California Medical Bill Reviewer
Certification
Unit 1: Workers’
Compensation Benefit
Program
Module 9: Medical Terminology
In this module,
you will
Medical
terminology
about confusing
medical
canlearn
be
very
Let’s
start
by
discussing
terminology,
andlike
howa
and
can
seem
how medical
prefixes,
suffixes, terms
root
language
all itsand
own!
words
can of
be prefixes,
identified to
consist
But,
medical
determine
the and
meaning
of a
suffixes,
root
terminology
can
be
word. Then,
you will learn
words...
brokenabout
down
to make it
medical
easier
to understand.
abbreviations.
Overview of Medical Terminology
Overview
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Prefixes
Suffixes
Root Words
Prefixes: Position, Description, & Color
Suffixes: Condition, Surgery, & Procedure
Root Words: Body Area
Abbreviations
Medical Terminology
Do you know what inflammation
of the external
auditory
Swimmer’s
Earmeatus
means?
What about “excess irrigation
The shoulder
was from
drained
solution
was removed
the
glenohumeral
the arm
and the armjoint
wasand
hung
in a
repositioned into
direct
sling.
longitudinal traction?”
If you were unsure about the meaning of these terms, you are not
alone! But, medical terminology is not as complex as you might
think…
Let’s take a look…
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Medical Terminology is
Everywhere

You are probably familiar with a lot of different medical
terminology just from the media.
Magazine and newspaper articles are filled with
information about new drugs, treatments, diets,
and new medical procedures.
Television commercials for prescription drugs
and even different illnesses have made us even
more aware of medical terminology.
Even medical dramas on television have made
us more familiar with medical terms,
procedures, and treatments.
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So, Where Do the
Terms Come From?

Many procedures,
diseases, or instruments
are named after their
discoverers or inventors.
Examples include:
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Blalock-Taussig Shunt
Deaver Retractor
Parkinson’s Disease

However, most medical
terms have a Latin or
Greek origin.
Let’s take a look…
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It’s All in the Pieces…

Many medical terms are made up of three separate
components that determine meaning.
Prefix: an attachment to the beginning of a word root
that determines or changes the meaning of a word.
Suffix: an attachment to the end of a word root that
forms a new word, or changes its meaning.
Word Root: the basic form of a word that determines its
primary definition.
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How Do the Components
Fit Together?

The most typical sequence of the three pieces that
make up a word is:
PREFIX
myo = Muscle
WORD ROOT
SUFFIX
card = Heart
itis =
Inflammation
Myocarditis = inflammation of the heart muscle
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Changes to the Prefix

Changes to the prefix or suffix change the detailed
meaning of the word.
PREFIX
myo = Muscle
peri = Outer
endo = Inner
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WORD ROOT
SUFFIX
itis =
card = Heart
Inflammation
Pericarditis: itis =
card = Heart
Inflammation
outer layer of the heart
inflamed
Endocarditis: itis =
card = Heart
Inflammation
inner layer of the heart
inflamed
Changes to the Suffix

Sometimes, only a suffix is used to change the
meaning of a root word.
WORD ROOT
SUFFIX
Cardiologist:
card
=
Heart
a physician who specializes -ologist
in the heart.
Cardiomyopathy:
card = Heart
-myopathy
damage to the heart muscle layer.
Cardiomegaly:
card = Heart
-megaly
enlargement of the heart.
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What Does
It All Mean?
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Overview of Medical Terminology
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Now that you are
familiar with the parts
that make up medical
terms, let’s take a look
at how prefixes,
suffixes, and root words
determine meaning.
Prefixes
Suffixes
Root Words
Prefixes: Position, Description, & Color
Suffixes: Condition, Surgery, & Procedure
Root Words: Body Area
Abbreviations
Prefixes

Prefixes of medical terms indicate position,
description, or color.
Position
Description
Color
Let’s take a look…
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Prefixes
Position
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Position
Prefix
Example
Before
In front
PreProAnte-
Pre-operative
Procephalic
Antepartum
After
Behind
PostRetro-
Postnasal
Retroperitoneal
Upon
Epi-
Epidural
Side
Latero- Laterotorsion
Below
Sub-
Subclavian
Through
Trans-
Transurethral
Prefixes
Description
Description & Color
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Prefix
Example
Narrow
Steno-
Stenosis
Fast
Tachy-
Tachycardia
Slow
Brady-
Bradycardia
Blue
Cyano-
Cyanosis
Small
Micro-
Microscope
Large
MacroMega-
Macrostomia
Megacolon
Many
Poly-
Polysaccharide
Different
AlloHetero-
Allograft
Heterocellular
Same
AutoHome(o)-
Autograft
Homeostasis
Suffixes

