Medical
Terminology
Health Science 1
Objectives
 Identify
basic medical abbreviations
selected from a standard list
 Define prefixes, suffixes and word roots
selected from a list of words
 Spell and pronounce medical terms
correctly
 Define, pronounce, and spell all the key
terms
Abbreviations


Shortened forms of words, usually just letters
Can be used by themselves or several
abbreviations combined to give orders or
directions.


Common Ex. : AM which means morning, and
PM which means afternoon or evening
BR c BRP, FFl qh, VS qid

Which means “bed rest with bathroom
privileges, force fluids every hour, vital signs four
times a day”
Abbreviations
 Much
easier using abbreviations than
writing out the corresponding details
 For Example:

NPO 8 pm, To Lab for CBC, BUN, and FBS
 “Nothing
by mouth after 8:00 in the evening,
to the laboratory for a complete blood count,
blood urea nitrogen, and fasting blood sugar
Abbreviations
 Different
abbreviations may be used in
different facilities and in different parts of
the
 Responsibility of the health care worker to
learn the meanings of the abbreviations
used in the agencies where they are
employed
 Notice no periods are used

P.M. vs PM
Abbreviations
 Best

ways to learn Abbreviations:
Make flash cards
 Use
index cards
 Write Abbreviation on one side – meaning on
the opposite side
Interpreting Word Parts
 By
breaking a word into parts, it is
sometimes possible to figure out their
meanings.



Prefix: a syllable or word placed at the
beginning of a word
Suffix: a syllable or word placed at the end
of a word
Word Roots: main words or parts to which
prefixes and suffixes can be added
Interpreting Word Parts
 Prefix

Usually serves to further define the word
root
 Suffix

Usually describes what is happening to the
word root
 Ex.



Pseudoappendicities
Pseudo (prefix) means false
Appendix (word root)
Itis (suffix) means inflimmation of
Interpreting Word Parts

When prefixes, word roots and suffixes are
joined together, vowels are frequently added:


Common example: a, e, I, ia, io, o and u
The vowels are not used if the word root or
suffix begins with a vowel


Ex: encephal means brain. When its combined
with itis, meaning inflammation, there is NO
vowel for encephalitis
When combined with gram, meaning tracing or
record, the vowel “o” is added for
encephalogram
Interpreting Word Parts
 Hepat
means liver. When it is combined
with itis, the vowel is NOT used for hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver
 When
it is combined with megaly,
meaning enlarged, the vowel “o” is
added for hepatomegaly

Means Enlarged Liver
Interpreting Word Parts

Best way to learn prefixes, suffixes and word
roots: Flash cards!!!!



Write prefixes, suffixes, and word roots from the
list on each card (SPELLED CORRECTLY)
Put definitions on the back
Then combine:
PERI + Cardi/o + Ectomy = Pericardiectomy
 Peri (surrounding) cardi/o (heart) ectomy
(surgical removal)
 Pericardiectomy = surgical removal of a portion
of the membrane surrounding the heart

Summary
 Medical
abbreviations and terminology are used in
all health care occupations and facilities. In order to
communicate effectively, health care workers must
be familiar with common abbreviations and
terminology.
 Medical terminology consists of the use of prefixes,
suffixes, and word roots to create words. It would
be impossible to memorize the meaning of every
word. By learning common prefixes, suffixes, and
word roots, however, a health care worker can
break a word into parts to figure out the meaning.