Medical Terminology For Dummies

Beverley Henderson, CMT-R, HRT has more than 40 years of experience in medical terminology and transcription as both an educator and manager. Jennifer L. Dorsey, PhD has coauthored, revised, and ghostwritten books in the medical, business, and personal growth categories for more than 20 years.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Living for Linguistics 5

Chapter 1: Scrubbing In to Master Medical Terminology 7

The Tale behind the Terms 7

Making Terminology Work for You 8

Building a Foundation of Vocabulary 9

In Terms of Anatomy 9

All Systems Go 10

Down-Under Details 12

The Ultimate Resource: You 13

Chapter 2: Medical Terminology: The How and Why 15

Defining Medical Terminology 15

Medical Terminology in the Real World 16

In theory and practice 16

Writing it down 17

Changes in Medical Terminology 18

It’s Greek and Latin to Me 19

Modernizing Medicine 19

Chapter 3: Introducing the Big Three: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes 23

Rooting Around for Answers 24

Exterior root words 24

Interior root words 27

Prefix as Precursor 33

Common Prefixes 33

Suffixes: Final Thoughts 34

Chapter 4: Acronyms, Eponyms, Homonyms, Multiples, and Plurals — Oh My! 37

Acronyms 38

Eponyms 40

Homonyms 42

Deriving a Plural the Medical Way 43

Medical rules for forming plurals 43

English rules of forming plurals 46

Welcome to the Peanut Gallery: More Exceptions to the Plural Rules 48

Chapter 5: Say What? Pronunciation and Usage 53

Hooked on Phonics 53

Pronouncing Common Prefixes and Beginning Sounds 54

The sound of silence 54

From your ear to the dictionary 55

Pronouncing Common Suffixes and Endings 56

Pronouncing Common Combinations 57

Putting It All Together 58

What Condition Your Condition Is In 60

Suffering Suffixes 60

Part 2: Mapping Words and Bodies 63

Chapter 6: As It Was in the Beginning: Prefixes 65

Common Prefixes 65

A–E prefixes 66

F–J prefixes 67

K–O prefixes 68

P–Z prefixes 69

Matching Prefixes to Situations 69

In your body 70

In the doctor’s office and hospital 71

In the pharmacy and research lab 72

Retro Root Rewind A–M 72

Retro Root Rewind N–Z 76

Chapter 7: So It Shall Be in the End: Suffixes 79

Common Suffixes 79

-itis 80

-oma 80

-pathy 80

And lots more suffixes 81

Matching Suffixes to Situations 83

In your body 83

In the doctor’s office and hospital 84

In the pharmacy and research lab 85

Chapter 8: Hey, I Know You: Word Recognition 87

The Inside Story: Terms for Your Interior 87

Terms for the Outside of Your Body 92

Pathological Conditions 93

Chapter 9: Deconstruction Junction: Breaking Down Words 95

Finding Parts of Words 96

Identifying word elements 96

Defining the prefix 96

Defining the root word 97

Identifying the combining vowel 98

Defining the suffix 98

Going Deeper into Suffixes 99

Adding Up Individual Word Meanings 101

Chapter 10: An Org Chart to Live By: Organization of the Body 105

Looking at the Big Picture 105

Cells 106

Tissues 107

Organs and Systems 108

Cavities of the Body 109

Directional Terms and Anatomical Planes 110

Regions of the Body 113

Chapter 11: All Systems Go: When Systems Combine 119

Anatomical Systems Working Together 119

The musculoskeletal system 120

The integumentary system 120

The sensory system 121

Physiology Systems Working Together 121

The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems 121

The respiratory system 123

The gastrointestinal system 124

The endocrine system 125

The nervous system 126

The urinary and reproductive systems 127

Part 3: in Terms of Anatomy 129

Chapter 12: Boning Up on the Skeletal System 131

How the Skeletal System Works 132

Bones and osteology 132

Axial skeleton 134

Appendicular skeleton 137

Joints 138

Skeletal Root Words 139

More Anatomical Terms 141

Common Skeletal Conditions 143

Finding the Culprit: Skeletal Diseases and Pathology 145

Testing, Testing: Skeletal Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 146

