Medical Terminology

Dr. Bassim I Mohammad,

MBChB, MSc, Ph.D Dean

College of Pharmacy

University of Al Qadisiyah, Iraq

Course Objectives

Apply basic principles of medical word building.

Correctly pronounce medical terms.

Define common medical terms.

Relate common medical terms to human anatomy and physiology; common disease states, pharmacological categories and diagnostic tests.

Identify the medical terminology in medical record reports.

15 Lessons

1. Basic Elements of a Medical Word

2. Suffixes:

3. Prefixes

4. Body Structure

5. Integumentary System

6. Gastrointestinal System

7. Respiratory System

8. Cardiovascular System

Lessons, continued

9. Blood, Lymph, and Immune Systems

10. Musculoskeletal System

11. Genitourinary System

12. Female Reproductive System

13. Endocrine System

14. Nervous System

15. Special Senses

What is Medical Terminology?

A. The process using the single word to express several concepts

related to health

B. Usually based on Latin and Greek word

C. Describes:

1. Part of the body (anatomy)

2. Location in the body

3. Bodily function (physiology)

4. Diseases

5. Procedures

6. Instruments

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

The process of dividing medical words into component parts.

Analysis of words will make medical terminology easier to understand and remember.

Now, lets begin

Chapter 1

Basic Elements of Medical Word

5 BASIC WORD PARTS

Root word

Suffix

Prefixes

Combining vowel

Combining form

9

Forming Medical Terms

Medical Term

Prefix

Word root Suffix

Combining forms

10

Building Medical Terms Word Root

Prefix

Suffi

x

Combining forms

ROOT WORD Root Word – foundation of the word, usually

indicates the involved body part

Examples:

cardi -

cephal –

gastr –

cyt –

A medical term can have one or more root words.

Ex. – cardi/o/thorac/ic = pertaining to heart and chest

Examples of Word Roods Greek Word Word Root

Kardia (heart) Cardi

Gaster (stomach) Gastr

Hepar (liver) Hepat

Nephros (kidney) Nephr

Osteon (bone) oste

SUFFIXES

Word ending; usually indicates a procedure, condition,

disorder or disease.

Read from the suffix backwards to the root word for the

correct meaning.

Suffixes can be nouns or adjectives

All medical words have suffixes

Examples:

-itis -ic

-logy -lysis

PREFIXES

Word beginning; usually indicates location, time, a

number, or a Color

Not all medical words have prefixes

Examples:

a-

pre-

hyper-

sub-

COMBINING VOWELS

AND FORMS

Combining Vowel

A vowel that links two word parts together

Usually an ‘o’

Has no meaning of it’s own

Combining Form – root word plus a combining vowel

Examples:

Hemat/o –

Cardi/o –

Gastr/o –

Oste/o –

RULES FOR USING COMBINING VOWELS

1. When the ending of the root word and the beginning of

the suffix are both consonants, use a combining vowel.

Example – hemat/o/logy

2. When the ending of the root word is a consonant, and

the beginning of the suffix is a vowel, do not use a

combining vowel.

Example – gastr/itis

RULES FOR USING COMBINING

VOWELS

3. A combining vowel is always used when two root words

are joined.

Example – cardi/o/thorac/ic

4. A prefix does not require a combining

vowel

Example – epi/gastr/ic

Combining Form

Word root + vowel = Combining form

Micr/ o = Micr/o Word root Combining vowel combining form

Gastr/o, therm/o, micr/o

Combining vowel = (a, e, i, o, u, or y)

Gastr/ o/ duoden/ -ostomy Word root combining vowel word root suffix

Combining Vowel

Adding a vowel (a, e, i, o, u, or y) to a word root to create a combining form allows 2 or more word roots to be joined to form a compound word.

It also allows a word root to be joined with a suffix (word ending) to form a word. Vowel makes the term easier to pronounce.

Examples:

Cyt/o/meter,

Micr/o/scope,

Neur/o/spasm,

Therm/o/meter,

Micr/o/surgery

Combining form (word root + vowel) is usually

used to join a word root to a suffix or other root

that begins with a consonant.

Combining form + Suffix = Compound

Word

Gastr/o duoden/o -scopy = Gastroduodenoscopy combining form combining form suffix compound word

A word root, not a combining form, is used

to join a word root with a suffix or another

word root that begins with a vowel.

Word root + Suffix = Word

Dermat + itis = Dermatitis word root suffix word

Analysis of Medical Term

Determine a medical word’s meaning by looking at the component pieces.

Start at the suffix (all medical terms will have one)

Identify if there is a prefix (not all medical terms will have one)

Locate the root words (there may be more than one)

Identify the meaning of each word part as you separate them

SPELLLING/ Pronunciation

In medicine, spelling is critical!!!

One wrong letter could mean an entirely different

place on the body or test to be performed

Examples – ilium (part of hip bone) and ileum

(part of small intestine)

Thank You