Medical Terminology

The Basic Structure and Analysis of Medical Terms

By E. Suryadi Madarina Julia

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ONCOLOGY: Cervix Sarcoma

Sarcoma of the cervix therapy Sarcomas of the cervix show a variable and generally poor response to radiotherapy. If possible therefore, surgical removal is indicated if the disease is localized to the pelvis. This may vary from simple hysterectomy to total pelvic exenteration. Chemotherapy has not proved effective in these tumor The signs and symptoms of recurrent malignant disease are: 1. Positive cytologic examination 2. Palpable tumor in pelvis or abdomen 3. Ulceration of cervix or vagina 4. Unilateral lower extremity edema 2 5. Supraclavicular lymphadenopathy

(Adopted from: Gordon Reeves & Ian Todel. 1996: Lecture Notes on Immunology.pp: 258)
1. Abnormal proliferation of the cells of the immune system takes many forms, e.g. leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, macroglobulinemia and heavy chain diseases. Cryoglobuminemia and amyloidosis are also associated with the abnormal production of proteins involved in the immune respons.
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2. The monoclonal gammopathies are caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of a single clone of plasma cells (in myelomatosis) or B Lymphoblasts (in macroglobulinemia). In macroglobulinemia the excess production of pentameric IgM is associated with hyperviscosity and cryoglobulinemia. In myeloma the monoclonal immunoglobuline can be of class IgG, IgA, IgD, IgM, or monomeric IgM. Decalcification, hypercalcemia and bone pain is mediated by cytokine release initiated by the abnormal plasma cells and agents that inhibit IL-6 are under investigation for treatment of myelomatosis. 4

Medical Terminology
Our sessions : The structure and analysis of medical terms Roots, prefix and suffix in medical terms The basic of medical terminology Two practical sessions
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History
a vocabulary from ancient Greek and Latin Ancient doctors, e.g. Hippocrates:
epilepsy, dysentery, asthma, diarrhea

New advances in medical science new terms derived from everyday vocabulary,
e.g. cyt kytos (hollow container)-cell
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Why do we need to learn medical terminology ?

To speak and to write exactly Health professional around the world use medical vocabulary to speak and to write exactly International language
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How do we learn medical terminology?

like learning other languages: memorize the vocabulary!! logical language: most terms can be broken down into its basic component parts and understood basic word structure
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Medical Terminology

The basic of medical terminology

Basic Word Structure

PANCYTOPENIA
PREFIX COMBINING WORD VOWEL ROOT SUFFIX
COMBINING FORM

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Medical Terminology

Commonly Used Roots, Prefix and Suffix

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WORD ROOT
FOUNDATION OF THE WORD

GASTER =GASTROS
ROOT (stomach)
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PREFIX
WORD BEGINNING

EPIGASTRIC
PREFIX (above)
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SUFFIX
WORD ENDING

GASTRITIS
SUFFIX (inflammation)
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COMPOUND WORD
TWO OR MORE WORD ROOTS

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM GASTROENTERITIS WORD ROOTS

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LEUKOCYTE LEUKOCYTOSIS LEUKOCYTOPENIA

SUFFIX or COMPOUND SUFFIX FORM
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PANCYTOPENIA PAN : all CYT : cell PENIA : deficiency DEFICIENCY OF ALL CELLS (deficiency of all types of blood cells)

Correlate an understanding of a word with basic anatomy, physiology, and disease process of the human body

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LEUKEMIA
LEUK (root): white EM (root): blood IA (suffix): state (noun) EMIA (compound-suffix form): state of blood white blood malignancy of white blood cells
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The origin of a medical term

Greek noun or adjective Greek verb Latin noun or adjective Latin verb Influence how it was used in modern medical term
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Greek nouns and adjectives (1)

Root of a noun or an adjective is found by dropping the ending (os, on, e, s, ys) nephros nephritis neuron neuritis leukos leukemia tachys tachypnea glykys -- glycemia
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Greek nouns and adjectives (2)

when a suffix begins with a consonant attached to a root ends with a consonant, a combining vowel is needed leukocyte neurogenic nephroblast
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sodrop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel

