Week 1: Intro to Medical Terminology

Question 1

What are some or all of the elements that a medical word can consist of?

Answer 1

word root
combining form
suffix
prefix

Question 2

What is a the foundation of a medical term and contains its primary meaning?

Answer 2

The word root (WR)

Question 3

What is created when a word root is combined with a vowel?

Answer 3

A combining form (CF)

Usually with an o, but sometimes an i or e.

Question 4

When does a CF link with a suffix?

Answer 4

When it begins with a consonant.

Question 5

When does a WR link with a suffix without a CF?

Answer 5

When the suffix begins with a vowel.

Question 6

What is a word element usually describes a pathology (disease or abnormality), symptom, surgical or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech?

Answer 6

suffix

Question 7

What usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, or negation (or opposite)?

Answer 7

prefix

Not all medical terms have a prefix and they do not require adding a connecting vowel

Question 8

What do the word roots below mean?

Arthr
Gastr
Nephr
Neur
Oste
Tonsill
Col
Mast
Nat
Splen
Hyster
Enter
Ot
Dermat
Hepat
Thromb
Rhin
Trache
Cardi
Pelv
My
Arteri

Answer 8

Joint
Stomach
Kidney
Nerve
Bone
Tonsils
Colon
Breast
Birth
Spleen
Uterus
Intestine
Ear
Skin
Liver
Blood clot
Nose
Trachea
Heart
Pelvis
Muscle
Artery

Question 9

What do the suffixes below mean?

-ectomy
-centesis
-pathy

-desis
-clasis
-lysis
-malacia

Answer 9

Excision/removal
Surgical puncture
Disease

Binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)
To break; surgical fracture
Separation; destruction; loosening
Softening

Question 10

What are the three steps in defining a medical word?

Use oste/o/arthr/itis as an example.

Answer 10

1. define the suffix, or last part of the word. -itis means inflammation.
2. Define the first part of the word (word root or combining form, or prefix) oste/o means bone
3. Define the middle parts of the word (word root or combining form. arthr means joint

Question 11

What are the three rules for building medical words?

Answer 11

1. A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.
2. A combining form (root + o) links a suffix that begins with a consonant.
3. A combining form (root + o) links a root to another root to form a compound word.

Question 12

How is ch sometimes pronounced as?

When pn is at the beginning of a word, how is it pronounced? What about in the middle of the word?

When i is at the end of the word, it is pronounced as ee or eye? ex bronchi, nuclei

For ae and oe, one the first OR second vowel is pronounced? For example, bursae, pleurae.

When e and es form the final letter or letters of a word, they are commonly pronounced as combined OR separate syllables? Ex syncope, systole, nares.

Answer 12

Like a k.

P is silent. P is not silent.

Like eye.

The second!

Separate!

Question 13

What are the rules for plural suffixes in the following examples.

-a example in pleura
-ax example in thorax
-en example in lumen
-is example in diagnosis
-ix example in appendix
-ex example in apex
-ma example in carcinoma
-on example in ganglion
-um example in bacterium
-us example in bronchus
-y example in deformity

Answer 13

Pleurae; Retain a and add e

Thoraces; Drop x and add ces

Lumina; Drop en and add ina

Diagnoses; Drop is and add es

Appendices; Drop ix and add ices

Apices; Drop ex and add ices

Carcinomata; Retain ma and add ta

Ganglia; Drop on and add a

Bacteria; Drop um and add a

Bronchi; Drop us and add i

Deformities; Drop y and add ies

Question 14

Explain what each of these common suffixes associated with diagnostic procedures mean.

-gram
-graph
-graphy
-meter
-metry
-scope
-scopy

Answer 14

Record, writing
Instrument for recording
Process of recording
Instrument for measuring
Act of measuring
Instrument for examining
Visual examination

Question 15

What do these common suffixes associated with pathological (disease) conditions mean.

-algia, -dynia
-cele
-ectasis
-edema
-emesis
-emia
-iasis
-itis
-lith
-megaly
-oma
-osis
-pathy
-penia
-phobia
-plegia
-rrhage, -rrhagia
-rrhea
-rrhexis
-stenosis
-toxic
-trophy
-esthesia
-duction
-crine
-phon

Answer 15

Pain (neuralgia) (otodynia (earache))
Hernia, swelling (hepatocele)
Dialation, expansion (Bronchiectasis)
Swelling (Lymphedema)
Vomitting (hyperemesis)
Blood condition (anemia)
Abnormal condition (produced by something specific, cholelithiasis)
Inflammation (gastritis)
Stone, calculus (chol/e/lith)
Enlargement (cardiomegaly)
Tumor (Neuroma)
Abnormal condition; incease (used primarily with blood cells (Cyanosis)
Disease (Myopathy)
Decrease, deficiency (erythropenia)
Fear (hemophobia)
Paralysis (hemiplegia)
Bursting (of) (Hemorrhage)
Discharge, flow (Diarrhea)
Rupture (arteriorrhexis)
Narrowing, stricture (arteriostenosis)
Poison (hepatotoxic)
Nourishment, development (dystrophy)
Feeling
Act of leading/bringing/conducting
Secrete
Sound of voice, speech, voice

