Foundation of Medicine

Foundation of Medicine Lec 1 Professor Dr Monem Alshok 10/12/2015
Most Medical Terms come from Greek ( Diagnosis & Surgery ) or Latin Language (Anatomical terms)
Basic Elements of a Medical Word include (These four parts of a word are known as ELEMENTS):
Word Root , Combining Form , Suffix , Prefix
Word Root : Main part or foundation of a word. All words have at least one word root. A word root may be used alone or combined with other elements to form a complete word. The word root usually refers to a body part. Some root words are derived from the Latin or Greek language.
e. g.
SPEAK (word root) + ER (suffix) = SPEAKER (complete word),Teacher ( Root is Teach , er Suffix one who ) . Rheumatologist . ( Rheumat ( o ) Root , logy science , ist suffix one who )
“dent” means tooth Dentist
“dermat” means skin Dermatology
“cardi” means heart Cardiac
“gastr” means stomach gatritis
“pancreat” means pancreas pancreatitis

Word Root Examples

Word Analysis Meaning Root Latin or Greek
Dermatitis Skin Dermat Dermatos ( G )
Nephrectomy Kidney Nephr Nephros ( G )
Stomatitis Mouth Stomat Stoma ( G )
subcutenous skin Cutane Cutis ( L )
oral mouth or Oris ( L )
Renal Kidney ren Renes ( L )

Combining Forms: Correct pronunciation of medical words is important. In order to make the pronunciation of word roots easier, sometimes it is necessary to insert a vowel after the root. The combination of a word root and a vowel is known as a COMBINING FORM.
Combining forms consist of a combining vowel. The combining vowel is usually an “o”, but others may be used. e.g. : gastr / o pronounced GASTRO
When a word has more than one root, a combining vowel is used to link the root to each other.
e.g. : osteoarthritis oste/ o / arthr/ itis
Cardiomyopathy Cardi / o / Myo/ pathy
Word-Building System: By understanding the meanings of word roots, one can determine the meaning of complex medical terms by putting together the smaller parts.( Leukocytopenia ) :
Word Roots: Leuk / (white)
cyt / (cell)
Combining Vowel / o /
Suffix: / penia (decrease)
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Suffixes:
A suffix is added to the END of a word root or combining form to modify its meaning. By adding a suffix to the end of a word root, we create a noun or adjective with a different meaning.
A combining vowel is used between a word root and a suffix that begins with a consonant (not a vowel).This is to make pronunciation easier.
Word root: scler / (hardening)
Suffix: / derma (skin)
Term: Scler / o / derma (hardening of the skin)
Word root: Hepat / ( Liver ) Hepatitis
Meanings of certain suffixes :
-al pertaining to Ment/al ( pertaining to brain )
-er one who speak (one who speaks)
-oma (tumor) hematoma (blood tumor) NOTE: The element that comes before a suffix can either be a word root or combining form.
The suffixes
-scope (instrument to view)
-rrhexis (rupture)
-rrhea (flow or discharge) e. g. Rhinorrhea
all begin with a consonant, therefore a combining vowel must be used between the word root and the suffix.
The suffixes
-algia (pain)
-edema (swelling)
-uria (urine, urination)
These suffixes begin with a vowel, therefore a combining vowel is NOT used between the word root and the suffix.
A combining vowel IS used to link one root to another root, and before a suffix that begins with a consonant. A combining vowel IS NOT used before a suffix that begins with a vowel.
A prefix:
Prefix is a syllable or syllables placed BEFORE a word or word root to alter its meaning or create a new word.
Some prefixes:
Hyper- (excessive)
Pre- (before)
Post- (after)
Homo- (same)
Hypo- (under)
Hypo / glyc / emia : Prefix / Root / Suffix Low / Sugar / Blood





Defining Medical Words: Here are the three basic rules for defining medical words using the example term gastroenteritis.
Rule No. 1 Define the suffix, or last part of the word. In this case, -itis, which means inflammation. Rule No. 2 Define the first part of the word (which may be a word root, combining form, or prefix). In this case, the combining form gastr/o means stomach. Rule No. 3 Define the middle parts of the word. In this case, enter/ means intestine
When you analyze gastroenteritis following the three previous rules, the meaning is revealed as:
1. inflammation (of) 2. stomach (and) 3. Intestine Thus, the definition of gastroenteritis is “inflammation (of) stomach (and) intestine.”
Choose one correct choice : Q1 . All MT have : A.Suffix B.Prefix C.Root D.Vowel
Q2 . The Word Root in Tonsillitis is A . –itis B. Tonsill- C . –sill
Q3 . The suffix in Physiology is ; A . Logy B . physi- C . ( O )
Q 4 . Divide into components of word part
Suffix Combining Vowel Root Medical Terms
Cardiology
Histology
Mammography
Bronchoscopy
Pneumonia
Arthritis
Oncology
Inguinal
Q5 . Fasciotomy is an example of A . Simple Word B . Compound word C . Combining word
Q6 . When you make Analysis of the word begin with: A . Beginning B . End of word C .Middle Q 7 . Adding Vowel to the word results in A . Prefix B . Suffix C . Combining form D . Complex word
Q 8 . The term Gastroenterology has : A . Two Root B . One Root C . Three root
Q 9 . One combination do not need a combining Vowel : A . Dermat + it is B . Dermat + logy C . Micr + Scopy Q10 . Which one of the following symbols used when we divide the medical term into their word parts ?
A . / B . = C . ----- D . ;