EMT Chapter 5- Medical Terminology

***Table 5-9 has common word roots and combining forms Table 5-10 has common prefixes Table 5-11 has common suffixes Table 5-12 has common abbreviations

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Medical abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols are a type of shorthand used to communicate in the medical world. Use only commonly understood acronyms and abbreviations to minimize misinterpretations and errors.

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Acronyms are pronounced (Urban search and rescue USAR pronounced you-sar)

For abbreviations In some cases, you pronounce the full word when reading an abbreviation, but sometimes you read the letters one by one (for example, EMS is pronounced "E-M-S")

the abdominal cavity is divided into quadrants

Right upper quadrant Left upper quadrant Right lower quadrant Left lower quadrant *remember this is the pt's right and left!!

plural endings

Singular words that end in a change to ae when plural. (ex: vertebra becomes vertebrae.) Singular words that end in is change to es when plural.(ex: diagnosis becomes diagnoses.) Singular words that end in ex or ix change to ices. (ex: apex becomes apices.) Singular words that end in on or um change to a. (ex: ganglion becomes ganglia, ovum becomes ova) Singular words that end in us change to i. (ex: bronchus becomes bronchi.)

word building rules

The prefix is always at the beginning of a term; however, not all terms will have a prefix. The suffix is always at the end of the term. When a suffix begins with a consonant, a combining vowel is used between the word root and suffix to make pronunciation easier. When a term has more than one word root, a combining vowel must be placed between the two word roots, even if the second root begins with a vowel.

prefixes

appear at beginning of a word generally describe location and intensity gives word root a specific meaning

bilateral and unilateral

bilateral- body part that appears on both sides of the midline unilateral- something that appears on only 1 side of the body

movement terms

flexion- the bending of a joint extension- the straightening of a joint adduction- motion towards the midline abduction- motion away from the midline

word root

main part/stem of word conveys the essential meaning of the word, frequently indicates a body part

prefixes used to indicate:

numbers (ex. uni, bi, tri, dipl, null, primi, multi, etc) colors (ex. melan/o, poli/o, alb, chlor/o, etc.) positions/directions (ex. ab, ad, de, circum, peri, etc.)

combining vowels

part of a term that connects a word root to a suffix or other word root In most cases, the combining vowel is an o; however, it may also be an i or an e. helps ease the pronunciation of the term

suffixes

placed at the end of words usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech

anatomic positions

prone and supine: prone position is lying face down, supine is lying face up fowler position: pt is sitting upright some refer to semi-Fowler position as sitting with the back of the stretcher at a 45-degree angle and high-Fowler position as sitting at a 90-degree angle.

Directional terms

right and left: refer to pt's right and left sides superior and inferior: superior is nearer to the head from a specific reference point. inferior is nearer to the feet lateral and medial: Parts of the body that lie farther from the midline are called lateral (outer) structures. parts that lie closer to the midline are called medial (inner) structures. In general, lateral means side. proximal and distal: used to describe the relationship of any 2 structures on an extremity; proximal describes structures that are closer to the trunk and distal is farther from the trunk and nearer to the free end of the extremity superficial and deep: superficial is closer to/on the skin, deep means farther inside the body or tissue and away from the skin ventral and dorsal: ventral refers to belly side of body(aka anterior), dorsal refers to the spinal side of the body(posterior) and includes the back of the hand palmar and plantar: palmar surface is the front region of the hand (the palm), bottom of foot is referred to as the plantar surface apex: the tip of the structure

Medical terms are made up these distinct components

word roots prefixes suffixes combining vowels