Question 16

Other Prefixes To Learn

A/an-
Hem-
Hemi-
Dia-, trans-
Dys-
Circum-, peri-
dipl-, diplo-
Endo-
Homo-, homeo-
Hypo-
Macro-
Micro-
Mono-, uni-
Post-
Pre-, pro-
Primi-
Retro-
Super-
Electro-
Hydr-

Answer 16

Without, not (anemia)
Blood
One half
Through, across
Bad, Painful, Difficult
Around
Double
Within, intrain
Same
Under, below, deficient
Large
Small
One
After, behind
Before, in front of
First
Backward, behind
Upper, above
Electricty
Water

Question 17

Practice Long and Short Sounds of Vowels

a in rate/a in alone
e in rebirth/e in ever
i in isle/i in it
o in over/o in not
u in unite/u in cut

Answer 17

No Answer

Question 18

Common suffixes denoting grammar endings are attached to word roots to create terms with adjective or noun endings in medical words.

Adjective Endings (meaning pertaining to)
-ac, -al, -ar, -ic, -ous, -tic

Noun endings (meaning condition)
-ia, -ism

-iatry (meaning medicine, treatment)

-ist (meaning specialist)

-y (meaning condition, process)

Answer 18

Cardiac, nasal, muscular, toxic, mucous, necrotic

Leukopenia
Thyroidism

Psychiatry

Cardiologist

Neuropathy

Question 19

What do the suffixes below mean?

-pexy
-plasty
-rrhaphy
-stomy
-tome
-tomy
-tripsy

Answer 19

Surgical suspension or fixation (of an organ)
Surgical repair
Suture
Forming an opening (mouth)
Instrument to cut
Incision; to cut into
Crushing

Question 20

What is the band of scar tissue binding anatomical surfaces that are normally separate from each other?

Answer 20

Adhesion

Question 21

What is the protective response of body tissues to irritation, infection, or allergy?

Answer 21

Inflammation

Question 22

What is the body’s inflammatory response to infection in which there is fever, elevated heart and respiratory rates, and low blood pressure?

Answer 22

Sepsis

Question 23

What is the visual examination of the interior of organs and cavities with a specialized lighted instrument called an _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?

Answer 23

Endoscopy

Question 24

What is the radiographic procedure that uses a fluorescent screen instead of a photographic plate to produce a visual image from x-rays that pass through the patient, resulting in continuous imaging of the motion of internal structures and immediate serial images?

Ex. A barium swallow

Answer 24

Fluoroscopy

Question 25

What identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins, which can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder; greater than 1,000 genetic tests are currently in use, and more are being developed?

Answer 25

Genetic testing

Question 26

What is a radiographic technique that uses electromagnetic energy to produce multiplanar cross-sectional images of the body?

Answer 26

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Question 27

What is a diagnostic technique that produces an image of an organ or area by recording the concentration of a radiopharmaceutical substance called a tracer; usually introduced into the body by ingestion, inhalation, or injection?

Answer 27

Nuclear scan

Question 28

What is the production of captured shadow images on photographic film through the action of ionizing radiation passing through the body from an external source?

Answer 28

Radiography

Question 29

What is a drug that contains a radioactive substance, which travels to an area or a specific organ that will be scanned?

Answer 29

Radiopharmaceutical

Question 30

What is a radiographic technique that produces a film representing a detailed cross-section of tissue structure at a predetermined depth?

Answer 30

Tomography

Tom/o means to cut

Question 31

What is a narrow beam of x-rays with a contrast medium (provides more detail) or without a contrast medium that targets a specific organ or body area to produce multiple cross-sectional images for detecting pathological conditions, such as tumors or metastases?

Answer 31

Computed Tomography (CT)

Question 32

What is a nuclear imaging tudy that combines CT with radiopharmaceuticals to produce a cross-sectional image of radioactive dispersements in a section of the body to reveal the areas where the radiopharmaceutical is being metabolized and where there is a deficiency in metabolism; useful in evaluating Alzheimer disease and epilepsy?

Answer 32

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Question 33

What is a nuclear imaging study that scans organs after injection of a radioactive tracer and employs a specialized gamma camera that detects emitted radiation to produce a three-dimensional image from a composite of numerous views; used to show how blood flows to an organ and helps determine how well the organ is functioning?

Answer 33

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)

Question 34

What is an imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound (ultrasound) waves that bounce off body tissues and are recorded to produce an image of an internal organ or tissue?

Answer 34

Ultrasonography (US)

Question 35

Chondr

Answer 35

Cartilage

Question 36

Sarc

Answer 36

Connective tissue/flesh

Question 37

Chol

Answer 37

Gallbladder, Bile

Question 38

Cholangi

Answer 38

Bile vessel