Terminology : Part 2

Foundation of Medicine

L4-medical terminology / online
June 8th , 2020
Family & Community medicine dept.
Dr. Muslim N. Saeed

GUIDELINES TO LOOKING UP THE SPELLING OF UNFAMILIAR TERMS

If it sounds like
It may begin with
Example
F
F
Flatus (FLAY-tus)

Ph
phlegm (FLEM)
J
G
gingivitis (jin-jih-VYE-tis)


J
jaundice (JAWN-dis)
K
C
crepitus (KREP-ih-tus)

CH
cholera (KOL-er-ah)

K
kyphosis (kye-FOH-sis)
S
C
cytology (sigh-TOL-oh-jee)

PS
psychologist (sigh-KOL-oh-jist)

S
serum (SEER-um)
Z
X
xeroderma (zee-roh-DER-mah)


Z
zygote (ZYE-goht)

BASIC MEDICAL TERMS TO DESCRIBE DISEASE CONDITIONS

A sign is objective evidence of disease such as a fever. Objective means the sign can be evaluated or measured by the patient or others.
A symptom (SIMP-tum) is subjective evidence of a disease, such as pain or a headache. Subjective means that it can be evaluated or measured only by the patient.
A syndrome (SIN-drohm) is a set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process.
A diagnosis (dye-ag-NOH-sis) is the identification of a disease (plural, diagnoses).To diagnose is the process of reaching a diagnosis.
A differential diagnosis, which is also known as to rule out (R/O) is an attempt to determine which one of several diseases can be producing the signs and symptoms that are present.
A prognosis (prog-NOH-sis) is a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disorder (plural, prognoses).

An acute condition has a rapid onset, a severe course, and short duration.

A chronic condition is of long duration.
A remission is the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without a cure.
A disease is a condition in which one or more body parts are not functioning normally.
An eponym (EP-oh-nim) is a disease, structure, operation, or procedure named for the person who discovered or described it first. For example, Alzheimer's disease is named for German neurologist Alois Alzheimer.
An acronym (ACK-roh-nim) is a word formed from the initial letter of the major parts of a compound term. For example, the acronym laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. AIDS . ?

LOOK-ALIKE SOUND-ALIKE TERMS AND WORD PARTS

arteri/o, ather/o, and arthr/o
arteri/o means artery.
Endarterial (end-ar-TEE-ree-al) means pertaining to the lining of an artery (end- means within, arteri means artery, and –al means pertaining to).
ather/o means plaque or fatty substance.
An atheroma (ath-er-OH-mah) is a fatty deposit within the wall of an artery (ather means fatty substance, and -oma means tumor).
arthr/o means joint.
Arthralgia (ar-THRAL-jee-ah) means pain in a joint or joints (arthr means joint, and -algia means pain).


-ectomy, -ostomy and –otomy
-ectomy means surgical removal.
An appendectomy (ap-en-DECK-toh-mee) or appendicectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix (append means appendix, and –ectomy means surgical removal).
-ostomy means the creation of an artificial opening to the body surface.
A colostomy (koh- LAHS-toh-mee) is the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface (col means colon, and –ostomy means the creation of an artificial opening).
-otomy means cutting or a surgical incision.
A colotomy (koh-LOT-oh-mee) is a surgical incision into the colon (col means colon, and -otomy means a surgical incision).

Fissure and Fistula

A fissure (FISH-ur) is a groove or crack-like sore of the skin. This term also describes normal folds in the contours of the brain.
A fistula (FIS-tyou-lah) is an abnormal passage, usually between two internal organs, or leading from an organ to the surface of the body.

Ileum and Ilium

The ileum (ILL-ee-um) is the last and longest portion of the small intestine.
The ilium (ILL-ee-um) is part of the hip bone.

Infection and Inflammation

An infection (in-FECK-shun) is the invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease producing) organism.
Inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun) is a localized response to an injury or destruction of tissues.
Although the suffix -itis means inflammation, it also is commonly used to indicate infection.


Laceration and Lesion
A laceration (lass-er-AY-shun) is a torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut wound.
A lesion (LEE-zhun) is a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury.
Mucous and Mucus
The adjective mucous (MYOU-kus) describes the specialized mucous membranes that line the body cavities.
The noun mucus (MYOU-kus) is the name of the fluid secreted by the mucous membranes.

myc/o, myel/o, and my/o

myc/o means fungus.
Mycosis (my-KOH-sis) describes any disease caused by a fungus (myc means fungus, and -osis means abnormal condition or disease).
myel/o means bone marrow or spinal cord.
The term myelopathy (my-eh-LOP-ah-thee) describes any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord (myel/o means spinal cord or bone marrow, and -pathy means disease).
my/o means muscle.
The term myopathy (my-OP-ahthee) describes any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue (my/o means muscle, and -pathy means disease).

-ologist and -ology

-ologist means specialist.
A dermatologist (der-mah-TOL-oh-jist) is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin (dermat means skin, and -ologist means specialist).
-ology means the study of.
Neonatology (nee-oh-nay-TOL-oh-jee) is the study of disorders of the newborn (neo- means new, nat means birth, and -ology means study of).


Palpation and Palpitation
Palpation (pal-PAY-shun) is an examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts.
Palpitation (pal-pih-TAY-shun) is a pounding or racing heart.

pyel/o, and py/o

pyel/o means renal pelvis, which is part of the kidney.
Pyelitis (pye-eh-LYE-tis) is an inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyel means renal pelvis, and -itis means inflammation).
py/o means pus.
Pyoderma (pye-oh-DER-mah) is bacterial skin infection (py/o means pus, and –derma means skin).

Suppuration (sup-you-RAY-shun) is the formation or discharge of pus.

Trauma (TRAW-mah) means wound or injury. These are the types of injuries that might occur in an accident, shooting, or fire.
Viral (VYE-ral) means pertaining to a virus (vir means virus, and -al means pertaining to).

End