Word Structure in Medical Terminology
Medical terminology is used to describe and classify anatomical structures, conditions, diagnosis, instruments, medications, procedures, processes, protocols, symptoms and treatments within the health care arena. Rooted in Greek and Latin, medical terms are comprised of several key elements and follow a specific structure allowing them to be constructed and broken down in a systematic fashion.
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Linguistic Components
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The three central components medical terms consist of are the root, prefix and suffix. As noted by Des Moines University, the root is typically located in the middle of the word and conveys the term's essential meaning. The prefix is found before the root and signifies a section or part of the term's main meaning. The suffix is located after the root to alter the term's central meaning as to what or who is interacting with it or what is happening to it. For example, when joined together, the root "cephal" (head), the prefix "en" (a part or organ in the head, i.e., brain) and the suffix "itis" (inflammation) form the medical term "encephalitis," which translates to an inflammation/swelling in the brain. It's worth noting that every medical term doesn't have to include each of the three components; some may use two. For example the term "cardiologist" features a root and a suffix only.
Combining Vowels & Combining Form
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Within medical terminology, the vowels "i" and "o" are referred to as linking or combining vowels. These vowels are situated after the word root to assist with pronunciation and link a root to another root or a root to a suffix. According to the Classical World in Medical Terminology, there are several ways combining vowels get employed: when a term has two roots (cardiovascular); when the root is followed by a suffix that starts with a consonant (cardiogram); if the root ends in a vowel and the suffix starts with the same vowel, the root drops its vowel (carditis); and when a two-syllable prefix ends in a vowel, the vowel is generally dropped when the next component starts with a vowel (parental).
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Compound Words
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When a combining form is attached to a suffix, a new term or compound word is created (for example, dermatitis). Compound words are also produced when two or more roots are used to construct a term (for example, brainstem and chickenpox). A compound word can also be formed when a combining vowel is placed between two roots (for example, hydrotherapy and microscope).
Technicolor Terms
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Medical terminology also consists of a number of terms that denote a color.The designated colors are important as they correspond to particular conditions, signs and symptoms. Technicolor terms are affixed to other components to provide a detailed overview of a patient's circumstances or diagnoses. A combining vowel gets fastened to the end of the Technicolor term so it can be attached to other term components (root, prefix and suffix). For instance, leuk/o signifies white, melan/o signifies black, cyan/o signifies blue and xanth/o signifies yellow.
Abbreviations & Common Medical Terms Used by Health Care Providers
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Medical terms, symbols and abbreviations are used to express information in a standardized and concise way. These types of terms and abbreviations are commonly seen in medical orders, treatment orders and progress reports. Abbreviations and terms are not intended to be a replacement for inclusive records; they're more for practitioners and caregivers to communicate with one another. The Oregon Department of Human Services notes that on some occasions, you'll need to be more descriptive and provide additional information to the words, terms and symbols to guarantee the documentation is inclusive and exact. The abbreviations are easier to comprehend once familiar with medical terms, as they too are rooted in Greek and Latin. To illustrate, look at the following abbreviations and their definitions:
A/O: alert and oriented; ADL: activities of daily living; CNS: central nervous system; CBC: complete blood count; CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation; DC: discontinue; FBS: fasting blood sugar; F/U: follow up; GI: gastrointestinal; H&P: history and physical; I&O: intake and output; IM: intramuscular; IV: intravenous; Rx: prescription; S/S: signs and symptoms; TX: treatment; URI: upper respiratory infection; UTI: urinary tract infection; VS: vital signs.
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References
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- Photo Credit human anatomy showing the skeleton from the back image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
