinical Conditions1.71. intramuscular1.72. abdominocentesis1.73. acronym1.74. phalanges1.75. triage1.76. diagnosis1.77. pathology1.78. remission1.79. pyrosis1.80. diarrhea

Which Is the Correct Medical Term?1.81. neuroplasty1.82. hemorrhage1.83. arterionecrosis1.84. interstitial1.85. hepatomegaly

Chapter 1 Answers


Challenge Word Building1.86. cardiologist1.87. rhinorrhea1.88. arthritis1.89. neonatologist1.90. neurotomy1.91. carditis1.92. rhinalgia1.93. neuralgia1.94. cardiotomy1.95. rhinitis

Labeling Exercises1.96. myel/o1.97. my/o1.98. myel/o1.99. neur/o1.100. arthr/o

Chapter 1 Answers

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Introduction to Medical Terminology