The Basics of Medical Terminology (Ruthann Russo)

Too many medical terminology seems like a foreign language. Just like any foreign language, it has its own vocabulary and methods for combining words in an acceptable and understandable format. One reason medical terminology is so confusing is that so many of the words spoken by your doctor are words that sound familiar to us. By understanding some basics of medical terminology and how to combine different prefixes, suffixes and root words you can decipher complex medical terms.

For example if you add –itis to the end of any word, it means “inflammation of”. The word Esophagitis then, means inflammation of the esophagus. Below is a listing of common prefixes, suffixes and root terms.

Common prefixes
A prefix is a word part that is found at the beginning of the word. The prefix generally has the same meaning in every word. Here are some examples of common prefixes used in medical terms:

Prefix	Meaning	Example	Definition
A- An-	Not, without	Afebrile	Without fever
Cyano-	Blue	Cyanosis	Bluing of the skin
Brady-	Slow	Bradycardia	Slow heart beat
Dys-	Painful	Dyspnea	Painful breathing
Exo-	Outside of	Extracranial	Outside the skull
Hyper-	Excessive, too much	Hypertension	High blood pressure
Hypo-	Low, too little	Hypotension	Low blood pressure
Intra-	Within	Intramuscular	Within the muscle
Leuko-	White	Leukocytes	White blood cells
Peri-	Around	Pericardium	Around the heart
Onco-	Tumor	Oncology	Study of tumors
Retro-	Behind	Retrosternum	Behind the sternum
Tachy-	Fast	Tachycardia	Fast heart beat

Common suffixes
A suffix is a word part that is found at the end of the word. The suffix generally has the same meaning in every word. Here are some examples of common suffixes used in medical terms:

Suffix	Meaning	Example	Definition
-algia	Painful condition	Arthralgia	Joint pain
-asthenia	Weakness	Myasthenia	Muscle weakness
-cele	Tumor, hernia, swelling	Cystocele	Herniated bladder
-centesis	To puncture (as part of a surgical procedure)	Pneumocentesis	Puncture of the lung
-cyte	Cell	Leukocyte	White blood cell
-dynia	Pain	Otodynia	Ear pain
-ectomy	Excision	Colectomy	Removal of the colon
-emesis	Vomiting	Hematemesis	Throwing up blood
-it is	inflammation	Colitis	Inflammation of the colon
-lithiasis	Stone	Nephrolithiasis	Kidney stone
-oma	Tumor	Hepatoma	Liver tumor
-ostomy	Artificial opening	Colostomy	Opening between the large intestine and the outside of the body (created surgically)
-otomy	Incision into	Gastrotomy	Incision into stomach
-pathy	Disease	Cardiomyopathy	Disease of the heart muscles
-penia	Shortage of	Leukopenia	Shortage of white blood cells
-plasty	Repair	Angioplasty	Blood vessel repair
-ptysis	spitting	Hemoptysis	Spitting of blood
-rrhage	Excessive flow	Hemorrhage	Excessive blood flow
-rrhaphy	Suture	Herniorraphy	Suture of hernia
-rhea	Flow or discharge	Rhinorhea	Discharge from the nose
-tripsy	To crush	Lithotripsy	Crushing of stone
-uria	urine	Dysuria	Painful urination

Common root terms
A root is a word part that is the main part, or stem of the word. The root generally has the same meaning in every word. Here are some examples of common root terms used in medical terms.

Root word	Meaning…. relating to a	Example	Definition
Aden	gland	Adenoma	Tumor of a gland
Angi	blood vessel	Angioplasty	Repair of blood vessel
Arthr	joint	Arthritis	Inflammation of joints
Broncho	Airway in the lung	Bronchitis	Inflammation of the airways
Ceph	Head	Cephalgia	Headache
Chole	Gall, bile	Cholelithiasis	Gallstones
Cost	rib	Costoplasty	Repair of the ribs
Cyst	bladder	Cystitis	Inflammation of bladder
Enceph	Brain	Encephalopathy	Disease of the brain
Gastr	stomach	Gastritis	Inflammation of the stomach
Hem	Blood	Hematuria	Blood in the urine
Hepat	liver	Hepatitis	Inflammation of the liver
Nephro	Kidney	Nephrolithiasis	Kidney stone
Phleb	Vein	Phlebitis	Inflammed vein
Pneumo	Lung	Pneumonitis	Inflammed lung
Rhino	Nose	Rhinoplasty	Repair of the nose

Comments (2)

LOis Davis:

Cervical spine moderate deossification of osseous cervical spine uncinate osteoarthritis involving c4 c5 & c6. grade 2 spondylosis exists at c5-c6
Thotracic spine mild kyphosis with wedging of 7th,8th 9th thoracic vertebral bodies, grade 2 thoracic spondylosis with mild desossification present
Bony pelvis, hip joints reveal grade 1 osteoarthritis

Posted by LOis Davis | September 21, 2007 6:40 PM

Posted on September 21, 2007 18:40

vicky Guevara:

this is such a great site i love it , it's very helpful

Posted by vicky Guevara | October 17, 2007 11:15 AM

Posted on October 17, 2007 11:15