Medical Terminology
Suffixes
Suffixes
• This is a word part that is added to the end of
a word to complete that term
• In medical terminology, suffixes usually, but
not always, indicate a procedure, condition,
disorder, or disease
Suffixes related to Pathology
• Pathology is the study of all aspects of
diseases (path means disease, and ology
means study of)
• Suffixes related to pathology describe specific
disease conditions
Pathology Suffixes
• Algia – pain and suffering
– Gastralgia- stomach ache
• Dynia- also means pain
– Gastrodynia- pain in the stomach
• Itis- inflammation
– Gastritis- inflammation of the stomach
• Malacia- abnormal softening
– Arteriomalacia- abnormal softening of the walls of
an artery or arteries
Pathology Suffixes
• Megaly- enlargement
– Hepatomegaly – abnormal enlargement of the liver
• Necrosis- tissue death
– arterionecrosis- tissue death of an artery or arteries
• Sclerosis- abnormal hardening
• Arteriosclerosis- abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or
arteries
• Stenosis- abnormal narrowing
– Arteriostenosis- abnormal narrowing of an artery or
arteries
Suffixes related to Procedures
• Some suffixes identify the procedure that is
performed on the body part identified in the
word root
Procedure Suffixes
• Centesis- surgical puncture to remove fluid for
diagnostic purposes or to remove excess fluid
– Abdominocentesis- surgical puncture of the
abdominal cavity to remove fluid
• Graphy- process of producing a picture or
record
– Angiography- the process of producing a
radiographic(x-ray) study of the blood vessels
after the injection of a contrast medium to make
these blood vessels visible
Procedure Suffixes
• Gram- a picture or record
– Angiogram- the film produced by angiography
• Plasty- surgical repair
– Myoplasty- surgical repair of a muscle
• Scopy- visual examination
– Arthroscopy- visual examination of the internal
structure of a joint
The “Double R” Suffixes
• Suffixes with tow “R’s”, which are often
referred to as the “double RRs” can be
confusing, so they are grouped together to
help in understanding
“Double R” Suffixes
• Rrhage and rrhagia- bleeding
– Hemorrhage- loss of a large amount of blood in a
short time
• Rrhaphy- surgical suturing to close a wound
and includes the use of staples, sutures, or
surgical glue
– Myorrhaphy- surgical suturing of a muscle wound
“Double R” Suffixes
• Rrhea- flow or discharge and refers to the flow
of most body fluids
– Diarrhea- frequent flow of loose or watery stools
• Rrhexis- rupture
– Myorrhexis- rupture of a muscle