GASTRIC, and not GASTROIC LEUKEMIA, and not LEUKOEMIA

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but retain the combining vowel between two roots in a word

GASTROENTERITIS ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM

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Greek nouns and adjectives (3)

Some words may come in two combining forms: derma, dermatos hypodermic, dermatology soma, somatos haima, haimatos stoma, stomatos macrosomia, somatotroph hemoglobin, hematology tracheostomy, stomatitis 24

Greek Verbs
gignesthai gen(e) - gen lyein tome graphein rhein ly(s)tomgraphrhepathogenesis hematogen hemolysis cholecystotomy cardiograph diarrhea, leukorrhea
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Latin Nouns
Combining form of a noun is found by dropping the ending (a, um) fistula fistulectomy vagina vaginoplasty lympha lymphogen ileum ileostomy cerebrum cerebrovascular palatum palatorrhaphy
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Tissue
Tissues may have different terms in normal and diseased states NORMAL: LATIN WORD DISEASED/ ABNORMAL: GREEK WORD

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normal and abnormal

TESTIS UTERUS VAGINA OVARIUM TUBA NASUS ORIS HEPAR orchitis endometritis colpitis vaginitis oophor/o Oophoritis salphynx salphyngitis rhin/o rhinitis stomat/onep Stomatitis hepat/o hepatitis 28 orch/o metr/o colp/o

normal and abnormal

REN COR PULMO CORNEA AURIS CEREBRUM nephr/o cardi/o pneum/o kerat/o ot/o encephal/o nephritis carditis pneumonitis pneumonia keratitis otitis encephalitis
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Tissue
ADIPOSE TISSUE Fascia adiposa LIP/O : FAT
Lipolysis Lipogenesis Lipodystrophy lipoma

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Tissue
OSSEUS/OS Os femur, os radius, os pallatum, medulla osseum OSTE/O : BONE
Osteogenesis imperfecta Osteoblast Osteomyelitis 31

Tissue
NERVUS Nernus ischiadicus, n. axillaris NEUR/O : NERVE neuralgia neuropathy neuritis
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Tissue
MUSCULUS Musculus pectoralis major, m. rectus abdominis MY/O MYS/O: MUSCLE myopathy myositis Myoglobin Myofibra Myocardium Myometrium

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Tissue
CARTILAGO Cartilago thyreoidea, cartilago septi nasi CHONDR/O : CARTILAGE chondrodysplasia Achondroplasia Osteogenesis enchondralis Chondrogenesis
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Tissue
CUTIS CUTANE/0 Intracutane, subcutane DERMIS DERMAT/O : SKIN
dermatitis leukoderma epidermis dermatology

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Tissue
VASA VASCUL/O vascularisation, avascular ANGI/O : BLOOD VESSEL
angiopathy/ vasculopathy angiography Angiogram angioma Vasculitis

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Tissue
SANGUIS; SANGUINIS HEM/O =HAIMA EM HEMAT/O: BLOOD
hematology hematopoiesis anemia cholesterolemia hemoglobin

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Color= chrom
LEUK/O : ALBUS : WHITE
ALBINO, CORPUS ALBICAN LINEA ALBA LEUKOCYTE LEUKOCYTURIA LEUKOCYTOSIS LEUKEMIA LEUKODERMA LEUKODYSTROPHY LEUKOPLAKIA LEUKORRHEA FLUOR ALBUS
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Color = chrom
MELAN/O : FUSCUS : BLACK
MELANOCYTE MELANOBLAST MELANOMA MELANURIA MELANIN MELENA
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Color
ERYTHR/O : RUBRO : RED
CORPUS RUBRUM NUCLEUS RUBER

