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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
WORD PARTS

Root Words / Combining Forms
Foundation of the word
 Usually indicates a body part or structure
 Combining form is a root plus a vowel to allow elements to
be combined



Use the combining form when adding a suffix starting with a consonant

Use the root word alone when adding a suffix starting with a vowel
Prefixes
At the beginning of a word to change the meaning
 Usually indicates a number, time, position, or negative


Suffixes
At the end of the word to change the meaning
 Usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of
speech

ROOT WORDS

Erythr/o-
red


Melan/o-
black


Cyan/o-
blue

Inguin/ogroin
Pelv/i- or pelv/o- pelvis

Leuk/o-
white

Spin/o-
spine

Xanthr/o-
yellow

Thorac/o-
thoracic

Therm/o-
heat

Umbilic/o-
umbilicus
cold

Rhin/o-
nose

Cry/oAbdomin/o-
abdomen

Crani/o-
cranium

Caud/o-
tail

Arthr-o
joint
Cephal/oCardi/oBi/o-
head

stomach
heart

life

Gastr/oMy/oSurgic/o-




Cervic/o-
neck
muscle
surgery
/ naval
PREFIXES
Hypo Epi A- or An Pre Pro Post Anti Contra Syn- or Sym
under, below, deficient
above, upon
without or not
before, in front of
before, in front of, an advantage for
after, behind
opposite or against
opposite or against
union, together, joined
SUFFIXES
–osis
 –ectomy
 –rrhea
 –itis
 –cyte
 –oma
 –megaly
 -logy
 -logist

condition
excision, removal
flow or discharge
inflammation of
cell
tumor
enlargement
study of
specialist in the
study of
-therapy
 -algia
 -dynia
 -ic
 -al
 -ar
 -tic

treatment
pain
pain
pertaining to
pertaining to
pertaining to
pertaining to
ANATOMICAL POSITION


Standing erect,
looking forward, arms
at the side, palms
facing forward.
Reference Point- all
descriptions use this
position as their
reference
BODY PLANES
Sagittal
Median
Frontal
Coronal

Sagittal or Median- cuts
the body into right and left

Frontal or Coronal - cuts
the body into front and
back
 Transverse or Horizontalcuts the body into upper
and lower

Transverse
Horizontal
Midsagittal= perfect halves
Prone- lying face down
 Supine- lying face up

BODY CAVITIES
Cranial
D
O
R
S
A
L
Spinal/
Vertebral
Thoracic
Diaphragm *
Abdominal
Pelvic
V
E
N
T
R
A
L
ABDOMINAL QUADRANTS
Quadrants
Organs
RUQ
•
•
•
Liver
Gallbladder
R. Kidney
RLQ
•
•
•
Cecum (junction
between intestines)
Appendix
R. Ovary
LUQ
•
•
•
•
Stomach
Pancreas
Spleen
L. Kidney
LLQ
•
L. Ovary
DIRECTIONAL TERMS
DIRECTIONAL TERMS
Medial
 Lateral
 Superior
 Inferior
 Anterior
 Posterior
 Proximal


Distal
Superficial
 Deep

towards the midline
away from the midline
towards the head
towards the feet
towards the front
towards the back
(only used with extremities) towards
the body or trunk
(only used with extremities) away
from the body or trunk
towards the skin or outside surface
towards the core of the body part