Paging Dr Terminology: Skeletal Surgeries and Procedures 147

Chapter 13: Getting Ripped: The Muscular System 149

How the Muscular System Works 149

Classes of muscles 150

Types of muscles 151

Muscles and tendons 151

Roundup of the superficial muscles 152

Muscular Roots and Suffixes 156

Action Item: The Movement of Your Muscles 157

Common Muscular Conditions 158

Finding the Culprit: Muscular Diseases and Pathology 159

Testing, Testing: Muscular Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 160

Paging Dr Terminology: Muscular Surgeries and Procedures 161

It’s All Related: More Muscular Terms 161

Chapter 14: Skin Deep: Skin, Glands, Nails, and Hair 163

Layers of Skin 163

Epidermis 165

Dermis 166

Subcutaneous layer 166

Glands, Both Sebaceous and Sudoriferous 166

Hair and Nails 168

Integumentary Root Words 169

Common Integumentary Conditions 171

Finding the Culprit: Integumentary Diseases and Pathology 172

Testing, Testing: Integumentary Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 175

Paging Dr Terminology: Integumentary Surgeries and Procedures 175

More Integumentary Terms 177

Chapter 15: It Depends on Your Perception:  The Sensory Systems 179

The Eye 179

Inner eye 180

Outer eye 182

The Ear 182

Outer ear 184

Middle ear 184

Inner ear 184

The Nose 185

The Mouth 186

The Touch Receptor 186

Sensory Root Words 186

It’s All Related: More Anatomical Terms 190

Common Sensory Conditions 192

Finding the Culprit: Sensory Diseases and Pathology 193

Testing, Testing: Sensory Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 194

Paging Dr Terminology: Surgeries and Procedures 195

Terminology RX: Sensory Pharmacology 196

Part 4: Let’s Get Some Physiology Terminology 197

Chapter 16: The Heart of the Matter: The Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems 199

How the Cardiovascular System Works 200

The heart 201

Blood vessels 202

Blood 203

How the Lymphatic System Works 206

Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Root Words 207

Common Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Conditions 212

Finding the Culprit: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Diseases and Pathology 213

Testing, Testing: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 217

Paging Dr Terminology: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Surgeries and Procedures 219

Terminology Rx: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Pharmacology 221

Chapter 17: Just Breathe: The Respiratory System 223

How the Respiratory System Works 223

Nose 225

Pharynx and larynx 225

Trachea 225

Bronchi 226

Lungs 226

Respiratory Root Words 228

It’s All Related: More Anatomical Terms 230

Common Respiratory Conditions 233

Finding the Culprit: Respiratory Diseases and Pathology 235

Testing, Testing: Respiratory Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 236

Paging Dr Terminology: Respiratory Surgeries and Procedures 238

Terminology RX: Respiratory Pharmacology 239

Chapter 18: Feeding Time: The Gastrointestinal System 241

How the Gastrointestinal System Works 242

Mouth and pharynx 242

Esophagus 244

Stomach 244

Liver 245

Pancreas 245

Gallbladder 245

Intestines 245

Gastrointestinal Root Words 246

Common Gastrointestinal Conditions 250

Finding the Culprit: Gastrointestinal Diseases and Pathology 253

Testing, Testing: Gastrointestinal Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 254

Gastrointestinal Surgeries and Procedures 257

Terminology RX: Gastrointestinal Pharmacology 258

Chapter 19: Gatekeepers of Health: The Endocrine System 261

How the Endocrine System Works 262

Hormones 263

Pituitary and hypothalamus 263

Thyroid 265

Pancreas 266

Adrenals 266

Gonads 267

Endocrine Root Words 268

It’s All Related: More Endocrine Anatomical Terms 270

Common Endocrine Conditions 271

Finding the Culprit: Endocrine Diseases and Pathology 274

Testing, Testing: Endocrine Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 275