As you know, suffixes are the word endings. In
medical terms, suffixes provide information about:
Disease or Condition
Surgery or Procedure
Let’s take a look…
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Suffixes
Condition
Disease or Condition
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Suffix
Example
Pain
-algia
Fibromyalgia
Hernia
-cele
Rectocele
Inflammation
-itis
Appendicitis
Abnormal
condition
-osis
Scoliosis
In the blood
-emia
Septicemia
Tumor
-oma
Lymphoma
Suffixes
Procedures/
Surgery
Surgery or Procedure
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Suffix
Example
Removal
-ectomy
Appendectomy
Suturing
-orrhaphy
Herniorrhaphy
Tap, puncture
-centesis
Thoracentesis
Forming an opening
-ostomy
Colostomy
To cut into
-otomy
Laparotomy
Plastic repair
-plasty
Rhinoplasty
Imaging
-gram
-graph(y)
Radiograph
Root Words
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Now let’s get to the heart of the medical terminology -the root words.
 Up to now, we have added
prefixes and suffixes to
change meanings, but the
body area is the key to the
medical procedure, condition,
or specialist.
Root words indicate
which area of the body
we are dealing with.
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What makes a
proctologist different
from a cardiologist? It’s
not the –ologist; it’s the
body part!
Root Words

Recall the medical terms have both Greek and Latin origin.
Therefore, some
body areas have
two different root
words.
For example, lungs may be
referenced by two roots:
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PneumoPulmo-

You are probably familiar
with words such as
“pneumonia” or “pulmonary
function,” which both refer
to the lungs.
Root Words

Here is a list of common root words:
Body Area
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Root
Example
Mouth
stomato-
Stomatitis
Teeth
dento-
Dentist
Tongue
linguoglosso-
Glossitis
Lingual Nerve
Gums
gingivo-
Gingivitis
Brain
encephalo- Encephalitis
cranioCraniotomy
Stomach
gastro-
Gastritis
Intestines
entero-
Gastroenteritis
Root Words
Body Area
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Root
Example
Large Intestine colo-
Colectomy
Rectum/Anus
procto-
Proctoscope
Liver
hepato-
Hepatitis
Kidneys
nephrorene-
Nephroscope
Renal failure
Skin
dermo-
Dermatitis
Breast
mastoMastitis
mammo- Mammogram
Bone
osteoortho-
Osteoporosis
Orthopedist
Root Words
Body Area
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Root
Example
Heart
cardio-
Cardiologist
Bladder
cysto-
Cystitis
Nose
rhino-
Rhinoplasty
Veins
phleboveno-
Phebotomy
Venogram
Lungs
pneumo- Pneumonia
pulmoPulmonary function
Blood
hemoemia-
Hematoma
Leukemia
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Now, we will
discuss some
common
modifications of
root words.
Let’s take a look…
Understanding the Pieces...

Now you try! Using your knowledge of root words,
prefixes, and suffixes, what do you think these two
terms refer to?
A graphical record of the
Electrocardiogram
heart’s electrical impulses.
Hepatoblastoma
Liver Tumor
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Abbreviations
Now that you are
familiar with medical
terminology, it will be
easier to understand
how some terms are
abbreviated!
Let’s take a look…
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Abbreviations
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Next to the military, medicine
probably has the second most
enthusiastic users of
abbreviations.
For example, the abbreviation
STD can stand for:
 sexually transmitted disease
 selective T-cell defect
 skin-to-tumor distance
 skin test dose
To make things complicated,
the same abbreviation can
 sodium tetradecyl sulfate
mean something entirely
different depending on the part  ST segment depression
of medicine that is being
As you can see, it’s all in the
referred to.
context in which the abbreviation
is used!
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Abbreviations

The context in which an abbreviation is used may give the
reader a hint to meaning.
For example:
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In radiology, ‘AP’ means
anterior-posterior view.
In surgery, ‘PLIF’ means
posterior lumbar interbody
fusion.
In pathology, ‘PT’ means
protime.
In medicine, ‘PT’ means
physical therapist.
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If you need help, there are
excellent references such as The
Dictionary of Medical Acronyms &
Abbreviations.

These can be used when the
documentation gives you no
hint and the meaning of the
abbreviation is important to
reviewing the bill.
Common Abbreviations

Certain abbreviations are so
common the average person
may be aware of their
meaning already.
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Abbreviation
Meaning
CBC
Complete blood count
DME
Durable medical equipment
EMG
Electromyelogram
EEG
Electroencephalogram
E/M
Evaluation and Management
OR
Operating Room
ORIF
Open reduction, internal fixation
PT
Physical therapy
UA
Urinalysis
Abbreviations

There are many other
abbreviations, but you will
become used to the ones
you see all the time in your
work.

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Use a reference, a
colleague, or the context in
which you see the
abbreviation to ascertain
its meaning.
Summary
How medical
terminology is
broken down.
Position
Description
Color
How prefixes define
meaning.
Condition
Procedure
How suffixes
define meaning.
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How root words define
body area.
PT: Physical
Therapist
PT: Protime
How abbreviations can
have multiple meanings.
Where to find meanings
of medical terms and
abbreviations.
Module 9 Quiz
Click on the link to go
directly to the quiz.
Feel free to review any
of the material before
you move on.
Good Luck!
Quiz:
U1M9: Medical Terminology
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