Language of Medicine
Day One
Medical Technology
Scientific and Medical Terminology
Highly Specific
Each structure and condition must be
named
Generalities are dangerous
All professionals must use identical
terminology
Scientific and Medical Terminology
Latin is the language of science
 Classification of species
 Chemical terminology
 Anatomical systems and structures
 Conditions pertaining to the systems
Knowledge of Med Terms
Required for intelligent discussion of
....anything
Allows understanding of scientific
literature and unfamiliar terms
REQUIRES memorization and mastery
Spelling MUST be exact.
 Ileum (small intestine) vs. ilium (hip bone)
For Example.....
Word Roots
Foundation of medical terms
Usually indicate part of body involved
 Can indicate color
Knowledge of roots will vastly speed up
comprehension in physiology!
Rules involving Roots
 Roots MUST have a suffix to complete term



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Gastro = stomach -itis (suffix) = inflammation
Gastritis = stomach inflammation
-dynia = pain
gastrodynia = stomach pain
 A combining vowel “o” used when suffix begins with a
consonant
 gluteus = well, you know what these are! Your pompies!
 gluteodynia = pain in the bleep!
 No combining vowel when suffix begins with vowel.
 tonsill + algia = tonsillalgia (no combining vowel)
 tonsillo + scopy = tonsilloscopy
Combining roots
Often many roots are combined to make
complex words.
Combining vowels used between roots
Gastro + entero + itis = gastroenteritis
 entero = small intestine
Meaning???
Inflammation of stomach & small
intestine
Suffixes
can mean “Pertaining to”
 Are listed at beginning of Appendix A. pg
293
 These change the root word from a noun to
an adjective
 For example…
 Cardi = heart (noun)
 -ac = suffix that means “pertaining to”
 So… cardiac means “pertaining to the heart”
(adjective)
Suffixes
 complete the root into a noun
 For Example
 Crani = skull
 Cranium
-um = noun ending
 Also listed in Appendix A, pg. 293
 noun endings change to form plurals
 For Example
 Terms ending in “um”, the plural form ends in “a”
 Cranium  crania
 Complete list on Table 1.6, pg. 12
Suffixes
describe an abnormal condition
 Roots can be turned into general disease
(not specific)
 - osis, -ism, -esis, - ia
 Gastrosis = disease of the stomach
Suffixes associated with
Specific Diseases
 - algia: pain &
suffering
 - megaly: enlargement
 - dynia: pain
 - itis: inflammation
 - sclerosis: abnormal
hardening
 - malacia: abnormal
softening
 - stenosis: abnormal
narrowing
 - necrosis: tissue death
Suffixes that Describe Procedures
When combined with root, identifies
where procedure is occurring.
Can combine with ANY body part root, if
procedure happens there.
Examples
 - centesis
 Surgical puncture to remove fluid
 - ectomy
 Surgical removal
 - graphy: (verb)  process of recording a picture or data
 - gram: (noun)  THE record or picture
 - plasty
 Surgical repair
 - scopy
 Visual exam of body interior
What is happening here?
Amniocentesis
Splenectomy
Arteriography
Sonogram
Rhinoplasty
Endoscopy
Double RR suffixes
 -rrhage or rrhagia
Ex. hemorrhage
 -rrhaphy
 Excessive fluid loss,
usually blood
 To suture or stitch
Ex. myorrhaphy
 -rrhea
Ex. diarrhea
 -rrhexis
Ex. myorrhexis
 Abnormal flow of
bodily fluids
 Rupture
Prefixes
Change the meaning of the term
Usually indicate location, time or number
 Prenatal - before birth
 Postnatal - after birth
In chemical terms, indicate state of
chemical:
 deoxyribonucleic acid vs. ribonucleic acid
without oxygen
Confusing prefixes
 Ab- means away
from
 Inter - between,
among
 Ad - towards
 Intra- within, inside
 Dys- bad, painful
 Sub- under, less,
below
 Eu- good, normal
 Hyper - excessive
 Hypo- deficient, less
 Supra- above,
excessive
Look-Alike, Sound-Alike words
 Refer to last section of Chapter 1 for all of
them.... A few are highlighted here.
 Arterio- artery, Athero - plaque or fatty
substance, Arthro- joint
 ileum - section of small intestine,
ilium - part of pelvis
 Infection: invasion by a pathogen,
Inflammation: response of body to injury or
infection
Look-alikes continued
Mucous- adjective describing
membranes lining body cavity
Mucus - (noun) secretions of mucous
membranes
Myco- fungus, Myelo- bone marrow or
spinal cord, Myo- muscle
Look-alikes continued
-ostomy: to surgically create an artificial
opening
-otomy: surgical incision
Palpation: to examine with hands,
feeling body parts
Palpitation: pounding heart rate
Look-alikes continued
Prostrate: to collapse and lie flat
Prostate: male gland around urethra
Supination: rotation of hand palm up
Suppuration: formation of pus
Virile: having masculine traits
Viral: pertaining to a virus
Now... To memorize
 Notecards
 Filing system
 Accumulative information
 Regular review and spelling practice
 Combined forms of word parts are going to be
tested - not just discrete parts.
 Go for it... Jump into medical terminology!!