 Module 1 - Introduction to Medical Terminology

 Module 2 - Human Body In Health and Disease

 Module 3 - Skeletal System
 Module 4 - Muscular System
 Module 5 - Cardiovascular System
 Module 6 - Lymphatic and Immune System
 Module 7 - Respiratory System
 Module 8 - Digestive System
 Module 9 - Urinary System
 Module 10 - Nervous System
 Module 11 - Special Senses: The Eyes and Ears
 Module 12 - Skin: The Integumentary System
 Module 13 - Endocrine System
 Module 14 - Reproductive System
 Module 15 - Diagnostic Procedures and Pharmacology

http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_rice_terminolog_2/3/775/198650.cw/index.html

http://www.globalrph.com/medterm.htm

http://www.cancerindex.org/medterm/medtm4.htm

Medical Terminology and Cancer

© Copyright 1996-2000

4: The Components of Medical Terminology

Contents

 Components of Medical Words

 Root words
 Suffixes
 Prefixes

Components of Medical Words

Most medical terms are compound words made up of root words which are combined with prefixes (at
the start of a word) and suffixes (at the end of a word). Thus medical terms that may at first seem very
complex can be broken down into their component parts to give you a basic idea of their meaning. For
example the word neuroblastoma
 neuro- means nerve

blast- relates to immature cells

-oma means tumour.

Therefore by breaking down a complex word we can see that neuroblastoma literally means a
tumour made up of immature nerve cells.

To take another type of tumour: osteogenic sarcoma

osteo- means bone

-genic means creating / causing

Thus we can see that this is a bone forming tumour.

All medical terms have a root word. They may also have a prefix, a suffix, or both a prefix and a
suffix.

Root Words

Some examples of root words:-

component meaning example

BLAST- germ, immature cell blastoma = a cancer made of immature cells

CARCIN- cancer carcinogenic = cancer causing

CARDIO- heart cardiotoxicity = toxicity to the heart

CYTO- cell cytotoxic = toxic to the cell

DERMA- skin dermatitis = inflammation of the skin

HISTIO- tissue histology = study of tissue

HEPATI- liver hepatoblastoma = liver cancer

MALIGN- bad / harmful malignant = growing, spreading

NEPHRO- kidney nephrotoxic = harmful to the kidneys

NEURO- nerves neurob1ast = an immature nerve cell

ONCO- mass / tumour oncology = the study of cancer

OSTEO- bone / bony tissue osteosarcoma = bone cancer

PAED- child paediatric oncology = study of childhood cancer

SARCO- tissue sarcoma = tumour of bone, muscle, or connective tissue

TOXO- poison toxicology = study of poisons

Suffixes

Some examples of suffixes:-

component meaning example

-AEMIA condition of blood leukaemia = cancer of blood cells

-ECTOMY excision / removal nephrectomy = excision of a kidney

-ITIS inflammation hepatitis = inflammation of the liver

-OLOGY study / science of cytology = the study of cells

-OMA tumour retinoblastoma = tumour of the eye

-PATHY disease neuropathy = disease of the nervous system

-OSIS disease /condition necrosis = dying cells

Prefixes

Some examples of prefixes:-

component meaning example

AN-, A- without / lack of anaemia = lack of red blood cells

AB- away from abnormal = away from the normal

AD- near / toward adrenal gland = gland near to the kidney

BI- two / both bilateral Wilm's = tumour in both kidneys

DYS- difficult / painful dysfunction = not working properly

ECTO- outside ectopic pregnancy = outside the uterine cavity

ENDO- inside endoscope = an instrument to look inside the body cavities or organs

EPI- upon epidermis = the outer layer of skin

HYPER- excessive / above hyperglycaemia = excessive blood sugar levels

HYPO- beneath / below hypodermic = injection below the skin

INTER- between intercostal = between the ribs

INTRA- within / Inside intravenous = into a vein

PARA- beside, about, near parathyroid = beside the thyroid gland

PERI- around pericardium = membrane around the heart

PRE- before prenatal = before birth

POST- after post surgical stage = stage after surgery

SUB- under / below submucosa = tissue below mucus membrane

SYN- together with syndrome = group of symptoms occurring together

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