LEARNING TO READ A MEDICAL TERM

When you look at a medical term and attempt to decipher its meaning you begin with the suffix, move to the prefix (if present) and then the root word.

For example: When trying to understand the word pericarditis you would identify itis (meaning inflammation), then peri (meaning around)and then card (meaning heart). Therefore, this word means inflammation around the heart.

Let’s try another one: for example: leukocytopenia - penia (meaning decrease), then leuk/o (meaning white)and finally cyt/o (meaning cell). Therefore, this word means a decrease in white cells.

II. Roots and suffixes used in the Greek and Latin medical terms

ROOTS

Greek and Latin roots	English word elements	Meaning	Examples of medical terms
angi-; vas-	angi-	blood vessel	angiogramma
bio-; vit-	bio-	life	biologia
cardi-; (-cardia)	cardi-	heart	cardiologia
cyt-; (-cytus)	cyt-; -cyte	cell	adenocytus
cyst-	cyst-	urinary bladder; sac of fluid	cystectomia
cholecyst-	cholecyst-	gallbladder	cholecystotomia
kerat-	kerat-	cornea; horny	keratotomia
mast-; (-mastia); mamm-	mast-; -masty	breast	mastographia
encephal-	encephal-	brain	encephalogramma
gastr-; (-gastria)	gastr-	stomach	gastrotomia
colp-	colp-	vagina	colpectomia
enter-	enter-	small intestine	gastroenterologia
physi-	physi-	nature	physiotherapia

SUFFIXES

Greek and Latin suffixes	English word elements	Meaning	Examples of medical terms
-graphia	-graphy	recording; X-ray examination	angiographia
-gramma	-gram	record; X-ray film	angiogramma
-ectomia	-ectomy	removal; resection; to cut out	cystectomia
-logia	-logy	science; study	biologia
-pathia	-pathy	any disease; disease process	enteropathia
-tomia	-tomy	cutting; incision; section	gastrotomia
-therapia	-therapy	treatment	physiotherapia

III. EXERCIsES

1. Build up clinical terms with the given roots and suffixes, explain their meaning:

E.g.: When you join the root gastr(o)- with the suffix –pathia you get the term gastropathia which means “disease process of the stomach”.

· cardi(o)- (-graphia; -gramma; -pathia; -logia);

· angi(o)- (-pathia; -graphia; -logia; -gramma);

· cholecyst(o)- (-pathia; -tomia; -ectomia; -graphia; -gramma);

· mast(o)-; mamm(o)- (-graphia; -ectomia; -gramma);

· cyst(o)- (-graphia; -tomia; -ectomia; -gramma);

· encephal(o)- (-pathia; -gramma; -graphia).

2. Explain the meaning of the following terms:

1) gastrectomia gastrotomia 2) angiogramma angiologia angiopathia angiographia angiocardiographia

3) keratectomia keratotomia 4) cystectomia cystogramma cystographia cystotomia

5) cytologia cytogramma 6) colpotomia enteropathia

3. Give the Greek & Latin variants and explain the meaning of the following terms:

angiogram; cholecystotomy; gastrectomy; colpotomy; encephalogram; enteropathy; cytology; cardiogram; mastopathy; angiology; keratectomy; biology; gastrotomy; cholecystectomy; cytogram; mastectomy

4. Give the Latin spelling of the terms; explain their meaning:

biology; cystography; angiopathy; keratectomy; gastrotomy; colpotomy; enteropathy; mammogram; encephalography; cytogram; cystectomy; cardiology; cholecystogram; keratectomy

5. Form the Greek & Latin clinical terms according to the meaning:

· disease of vessels;

· science of cells;

· removal of stomach;

· science of natural vital processes in the human body;

· disease of small intestine;

· X-ray examination of heart;

· X-ray film of brain;

· X-ray examination of urinary bladder;

· removal of cornea;

· cutting of vagina;

· X-ray film of gallbladder;

· X-ray film of heart;

· science of life;

· disease of breast;

· science of blood vessels.

LESSON 2

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In this lesson you will:

· Learn new basic roots and suffixes used in the Greek and Latin medical terms.

· Use these component elements to form and understand medical terms.

This lesson is divided into the following sections:

I. Roots and suffixes used in the Greek and Latin medical terms.

II. Exercises.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 2332

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