And if education is always to be conceived  along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of

knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of our future.   

For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individual's total development lags behind?

 Maria Montessori

(August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952)

Montessori was the first female Italian physician in the modern era.

SUR 110Week 3

Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology

CONCEPTS:

Root word –the basic unit of a medical termPrefix-a part that is added before the root word to modify the meaning of the root word

Suffix-a part that is added after the root word to modify the meaning of the root word

A root word can have a prefix or a suffix or both

Concepts continued

The majority of roots are not words by themselves as we have come to think of words

Most medical roots come from the Latin and Greek languages

Depending on the area of study, roots’ meanings may vary

Compound words have more than one root (example: cardiothoracic and gastrointestinal)

Body Structure Terms

Lateral vs. Medial

Ipsilateral vs. Contralateral

Anterior vs. Posterior

Superior vs. Inferior

Proximal vs. Distal

Superficial (external) vs. Deep (internal)

R vs. L right verses left

B bilateral

Division Planes

1. Frontal (coronal)1. divides the body into anterior and posterior (belly and back) sections

2. Sagittal: dividing the body into left and right portions

Midsaggital

Parasaggital

3. Horizontal (transverse) divides the body into top and bottom halves

Body Position Terms

Anatomic position: standing upright, face and toes forward, with arms at the side and palms out

Supine-lying down face up

Prone-lying on stomach, face down

Lateral-lying on side/can be right or left

Roots for Head and Neck

Blepharo eyelid

Cervico neck

Cranio skull

Dent tooth

Opthalm eye

Ot ear

Rhino nose

Tracheo throat

Roots for Extremities

Arthro joint

Brachio arm

Pedo foot

Pod foot

Roots for Abdomen

Abdomino abdomen

Chole gall

Cholecyst gall/bladder

Col colon

Colpo vagina

Cysto urinary bladder

Hepato liver

Hystero uterus

Laparo abdominal wallNephro kidney

Oophor ovary

Orchio testicle

Salpingo fallopian tube

Ureter tube from kidney

Urethra tube from bladder

Roots for Chest and Back

Cardi heart

Lamin posterior vertebral arch

Lumbo lower back

Mast breast

Pneumo lung

Thoraco chest

Other Body Term Roots

Adeno gland

Derma skin

Digit finger or toe

Hema/hemo/hemato blood

Lumen opening in vessel/tube

Os opening/mouth

Phleb vein

Vas vessel/duct

Roots for Disease

Carcino cancer

Cysto bladder & fluid filled sac

Lith stone

Onco tumor

Patho disease

Sclero hardening

Additional Terms Related to Disease

Acute-a suddenly occurring illness with a short course and probable cureChronic-a long term illness generally with no cureEtiology- study of the “cause” of diseaseNosocomial- infection that came from being in the hospital (nos=disease and comial=hospital)Trauma-a physical injury

Signs of Disease Terms

Abcess-pus collection at an area of infectionAdhesion-two joined surfaces that are normally separatedAscites- Fluid in the abdominal cavityCellulitis-tissue inflammationEffusion-fluid in a cavityFissure-a split, crack, or grooveFistula-abnormal passageway between two surfaces

Signs of Disease Terms continued

Cyanosis-blue color from no oxygen

Gangrene-tissue death occurring from lack of blood supply

Lesion-an area of tissue that is damaged

Pallor-pale or without color

Polyp- a tumor attached by a stalk

Prolapse-a protrusion of an organ

Purulent-with pus

Diagnostic Terms

Biopsy-taking a tissue sample for examination

Diagnosis-process of finding the cause of illness or the cause of illness

Endoscope (endo=interior or inside

scope=instrument use for viewing)

Excision-to cut out (-ectomy)

Febrile-have a fever

Incision-to cut into (-otomy)

Suture-to sew together parts

Endoscopes(May be flexible or rigid)

Endoscopes:Arthroscope Bronchoscope Colonoscope Cystoscope Esophagoscope Esophago-gastroduodenoscopeHysteroscopeLaparoscope LaryngoscopeNephroscope Proctoscope Sigmoidoscope Ureteroscope

Treatment and Surgical Terms

Catheter- a tube used to remove fluid

Lavage- to irrigate or wash out

Cautery-destroying tissue with heat, cold, electricity, or chemicals

Drain-a tube that allows fluid to pass from a wound

Laser- piece of equipment that converts light to heat for surgical treatments

Resection-removal of a part not the whole

Stapling-joining tissue by metal/alloy staples

Abbreviations

ā before

aa of each

AAA (triple A) abdominal aortic aneurysm

abd abdomen/type of dressing

AKA above knee amputation

A-P anteroposterior

A-P and Lat anteroposterior & lateral

AV arteriovenous

Abbreviations continued

BKA below knee amputation

BPH benign prostate hypertrophy

bx. Biopsy

c with

cc cubic centimeter/ml

CHF congestive heart failure

CVA cerebral vascular accident/stroke

Abbreviations continued

D&C dilation & curettageD&E dilation & evacuation DOA dead on arrivalECG/EKG electrocardiogramEEG electroencephalogramENT ear, nose, & throatexp. expiration

Abbreviations continued

H&P history & physical

hx. history

I&O intake & output

IV intravenous

IVP intravenous pyelogram

K potassium

KUB kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)

Lobes of the Lungs

RUL=right upper lobe

RML=right middle lobe

RLL=right lower lobe

LUL=left upper lobe

RLL=right lower lobe

Quadrants of Abdomen

Abbreviations continued

mEq milliequivalents (per liter)

mg milligram

Mg magnesium

MI myocardial infarction

ml milliliter (cc)

mm millimeter

Na sodium

NPO nothing by mouth

Abbreviations continued

O2 oxygen

OD right eye (oculus dexter)

Op operation

OR operating room

OS left eye (oculus sinister)

os mouth

OU both eyes (oculus uterque)

Abbreviations continued

p after

P phosphorus

PA posteroanterior

post-op post-operative

prep prepare for/preparation

prn as necessary

Abbreviations continuedR rightrbc/RBC red blood countS (line over it) withoutSTAT immediatelysat. saturationT & A tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy

TB tuberculosisTUR transurethral resectionTURBT transurethral resection

bladder tumor

Abbreviations continued

TURP transurethral resection prostate

vag. hyst. vaginal hysterectomy

via by way of

wbc/WBC white blood cell

REMINDER: *IF IN DOUBT WRITE IT OUT!

Summary of Medical Terminology

Prefixes

Suffixes

Root Words (structure/disease/surgical)

Medical Abbreviations

If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come.

 Arapaho

The Arapaho tribe of Native Americans historically lived on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Together with the Cheyenne they build an enclave of the Algonquian language in the West.