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Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology

Chapter Objectives 

On completion of this chapter the participant will be able to:

1. Discuss the rationale for learning medical terminology.2. Define the word parts that make up a medical term.3. Discuss the process to use when analyzing a medical term.4. Recognize the importance of pronouncing medical terms.5. Recognize the importance of correct spelling when working with medical terms.6. Identify the roles of prefixes, combining vowels, roots and suffixes in building

medical terms.7. Understand the rationale for using a combining vowel.8. Discuss the correct method to use when pluralizing a medical term.9. Complete the review exercise at the end of the chapter.

Introduction

The vocabulary used in medicine, and therefore in health care, is a complicated one ....however one that can be mastered by learning/reviewing word parts first and thenpracticing them second.

Medical terminology is the language of medicine and is used to describe such things as:  parts of the body  location within the body  body functions  diseases or health problems

  medical/surgical procedures  diagnostic tests  medical instruments

Each medical term is a single word that describes something that would normally takeyou several words to explain. For example: appendicitis (ah-pen-dih-sigh-tis) is amedical word that when defined means an inflammation of the appendix.

The easiest way to learn medical terminology is to use an organized approach called 

“ term analysis” . Once this process is understood and mastered you will be ready toexamine the word parts that make up the medical terms.

The ability to accurately spell medical terms cannot be emphasized enough. Changing just one or two letters of a term can completely change the meaning of the word ... and

this difference literally could be a matter of life and death for a patient. For example: “Palpation” and “Palpitation”. Palpation is a technique used to examine a patient, wherethe hands are used to determine size, shape and location of a body part. Palpitation isa bounding or racing heart beat that may be serious enough to cause death for a patientif it isn’t treated.

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Pronunciation of Medical Terms 

It is important that you are able to correctly pronounce the medical terms you encounter. A new medical term is much easier to understand and remember when you know howto pronounce it properly. There may be more than one way to pronounce some medicalterms. Individuals generally have a preference for one pronunciation or another. One isno more correct than the other. If you have difficulty pronouncing the term yougenerally will have difficulty spelling it correctly. For many words it is obvious from theway they look how you will pronounce them but some aren’t obvious and others mayhave more than one way to say the word. As you work with the medical terms in thisbook practice pronouncing the word out loud. When you hear the word you will find thatyou remember it more easily and spelling will not be as difficult. In the chapters thatfollow, as new medical terms are introduced the word will be re-spelled using standardEnglish letters to create sounds that are familiar. To pronounce the words just say it asit is spelled in the brackets.

E.G. edema (eh-dee-mah): Means excess fluid in the body tissue.

myopathy (my-op-ah-thee): Means disease of a muscle.

Parts of the Medical Term

Medical terms are made up of prefixes, roots and suffixes. This fact is the same aswords in any language: eg. English, French, German, etc. Not all terms have all threeparts but generally, a root will be accompanied by one or more word parts. Learningmedical terminology is much easier once you understand how the word parts worktogether to form new words. The word parts and their function are as follows:

  Prefixes: Added to the beginning of a word to change the meaning of the term.Usually, but not always, prefixes will indicate location, time, number, or status:e.g. sub = below

  Root: The fundamental part of the term that establishes the basic meaning of theword. In medical terminology the root describes the part of the body involved.e.g. reteach = teach is the root  

  Suffixes: Added to the end of the word and usually, but not always, indicates theprocedure, condition, disorder or disease: e.g. learner = one who learns 

When you put word parts together the ease of pronouncing the word can be affected.

To increase ease of saying words “combining vowels”  are used.

E.G. Neuroplasty (new-row-plas-tee)“Neur” means nerve“o” is the combining vowel“plasty” means surgical repair

** Surgical repair of a nerve

 

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How to Analyze Medical Terms 

When you are analyzing a term begin with the suffix. Then look for the prefix and defineit. The remaining part is the root. Once you have identified and defined the word partsput them together into a sentence definition of the word.

Table 1.1 Examples of term analysis 

Term And Analysis  Definition 

Subcutaneous  pertaining to under the skin 

(sub-kyou-tay-nee-us)-ous = pertaining tosub- = under, belowcutane/o = skin

Tonsillitis inflammation of the tonsils

(ton-sil-lye-tis)-itis = inflammationtonsill/o = tonsil

Pericardial pertaining to around the heart

(per -ih-kar -dee-al)-al = pertaining toperi- = aroundcardi/o = heart

The Combining Vowel

The use of a combining vowel in medical terminology is primarily to modify the spellingso the new word is easier to pronounce. The most common combining vowel is “o” but

occasionally “e” or “i” will be used.

