University:
West Coast University
Course:
HA 100 | Medical Terminology
Academic year:

2022
Views:

493

Pages:

7
Author:

kundgetanufv

MEDICAL TERMIN TERMINOLOGY OLOGY Nursing Student Toolset for Understanding Medical Terms Abbreviations save time and simplify the speaking, reading, and writing of medical terms. They are used extensively in health care because there are so many terms that are lengthy and difficult to pronounce. A suffix is a word part that comes at the end of the medical term. If the suffix -meter (instrument used to measure) is added to the combining form therm/o, the result is the creation of the word therm/o/meter, an instrument used to measure heat. hematology ↓ ↓ blood + study of intravenous ↓ ↓ ↓ within + vein + pertaining to (study of the blood) - - (pertaining to within a vein) - - A prefix is a word part that comes at the beginning of the medical term. For example, again consider the word root therm. If it is joined with the prefix hypo- (beneath or below) and the suffix -ia (condition), then a new word is created: hypo/therm/ia, a condition of low heat. As you may already know, this term is used in reference to a condition of low body temperature. Prefix Meaning Example A-, an- Lack of, without, not Analgesic—“without pain” Dys- Bad, Painful, difficult Dysrhythmia- “abnormal physiological rhythm” Hyper- Above, excessive, beyond Hypertension-“high blood pressure” Hyp, hypo- Below, beneath, deficient Hypoglycemia—“low blood sugar” Macro- Large Macrocephaly- “large head” Micro-, micr- Tiny, small Microcephaly – “small head” Post- After, or following, behind Postoperative- “after a surgical operation” Pre-, pro- In front of, before, preceding Preoperative- “prior to a surgical operation” Retro- Behind, backward Retrocardiac- “located behind the heart” Suffix Meaning Example -ac, -ic, -al, -ous, -tic Related to or pertaining to Celiac- “relating to the abdomen” -ent, -er, -ist Person, agent Dentist- “person who works on teeth and gums” -ism Condition or theory Dysmorphism- “condition of anatomical malformation” -ectomy Excision, removal Tonsillectomy- “surgical removal of tonsils” -plasty Surgical repair Rhinoplasty –“surgical repair of the nose” -itis Inflammation Pancreatitis- “inflammation of the pancreas” -ologist One who studies, specialist Cardiologist- “one who studies the heart” -ology Study of, process of study Oncology- “the study of tumors” -oma Tumor Melanoma- “tumor of melanin-forming cells” -pathy Disease, disease process Angiopathy- “disease related to blood vessels” -scopy Process of visual examination Endoscopy- “visual examination within the body” Combining form of word root Meaning dermat/o Skin gastro/o Stomach nas/o Nose opt/o Eye pneum/o Air, lung my/o Muscle cardi/o Heart arthr/o Joint oste/o Bone nephr/o Kidney mamm/o Breast test/o Testis Gluc/p, glyc/o Sugar neur/o Nerve