Learn Medical

Terminology and Human

Anatomy

Review and keep track of what you've

learned by downloading the slides for this
lesson.

In our previous courses, you may have

noticed a number of complex anatomy
and physiology terms getting tossed
around. Our complete medical
terminology list will help you learn some
of the most common anatomical and
surgical terms by looking at prefixes,
suffixes, and roots.

Letʼs start off with the basics.

Numbers

Many times youʼll encounter a medical

term that contains a prefix that describes
a number. Here are a few of the most
common.

Prefix Meaning Example

Mono-, uni- One Unilateral

Bi- Two Bilateral

Tri- Three Triplicate

Directions and Positions

In medicine, youʼll often encounter terms

that describe where a procedure or
condition takes place on the body.

Prefix Meaning Example

Ab- Away from Abduction

Ad- Toward Adduction

Ecto-, exo- Outside Ectoparasite

Endo- Inside Endoderm

Epi- Upon Epinenephrine

There are also a number of positional and

directional medical terms that are not
suffixes or prefixes, but are instead
standalone words. Here is a short medical
billing terminology list of some of the
most valuable.

Word Meaning Example

Anterior At or near the

“Anterior
or front surface of
nerves”
ventral the body

At or near the “Dorsal

Posterior
real surface of surface of
or dorsal
the body the hand”

“Superior
Superior Above (cranial)
aspect”

“Inferior
Inferior Below
aspect”

“Lateral
Lateral Side
aspect”

“Axons
Farthest from
Distal distal to the
center
injury”

Proximal
Proximal Nearest to center end of the
forearm”

Basic Anatomy Terms

This medical billing terminology list will

help you navigate the CPT and ICD
manuals, decipher doctorʼs reports, and
give you a more thorough understanding
of the medical practice in general. Letʼs
look now at a few basic terms for the
regions of the body. You might recognize
some of them.

Word Body Part

Abdominal abdomen

Buccal Cheek

Cranial Skull

Digital Fingers and toes

Femoral Thigh

Gluteal Buttock

Hallux Great toe

Inguinal Groin

Loin (lowest part of the spine

Lumbar below the false ribs and
between the hips)

Mammary Breast

Nasal Nose

Occipital Back of head

Pectoral Chest

Sternal Breastbone

Thoracic Chest

Umbilical Navel

Ventral Belly

Conditions

Now that weʼve taken a look at the terms

that describe the major regions of the
body, letʼs turn to some conditions that
may affect those body parts in this
medical terminology list.

Prefix Meaning Example

Ambi- Both Ambidextrous

Bad, painful,
Dys- Dyslexia
difficult

Eu- Good, normal Eukaryote

Homo- Same Homogenous

Iso- Equal, same Isotope

Mal- Bad, poor Malnutrition

Suffix Meaning Example

-algia Pain Myalgia

-emia Blood Hypoglycemia

-itis Inflammation Bronchitis

Destruction,
-lysis Dialysis
break down

-oid Like Haploid

-
Disease of Neuropathy
opathy

-pnea Breathing Sleep apnea

Surgical Procedures

Letʼs wrap up this vocabulary review with

a look at some of the most common
surgical procedures. Since itʼs always
imperative to list where on the body a
surgical procedure was performed, these
vocabulary terms are a small but useful
addition to this section. Memorize this
medical terminology suffixes list and
youʼll know instantly what kind of
procedure was performed, even if you
donʼt know exactly what the procedure
did.

Suffix Meaning Example

Puncture a
-
cavity to Amniocentesis
centesis
remove fluid

Surgical
-ectomy removal or Hysterectomy
excision

A new
-ostomy permanent Tracheostomy
opening

Cutting into,
-otomy Gastrotomy
incision

- Surgical repair
Gastrorrhaphy
orrhaphy or suture

Surgical
-opexy Nephropexy
fixation

-oplasty Surgical repair Rhinoplasty

Crushing or
-otripsy Lithotripsy
destroying

Note that you can also use your CPT

manual to study human anatomy
vocabulary. Current CPT manuals come
with instructive illustrations, diagrams,
and charts all throughout the book,
including a medical terminology
abbreviations list. In the front of the CPT
manual, you should be able to find a list
of anatomical illustrations. Bookmark this
page and refer to it in case youʼre looking
for an illustration of the eye or inner ear,
or need to remember which artery goes
where. Also, be sure to download our
ebook for more detailed tables on medical
terminology.

In the next section, find our medical

terminology abbreviations list.