ERYTHROBLAST ERYTHROCYTE ERYTHROCLAST ERYTHEMATOUS ERYSIPELAS ERYTHREMIA ERYTHRODERMA

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Color
CYAN/O: BLUE
CYANOTIC CYANOSIS CYANOPHIL CYANOPSIA CYANOLABE glaucos : bluish green Griseus : bluish grey
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Color
CHLOR/O:CHLOASMA : GREEN
CHLOROMA CHLOROPHYL CHLOROPSIA CHLOROLABE
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COLOR

GRISEUS = POLIOS = PHAIOS =GREY Substantia grisea Poliomyelitis

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Color
XANTH/O: FLAVUS: LUTEUS: YELLOW
CORPUS LUTEUM XANTHOCHROMIC XANTHOCHROMIA XANTHELASMA XANTHOMA XANTHOPSIA
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Body activities
Audio = acouo = to hear Opsia = opia = blepo = to see Phagien = to eat Dipsa = to drink Phrasis = to speech Laleo = to talk Gradior = to walk Halo = pneu = to breathe Oureo = to urinate Ergo = to work Sedeo =sella = to sit Osme = bromo =to smell Mnena = memory Palpo = to touch Kineo= moveo = to move Gustatus = geuma = to taste Hypnos = somnus = sopor= to sleep Glutio = to swallow Defaecatio= chezo = to 45 defaecate

Qualitative Measurement
Major= magnus = mega = great Minor = parvus = small Breve = short Longus = long Durum = hard
Mollis = soft Bradys = tardus = slow Tachys = celer = fast Poly = multi = many Oligos = few = rare Asthenia = weak
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prefix Location
retr/o supra/super /ultra epi extra par/a peri end/o ento - en eso intra infra/ sub ect/o exo ec
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prefix Location

mes/o Circum/peri
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Prefix others
Ante = before Meta = behind Trans = beyond, to the other side Inter = between, among Dia = complete = through Per = through, over Ana = upon, upwards Cata = downward
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prefix Location examples:

ectopic pregnancy ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm encephalitis endometrium vs. parametrium endotoxin vs. exotoxin Periosteum, pericardium Circumoral, circumductio retroperitoneal 50 suprarenal, etc.

prefix - number
A/AN NULLI
WITHOUT LACKING DEFICIENT

ANEMIA APLASTIC ANEMIA ANALGESIA NULLIPARA

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hemi semi

prefix - number
HALF PARTIAL

HEMIPARESIS HEMIPLEGIA HEMIHYPERTROPHY SEMICOMATOSE

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prefix - number
uni - mono

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY MONOPARESIS MONONUCLEAR CELLS UNICELLULAR UNILATERAL

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st 1 primi

prefix - number

PRIMIPARA, PRIMIPAROUS PRIMIGRAVIDA PRIMITIVE PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

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prefix - number
BI - DI(PLO)
BICUSPID VALVE BICEPS BIFURCATIO DIPLOCOCCUS DIPLOID
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prefix - number
MULTI MANY :
MULTIPARA, MULTINUCLEAR GIANT CELLS, MULTIGRAVIDA

3 - TRI :
TRICUSPIDALIS, TRI IN DIE

4 - TETRA :
TETRAPARESES, TETRAPLEGIA

5 - PENTA : PENTAMER

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negative sense
ANTI (ANT): CONTRA = AGAINST, OPPOSED

ANTIBIOTIC ANTIHISTAMINE ANTITOXIN

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MAL = BAD Malnutrition, malaria A, AN = ABSENCE OF SOMETHING, DEFICIENT Anaerobe, anemia, anhidrosis

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negative sense

dys :
difficult, painful, abnormal
DYSMENORRHEA DYSPEPSIA DYSTROPHY (DUCHENNE MUSCULODYSTROPHY) DYSURIA
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hyper and hypo

hyper : beyond normal, excessive, over hypo: under, deficient, below normal HYPOGLYCEMIA HYPERGLYCEMIA HYPOTHYROIDISM HYPERTHYROIDISM HYPOTENSI HYPERTENSI HYPODERMIC
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tachy and brady

tachy: rapid, fast brady: slow tachycardia tachypnea bradycardia bradypnea

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suffix noun
a, ia, y, sia, sis, asia, asis, esis, ema, ism, us:
dyspnea, rhinorrhea anemia, osteomalacia hypertrophy ectasia arteriosclerosis

state, condition
nephrolithiasis erythema hyperchromasia diuresis synergism hydrocephalus
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suffix noun
osis Abnormal condition

itis oma,m a oophoritis endometritis colitis ulcerosa hepatitis carditis dermatosis

inflammation tumor, disease fibroadenoma adenocarcinoma glioma edema lymphoma 63 endometriosis

