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The study of medicine is often approached from the standpoint of organ systems--the eyes, the heart, the skin etc. There are medical root words for each of these systems that make an excellent place to start learning medical terminology. Following are some important medical roots words, followed by the common word descriptions for these organs.
Opthalmo (eyes)
Glosso (tongue)
Pharyng (throat)
Oto (ear)
Derma (skin)
Broncho (lungs)
Pulmono (blood vessels in the lungs)
Cardio (heart)
Masto (breast)
Gastro (stomach)
Entero (intestines)
Cysto (bladder)
Hepato (liver)
Renal (kidney)
Gyneco (female reproductive organs)
Musculo (muscles)
Vascular (blood vessels)
Neuro (nervous system) -
The previous words for the various organ systems are frequently combined with a few common suffixes in medical terminology: Algia means pain in; itis means inflammation of; and ology means study of.
Here are some examples of combining the organ terms with the suffixes:
Otalgia-- ear pain
Myalgia-- muscle pain
Neuralgia-- nerve pain
Mastalgia-- breast pain
Hepatits-- liver inflammation
Carditis-- heart inflammation
Bronchitis-- broncial inflammation
Cystits-- inflammation of the bladder
Gynecology-- the study of the female reproductive system
Cardiology-- the study of the heart
Neurology-- the study of the brain and nervous system
Pulmonology-- the study of circulation through the lungs -
There are a few commonly used terms that apply to routine medical procedures:
Auscultation - is listening to the body, such as placing a stethoscope over the lungs, heart, or bowels
Palpation - is the feeling of the body or parts, such as palpating the breasts for lumps, the bowels for masses
Incision - is the use of a scalpel to cut through the skin
Biopsy - is obtaining a tissue sample for the skin or internal organ
Phlebotomy - is using a needle and syringe to obtain a blood sample -
A few more specialized organ system terms that are commonly used include:
Heme refers to the blood
A hematologist is a practitioner who specializes in blood diseases.
Hematology is the study of the blood.
Hematocrit is a measuring of the quality and quantity of red blood cells.
Onco refers to cancer.
An oncologist is someone who specializes in cancer.
Oncology is the study of cancer.
Leuko refers to white blood cells
Leukocytes are white blood cells.
Leukemia is a disease of white blood cells. -
A few more beginner terms that worth knowing are as follows:
Febrile-- refers to a state of fever
Catarrh-- refers to conditions of the upper respiratory system that involve excess mucous production
Colic-- refers to muscular cramping in hollow organs, such as babies with intestinal colic
Emetic-- an agent that promotes vomiting
Pustules-- a skin lesion where pus accumulates
Papules-- raised bumps on the skin
