Basic Medical Terminology

Word Elements
Prefix:Is used before a root to slightly alter its meaning.
(will be shown as "prefix-")
Root:The part of the word with the most meaning associated with it. (will be shown as "root")
Suffix:Is used after a root to slightly alter its meaning.
(will be shown as "-suffix")

*FYI- There can be more than one prefix, root, or suffix per word.

Combining form: Root + a vowel (usually "o")
(will be shown "root/vowel")

3 Rules for building medical words:
1) The word root (without a vowel) is used to link to a suffix that begins with a vowel
2) The combining form is used to link a suffix that begins with a consonant
3) The combining form is used when linking to another root even if that root starts with a vowel.

Planes of the Body
-Frontal (coronal) Plane: Determines location towards the front or back of the body..
(Anterior: front, Posterior: back)

-Median (sagittal) Plane: Determines location towards the side or middle of the body.
(Lateral:side, Medial: middle)

-Horizontal (transverse) Plane: Determines location towards the top or bottom of the body.
(Superior: above, Inferior: below)
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Locations/Directions on the Body
above or upon------------------epi-
anterior, front----------------- anter/o
back, behind, posterior------- poster/o
back of body------------------- dors/o
belly side of body-------------- ventr/o
far, farthest------------------- dist/o
lower, below------------------- infer/o
middle ------------------------- medi/o
near, nearest------------------ proxim/o
side, on one side-------------- later/o
tail ----------------------------- caud/o

Many medical conditions have symptoms which are denoted by coloration. Here is a list of different word elements used to describe these colors.

Colors:
White---------leuk/o, albin/o,
Black----------melan/o
Red------------erythr/o
Yellow---------xanth/o
Blue-----------cyan/o

A Body System is a group of organs that work together to accomplish certain functions.

Below I have listed these systems and major organs associated with each system.

Here is a break down of these systems:
-The Integumentary System (skin)
-The Respiratory System (lungs)
-The Cardiovascular System (heart and blood stream)
---The Lymphatic System (drains fluid from tissue into the bloodstream)
-The Digestive System (stomach and intestine)
-The Urinary System (bladder and kidneys)
-The Reproductive System (ovaries and testes)
-The Endocrine and Nervous System (Hormone Glands and Brain)
-The Musculoskelatal System (Bones and Muscles)
-The Special Senses (Eyes and Ears)

***I will talk more about each of these systems later on. ***

Check out my Intro to Anatomy Site

The Integumentary system is composed of two layers:
Epidermis: Skin visible to the naked eye
Dermis: Below the surface of the skin

The Epidermis is a protective covering for your body protecting us from infection, injury, UV rays, toxins, and dehydration. There are no blood vessels or nerve in the epidermis so it must gets its nourishment from the lower layer of skin called the Dermis.

The Dermis is a deeper layer of skin with nerves and blood vessels.

There are also accessory organs such as the hair, nails, sebaceous (oil) glands and the sweat glands.

Word Elements related to the skin:
Skin------------------------- cutane/o, dermat/o, derm/o, -derma
Fat-------------------------- adip/o, lip/o, steat/o
Sweat----------------------- hidr/o, sudor/o
Hair------------------------- pil/o, trich/o
Nail------------------------- onych/o

Word elements having to do with skin conditions:
Abnormal Condition----- -osis,
Black----------------------- melan/o
Condition----------------- -esis, -ia, -ism, -y,
Dry------------------------- ichthy/o, xer/o
Fungus--------------------- myc/o
Hard------------------------ kerat/o
Hardening----------------- scler/o
Pertaining to------------- -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ical, -ile, ior, -ous, -tic
Scaly/Scale---------------- ichthy/o, squam/o
Small---------------------- -icle, -ole, -ule
Treatment---------------- -iatry

This systems main function is to transport oxygen to the cells and remove carbon dioxide from the cells of the body. Oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide is exhaled. This system is comprised of two parts the upper and lower respiratory tract.

The upper tract
-nose (rhin/o; nas/o):
-pharynx (pharyng/o)
-larynx (laryng/o)
-trachea (trache/o)

The lower tract
-left and right primary bronchi
-

Word elements related to the respiratory system
-adenoids------------------------------ adenoid/o
-air------------------------------------- pneum/o, pneumon/o
-alveolus------------------------------- alveol/o
-breathing----------------------------- -pnea
-bronchus------------------------------ bronchi/o, bronch/o
-bronchiole---------------------------- bronchiol/o
-chest---------------------------------- thorac/o, -thorax