Paging Dr Terminology: Endocrine Surgeries and Procedures 276

Terminology RX: Endocrine Pharmacology 277

Chapter 20: Calming Down: The Nervous System 279

How the Nervous System Works 279

The Central Nervous System 280

Brain 280

Spinal cord 283

Peripheral Nervous System 284

Nervous Root Words 285

It’s All Related: More Nerve-Wracking Terms 287

Common Nervous Conditions 288

Finding the Culprit: Nervous Diseases and Pathology 290

Testing, Testing: Nervous Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 292

Paging Dr Terminology: Nervous Surgeries and Procedures 293

Terminology RX: Nervous Pharmacology 294

Part 5: Name That Plumbing 295

Chapter 21: When You Gotta Go: The Urinary System 297

How the Urinary System Works 298

Kidneys 299

Ureters 300

Urinary bladder 300

Urethra 300

Urinary Root Words 302

Common Urinary Conditions 304

Finding the Culprit: Urinary Diseases and Pathology 304

Testing, Testing: Urinary Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 306

Paging Dr Terminology: Urinary Surgeries and Procedures 308

Terminology RX: Urinary Pharmacology 309

Chapter 22: Check the Plumbing: The Male Reproductive System 311

How the Male Reproductive System Works 312

Testes 313

Ducts 313

Urethra 314

Prostate 314

Penis 314

Male Reproductive Root Words 315

Pathological Male Reproductive Conditions 316

Finding the Culprit: Male Reproductive Diseases and Pathology 318

Testing, Testing: Male Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 319

Paging Dr Terminology: Male Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures 321

Terminology RX: Male Reproductive Pharmacology 322

Say What? Male Terminology Tongue Twisters 323

Chapter 23: A Life Force: The Female Reproductive System 325

How the Female Reproductive System Works 325

Ovaries 326

Fallopian tubes 327

Uterus 327

Vagina 328

Female Reproductive Root Words 330

It’s All Related: More Female Reproductive Anatomical Terms 334

Common Female Reproductive Conditions 337

Finding the Culprit: Female Reproductive Diseases and Pathology 339

Testing, Testing: Female Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 341

Paging Dr Terminology: Female Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures 341

Terminology RX: Female Reproductive Pharmacology 346

Part 6: The Part of Tens 347

Chapter 24: Ten Essential Medical Terminology References 349

Medterms.com 349

Medilexicon.com 350

webMD.com 350

Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 32nd Edition 350

Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 10th Edition 350

Stedman’s Medical Dictionary and Flashcards for Health Professionals and Nursing Illustrated, 7th Edition 351

Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 23rd Edition 351

Sloane’s Medical Word Book, 5th Edition 351

Medicalmnemonics.com 352

Medical Terminology Systems Quick Study Guide 352

Chapter 25: Ten or So Useful Mnemonic Devices 353

Cranial Nerves 353

Lung Lobe Numbers 354

The Size of a Thyroid 354

Scalp Layers 354

Muscles of the Rotator Cuff 354

Radial Nerve 355

Face Nerves 355

Perineal versus Peroneal 355

Sperm Path through Male Reproductive Tract 355

Carpal Bone Locations 356

Cranial Bones 356

Chapter 26: Ten Sets of Terminology Tongue-Twisting Diseases 357

Skeletal 357

Muscular 358

Integumentary 358

Sensory 359

Cardiovascular and Lymphatic 359

Respiratory 359

Gastrointestinal 360

Endocrine 360

Nervous 360

Urinary and Reproductive 361

Chapter 27: Top Ten Crazy-Hard-to-Spell Medical Terms 363

Crazy-Hard-to-Spell Terms 363

Appendix: Handy Study Guide 365

Index 375