hths 1101 chapter 1 introduction to medical language
TRANSCRIPT
HTHS 1101Chapter 1Introduction to Medical language
Medical Terminology BasicsHistory
The foundations of modern medicine stemmed from ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.
Latin was the language of scholars and the language used to disseminate scientific discoveries for centuries.
Most medical terms have their roots in Greek or Latin.
Sometimes acronyms and eponyms are used as well.
Medical Terminology BasicsWord Parts Medical terms are comprised of roots, prefixes and suffixes.
The root most often describes the body part, or body substance involved.
The prefixes and suffixes describe what is happening to that body part or substance. hepatitis
pneumonia
electrocardiogram
Medical Terminology BasicsPronunciation
Medical terms can be long and complex
The sounds associated with each part of the term are important to learn spelled out in the text phonetically
fon-et-ik-al-lee
The emphasis placed on the syllables of the word is also important
the syllable receiving the emphasis is written in capital letters
EM-fah-sis on the SIL-ah-bul
Medical Terminology BasicsPronunciation
Term: cardiac
Divide into syllables: car/di/ac
Pronounced as: KAR/dee/ak
Term: cardiology
Divide into syllables: car/di/o/lo/gy
Pronounced as: kar/dee/AW/loh/jee
Medical Terminology Basics Word Roots
Roots function like nouns in medical language
Often refer to body parts, organs or fluids We often add a vowel to make it a combining
form
gastr = root for stomach
gastr/o = combining form meaning stomach
Medical terminology roots can be divided into general purpose roots and anatomical roots The roots/combining forms presented in this
chapter are especially important
General Purpose Roots
gen/o
hydr/o
morph/o
myc/o
necr/o
orth/o
path/o
phag/o
• plas/o• py/o• scler/o• sten/o• troph/o• xen/o• xer/o
Anatomical Roots
arthr/o
cardi/o
enter/o
gastr/o
hepat/o
neur/o
• hem/o or hemat/o
• my/o or muscul/o• angi/o, vas/o or
vascul/o• derm/o, dermat/o
or cutane/o• pneum/o,
pneumon/o or pulmon/o
SuffixesSimple-ac
-al
-ar
-ary
-eal
-ic
-tic
-ous
-ia-ism-ium-y
-icle-ole-ule-ula
SuffixesComplex-iatrics
-iatry
-iatrist
-ist
-logist
-logy
-algia or -dynia
-cele-emia-iasis-itis-lysis-malacia-megaly
-oid-oma-osis-pathy-penia-ptosis-rrhage-rrhea-rrhexis-spasm
SuffixesComplex
-centesis
-gram
-graph
-graphy
-meter
-metry
-scope
-scopy
-desis-ectomy-pexy-plasty-rrhaphy-stomy-tomy
Common Prefixes
a-, an-
anti-, contra-
de-
ante-, pre-
pro-
brady-
tachy-post-re-ab-ad-circum-, peri-dia-
e-, ec-, ex-ecto-, exo-,
extra-en-, endo-,
intra-epi-sub-inter-
Common Prefixes
bi-
hemi-, semi-
hyper-
hypo-
macro-
micro-
mono-, uni
oligo-pan-poly-, multi-con-, syn-,
sym-dys-eu-
Plurals
Word Building Adding prefixes are easy, you just add them to the
beginning of the root or root+suffix. hyperactive, tachycardia, periumbilical
Suffixes are a bit trickier A consonant at the end of a root and the beginning of a suffix
would sound weird together, so add an ‘”o” to the root.
hepatomegaly, nephropexy, retinopathy
If the suffix starts with a vowel or the root ends in a vowel, you don’t need to add a vowel antibiotic, scleroderma, orthostatic
Making sense of Medical TermsWhen reading the word:
Suffix first
Then prefix (if there is one)
Then root or roots
How to translate:
1. Read the word
2. Say the word out loud
3. Break the word into parts (suffix, root, prefix)
4. Translate the parts
5. Reassemble the pieces into a statement
Making sense of Medical Terms
Translate bradycardia:
1. Read the word: bradycardia
2. Say the word: bray/dee/KAR/dee/a
3. Break the word into parts: brady/card/ia
4. Translate the parts in order:
suffix: -ia means condition
prefix: brady- means slow
root: card means heart (rate)
5. Definition: condition of slow heart rate