Suffix NOUN - ADJECTIVE NOUN

cyanosis anemia nervus sclerosis stenosis paralysis

ADJECTIVE
cyanotic anemic nervous sclerotic stenotic paralytic
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SUFFIXES
-ALGIA = PAIN -CELE = HERNIA -CENTESIS = SURGICAL PUNCTURE TO REMOTE A FLUID -PENIA = DECREASE -DYNIA = PAIN -LYSIS = DESTRUCTION = BREAKDOWN -MALACIA = SOFTENING -OPSY = TO VIEW -POIESIS = FORMATION -PLASIA = DEVELOPMENT
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Others SUFFIXES
-PATHY = DISEASE -PEXY = FIXATION -STASIS = STOPPING. CONTROLING -SCOPE = INSTRUMENT FOR EXAMINATION -PTOSIS = DROPPING
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What are we going to discuss in this session?

ABREVIATIONS IN MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY SINGULAR-PLURAL CLINICAL TERMS/ PHRASES etc.
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Abbreviations
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Measurements Chemical Diagnoses Procedures Health Professions Charting
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Abbreviations

Measurements
g or gm mcg tsp kcal mMol/L g/dL mg% BMI gram microgram teaspoon calorie mMol per liter gram per deciliter miligram percent body mass index
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Abbreviations

Chemical
O2 (oxygen) CO2 (carbon dioxide) NaCl (sodium chloride) RL (Ringer Lactate) K (potassium, kalium)
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Abbreviations

Diagnoses
CP (cerebral palsy) AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) CVA (cerebrovascular accident) CVD (cardiovascular disease) DHF (Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever)
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Abbreviations

Procedures (1) radiology

IVP: intravenous pyelography ECG: electrocardiography USG: ultrasonography MRI: magnetic resonance imaging CT-SCAN (CAT-SCAN): computerized axial tomography scanning
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Abbreviations

Procedures (2) laboratory

2 hr pp (2 hour post prandial blood glucose) LDH (lactic dehydrogenase) CK (creatine kinase) LFT (liver function test) RFT (renal function test)
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Abbreviations

Health professions
MD (medical doctor) ENT (ear, nose, throat) OB (obstetry) GYN (gynecology)
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Abbreviations

Charting
ex/ exam (examination) Dx (diagnosis) Tx (treatment) Rx (prescribe) BP (blood pressure) iv (intravenous) OS (oculus sinister, left eye) tid (tri in die, thrice a day)

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Rules for commonly forming plurals

ending is um us a ex/ix change to es a i ae ices
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Examples of plurals

is to es
SINGULAR
anastomosis metastasis epiphysis prosthesis

PLURAL
anastomoses metastases epiphyses prostheses
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Examples of plurals

um to a
SINGULAR bacterium diverticulum ovum PLURAL bacteria diverticula ova
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Examples of plurals

us to i
SINGULAR calculus bronchus bronchiolus nucleus PLURAL calculi bronchi bronchioli nuclei
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Examples of plurals

a to ae
SINGULAR vertebra bursa bulla PLURAL vertebrae bursae bullae
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Examples of plurals

ix or ex to ices
SINGULAR apex varix PLURAL apices varices

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Clinical Terms/ Phrases

Ana/mnes/is: history of symptoms examination: physical examination of signs Dia/gnos/is therapy/ treatment Pro/gnos/is

