Week 1 - Construction Of Medical Words Flashcards
All medical terms have one or more ______ that provide the meaning of the word.
Roots
What are the elements of a medical term that are required to properly form a term?
Roots and Combining Vowels = Combining Form
Example: Pneum- (Root) + o- (Combining Vowel) = Pneum/o (Combining Form)
True or False? Different roots can have the same meaning.
True.
Example: Pulmon- and Pneumon- have the same meaning of “lung”.
A Suffix is an element added to the end of a root or combining form to give it a new meaning.
True or False? If a suffix begins with a consonant, it but follow a combining vowel and if a suffix begins with a vowel, no combining vowel is needed.
True.
Example:
Pulmon -ary = Pulmonary, pertaining to the lung.
Pulmon/o -logy = Pulmonology, the study of the lung.
What does the suffix of -ia mean?
A condition of.
Example: Pneumon-ia, a condition (infection) of the lung.
What does the suffix -ation mean?
A process.
Example: Respir-ation, a process of breathing.
Where does a Prefix fit as an element in a medical term?
At the beginning of a root or combining form.
Example:
Pre- mature = Premature, before the normal pregnancy.
Post- mature = Postmature, after the normal pregnancy.
Uni- in Unilateral means…
One side of the body.
Bi- in Bilateral means…
Two (both) sides of the body.
Peri- in Perinatal means…
Around the time of birth.
Epi- in Epigastric means…
Above the stomach.
Hypo- in Hypogastric means…
Below the stomach.
Micro- in Microctye means…
Small red blood cell.
Macro- in Macrocyte means…
Large red blood cell.
Identify the prefixes and suffixes in the following word.
Perinatal
peri- -nat- -al
Prefix / Root / Suffix
Identify the prefixes and suffixes in the following word:
Hypogastric
Hypo- -gastr- -ic
Prefix / Root / Suffix
How would you deconstruct the word “Cardiologist” into prefixes and suffixes?
Cardi/o -logist where -logist is the suffix, one who studies and is a specialist in, and Cardi/o- is the prefix, the combining form for heart.
How would you deconstruct the word “Myocardial” into prefixes and suffixes?
My/o (prefix), combining form for muscle, cardi (root), means heart, and -al (suffix) meaning pertaining to.
True or False? In a medical term, there can be more than one combining form.
True.
Example: Cardiomyopathy -> Cardi/o- -my/o- -pathy -> Cardio + Myo are both combining forms and the suffix is -pathy.
True or False? Plural endings for medical terms simply involve adding an “s” and do not need to be memorized.
False.
Example:
Singular endings of -a or -is have plural variants of -ae and -es.
Axilla (singular) -> Axillae (plural) | Diagnosis (singular) -> Diagnoses (plural)
True or False? -ilium and -ileum have the same pronunciation but have different meanings.
True.
-ilium and -ileum are pronounced ILL-ee-um but…
-ilium is a bone in the pelvis.
-ileum is a segment of the small intestine.
True or False? Some terms can sound the same if pronounced incorrectly.
True.
Example:
Prostate -> PROSS-tate, referring to gland at the base of the male bladder.
Prostrate -> pross-TRAYT, referring to being physically weak or exhausted or to lie flat on the ground.
What is the difference between HYPO- and HYPER- tension?
HYPO- means low and in this it means low blood pressure.
HYPER- means high and in this it means high blood pressure.
True or False? Paying attention to word structure and format is not that important.
False. Incorrect spelling or pronunciation can result in completely different interpretations of meaning which can direct treatment in the wrong way. You must be extremely meticulous about the spelling and pronunciation of medical terms or you can negatively impact the life of a patient.
What is the difference between Diagnosis and Prognosis?
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms.
Prognosis is the likely course of a disease or ailment.
What does the prefix -dia in diagnosis mean?
Means through, throughout, or completely, as in to completely define the nature of a disease.
True or False. A root can start a term and does not become a prefix.
True.
The following suffixes indicate what meaning?
-ac, -acal, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ial, -iac, -ic, -ive, -atory, and -ous
Pertaining to.
What is the term that refers to a lack of blood supply to a part of the body?
Ischemia
What does intra- in intravenous mean?
Intra- referring to “within” the vein.
What does Infarct mean?
Area of cell death resulting from blocked blood supply.
What does Cervical mean?
Pertaining to the neck.
What is the Septum?
The cartilage that divides the nose into 2 separate chambers.
What are Ganglia and what is the singular form?
Clusters of nerve cell bodies found throughout the body.
Ganglion
What is the roof of Axillary and what is the meaning of it?
Axilla-
Armpit.
What is the correct form of the root for the word pneumonia?
Pneumon-
What is Dementia?
A chronic, progressive, and irreversible loss of intellectual and mental functions.
What is Perinatal?
Refers to the time from pregnancy up to a year after child birth.
What is another word for Pneumonia?
Pneumonitis
What is the proper pronunciation of Dementia?
Dee-MEN-she-ah
Myo- implies what meaning?
Muscle.
What is a Ureter?
Narrow tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
What does -agnosis refer to?
Knowledge of an abnormal medical condition.