E.g. gastr - means stomachenter - means intestineitis - means inflammation

Gastr-o-enter-itis means inflammation of the stomach and intestine.

E.g. dent - means toothform - means like or similar to

Dent-i-form means similar to a tooth

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For the most part combining vowels are used between two roots to make the word flowmore easily as you pronounce it. When you are making a medical term, where a root isfollowed by a suffix that starts with a consonant, a combining vowel is used. If the suffixstarts with a vowel then a combining vowel is almost never used.

Making Medical Terms Plural

Like words in any language there must be a way to change the word from being singularto plural. Since the majority of medical terms are of Greek or Latin origin there are veryunusual rules to use for changing a singular word into its plural form.

Table 1.2 Guidelines for Pluralizing Medical Terms

Guideline/Rule Singular

Example

Plural Form

1. If the term ends in “a”, the plural isformed by adding an “e”.

bursa

vertebra

bursae

vertebrae

2.  If the term ends in “ex” or  “ix”, the

plural is formed by changing ex/ix to 

“ices”.

appendix

cervix

appendices

cervices

3. If the term ends in “is”, the plural isformed by changing the is to “es”.

diagnosis

neurosis

metastasis

diagnoses

neuroses

metastases

4. If the term ends in “itis”, the plural is

formed by dropping the s and adding“des”.

arthritis

meningitis

arthritides

meningitides

5. If the term ends in “nx” the plural isformed by changing the x to “g” andadding “es”.

phalanx

larynx

phalanges

larynges

6. If the term ends in “on”, the plural isformed by dropping the on and

adding “a”.

criterion

ganglion

criteria

ganglia

7. If the term ends in “um”, the plural is

formed by changing um to “a”.

diverticulum

ovum

diverticula

ova

8. If the term ends in “us”, the plural isformed by changing us to “i”.

alveolus

bronchus

malleolus

alveoli

bronchi

malleoli

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Look Alike/Sound Alike Terms

One confusing part of learning medical terms is dealing with the words and word partsthat look and/or sound alike. Some of the most common ones that you will encounteras you proceed with this course are:

  Arteri/o means artery. Ather/o means plaque or fatty substance. Arthr/o

means joint.  Ileum is a part of the small intestine. Ilium means part of the hip bone.  Infection is the invasion of the body by an organism. Inflammation is a

localized response to injury or destruction of tissue. 

  Laceration means a torn ragged wound. Lesion means a pathologic change intissue due to disease or injury. 

  Mucous means resembles mucus. Mucus is the substance secreted from themembranes. 

  Myc/o means fungus. Myel/o means both bone marrow and spinal cord. My/o means muscle.

  Palpation is an examination technique where the examiner uses their hands tofeel the size, texture and location of a body part. Palpitation means a poundingracing heart.

  Pyel/o means the renal pelvis. Py/o means pus. 

  Viral means a virus. Virile means having masculine traits. 

Terms With No Root

 A few terms consist of a prefix and suffix, with no root at all. An example is: neoplasm.

Neoplasm (nee-oh-plazm): new growth

Table 1.3 Examples of Terms With No Root

Term  Definition 

anemia (ah-nee-me-ah) Lack of red blood cells

esotropia (es-oh-troh-pee-ah) Condition in which the eyes or eye turnsinward, crossed eyes

neoplasm (nee-oh-plazm) New growth

exotropia (eck-soh-troh-pee-ah) The turning outward of one or both eyes

Terms With No Prefix

Medical terms don’t have to have a prefix to be a complete word. An example of thistype of word is:

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arthritis (ar -thrigh-tis): Inflammation of a joint.

Table 1.4 Examples of Terms With No Prefix

Term  Definition 

gastritis (gas-try-tis) Inflammation of the stomach

hepatitis (hep-ah-tye-tis) Inflammation of the liver

carditis (kar-dye-tis) Inflammation of the heart

adenitis (ad-eh-nigh-tis) Inflammation of a gland

cardiology (kar -dee-ol-oh-jee) Study of the heart

gastrology (gas-trol-oh-jee)  Study of the stomach

hepatology (hep-ahtol-oh-jee) Study of the liver

Summary Highlights for Chapter 1 

Remember the following for making singular words plural:

Remember the following, for making singular words plural:

is ►  es ix ►  ices

us ►  i nx ►  nges

a ►  ae on ►  a

um ►  a ax ►  aces

To analyze a term, start with the suffix. Then go to the beginning of the word ... it

will either be a prefix or a root. If there is an additional part in that term, it will be

a root. 

Some terms will have a suffix and a root with no prefix. Others will have no root

at all. There are some medical terms which will have two roots and they have acombining vowel, followed by a suffix.