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diagnosis/diseases (1) related to organ system/ tissue

inflammation: rhinopharyngitis, cystitis tumor/ cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma, osteosarcoma, melanoma maligna, neurofibromatosis condition: mitral stenosis, arteriosclerosis, nephrolithiasis, dysenteri, hemothorax syndrome: nephrotic syndrome, hepatorenal syndrome, AIDS
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diagnosis/diseases (2) related to the causing factors

organism:
Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) Chikungunya Fever Diphteria (C. diphteriae) Tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis)

toxin:
tetanus (tetanin C. tetani) botulism (botulinum C. botulinum)
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diagnosis/diseases (3)
named after the person who found it
signs:
Turner syndrome Biot respiration Spleen Schuffner 1-8

disease:
Duchenne muscular dystrophy Becker muscular dystrophy Hashimoto disease Graves disease Neurofibromatosis von Recklinghausen85

therapy/ treatment
Causative/ Curative: address the cause of the disease aimed at curing the disease Symptomatic/Palliative: address the symptoms of the disease aimed at making the patients feel better Ex juvantivus: a try out
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surgical procedures
tomy (to cut): pyloromyotomi, osteotomi stomy (to make an opening): tracheostomy, nephrostomy, ileostomy ectomy (resection= to cut out): nephrectomy, splenectomy, gastrectomy rraphy (to sew): herniorrhaphy, palatorraphy, Plasty (to improve): vaginoplasty 87 incision vs. excision

prognosis
dubia ad malam dubia ad bonam five years survival rate of 80% fatality rate remission rate cure rate
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other terms
acute vs. chronic degree of consciousness: compos mentis, lethargy, stupor, sopor, soporocomatous, coma shock headache/ cephalgia: tension headache, cluster headache, migraine, vertigo
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Aware of spelling and pronunciation problem

4 pronounced alike different spelling 4 may give wrong diagnosis

CYSTITIS vs. CYTOSIS

ILEUM vs. ILIUM

HEPATOMA vs. HEMATOMA
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Aware of spelling and pronunciation problem

similar pronunciation

URETER vs. URETHRA ureteritis urethritis

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diminutive suffix (1)

culus venter ventriculus, ventricle vasa vasculus vesica vesiculus, vesicle olus arteria arteriole alveus -- alveolus
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diminutive suffix (2)

ulus calcis calculus globus globulus, globule illa fibril -fibrilla ellum cerebrum - cerebellum
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How do we analyze a medical terms?

break it down into its component part find the meaning of every part Read the meaning from the suffix back to the first part of the word

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PANCYTOPENIA
PAN (prefix): all CYT (root): cell PENIA (suffix-form): deficiency
DEFICIENCY OF ALL CELLS (deficiency of all types of blood cells)
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ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
ELECTR (root): electricity CARDI (root): heart GRAM (suffix): record The record of the electricity of the heart
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GASTROENTERITIS
GASTR (root): stomach ENTER (root): intestines ITIS (suffix): inflammation Inflammation of the stomach and intestines
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Read the meaning of medical terms from the suffix back to the first part of the word

PANCYTOPENIA ELECTROCARDIOGRAM GASTROENTERITIS

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ASYNERGY
A (prefix): without SYN (prefix): together ERG (root): working Y (suffix): noun-suffix without synergy without working together
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OSTEOSARCOMA
OSTEO (combining form): bone SARCOMA (suffix-form): tumor of the tissue
SARC (root): tissue OMA (suffix): tumor

tumor of bone tissue

lymphosarcoma, liposarcoma, chondrosarcoma, etc.
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RETROPERITONEAL
RETRO (prefix): behind PERITONEUM (rootperitonaion): to stretch over AL (suffix): adjectival suffix behind the peritoneum
Peritoneum is a serous sac that lines the abdominal cavity
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Further Readings
Chabner DE. The Language of Medicine. W.B. Saunders Company, 1981 Dunmore CW, Fleischer RM. Medical Terminology. Exercises in Etymology, 2nd ed. F.A Davis Company, 1985 Dennerll JT. Medical Terminology. A Programmed Text, 5th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1988 102