What do neur/o, encephal/o, and myel/o refer to?
Answer: Nerve, brain, spinal cord or bone marrow.
Explanation
Myelo- context determines marrow vs spinal cord.
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Medical Terminology: Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes (University)
RootsAbbreviationsAnatomy termsPrefixesSuffixes
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Roots
What do gluc/o (glyc/o), lip/o, and prote/o refer to?
Answer: Sugar, fat, protein.
Explanation
Hyperglycemia, lipoma, proteinuria.
What do thromb/o and embol/o mean?
Answer: Clot; a traveling plug (clot or other material) blocking a vessel.
Explanation
Thrombosis vs embolism.
What do leuk/o, erythr/o, cyan/o, and melan/o mean?
Answer: White, red, blue, black.
Explanation
Leukocyte, erythrocyte, cyanosis, melanoma.
What do ophthalm/o, ot/o, and rhin/o refer to?
Answer: Eye, ear, nose.
Explanation
Otitis media = middle ear infection.
What do hyster/o (uter/o), oophor/o, and orchid/o refer to?
Answer: Uterus, ovary, testis.
Explanation
Hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy.
What do cyst/o, ureter/o, and urethr/o refer to?
Answer: Bladder, ureter (kidney to bladder), urethra (bladder to outside).
Explanation
Don't confuse ureter and urethra.
What do hem/o (hemat/o) and angi/o (vas/o) refer to?
Answer: Blood; vessels.
Explanation
Hematology, angiography, vasoconstriction.
What do derm/o (dermat/o), cutane/o refer to?
Answer: Skin.
Explanation
Dermatitis, subcutaneous.
What do oste/o, arthr/o, and my/o refer to?
Answer: Bone, joint, muscle.
Explanation
Osteoarthritis, myalgia.
What do hepat/o, gastr/o, and enter/o refer to?
Answer: Liver, stomach, intestine.
Explanation
Gastroenteritis = inflammation of stomach and intestine.
What do cardi/o, pulmon/o, and nephr/o or ren/o refer to?
Answer: Heart, lung, kidney.
Explanation
Nephrology and renal failure both concern the kidney.
Abbreviations
What do Dx, Tx, Hx, and Rx mean?
Answer: Diagnosis, treatment, history, prescription.
Explanation
Sx = symptoms.
What do SOB, CP, and HTN stand for?
Answer: Shortness of breath, chest pain, hypertension.
Explanation
Common in chart notes.
What do PRN, NPO, and BID/TID/QID mean?
Answer: PRN: as needed; NPO: nothing by mouth; BID/TID/QID: twice/three/four times a day.
Explanation
QD and QOD are discouraged abbreviations due to error risk.
Anatomy terms
What are the sagittal, frontal (coronal), and transverse planes?
Answer: Sagittal divides left/right; frontal divides front/back; transverse divides top/bottom.
Explanation
Midsagittal splits into equal halves.
What do supine and prone mean?
Answer: Supine: lying face up; prone: lying face down.
Explanation
Lateral recumbent = lying on the side.
What do proximal and distal mean?
Answer: Proximal: closer to the point of attachment or trunk; distal: farther away.
Explanation
The elbow is proximal to the wrist.
Prefixes
What do a-/an-, dys-, and hyper-/hypo- mean?
Answer: a-/an-: without (anemia). dys-: difficult or abnormal (dyspnea). hyper-: above normal; hypo-: below normal.
Explanation
Hyperglycemia vs hypoglycemia.
What do hemi-, bi-, and quadri- mean?
Answer: hemi-: half (hemiplegia); bi-: two (bilateral); quadri-: four (quadriplegia).
Explanation
Uni- = one.
What do pre-, post-, intra-, and inter- mean?
Answer: pre-: before (preoperative); post-: after (postpartum); intra-: within (intravenous); inter-: between (intercostal).
Explanation
Interventricular septum lies between ventricles.
What do endo-, peri-, epi-, and sub- mean?
Answer: endo-: within (endoscopy); peri-: around (pericardium); epi-: upon (epidermis); sub-: under (subcutaneous).
Explanation
Location prefixes.
What do brady-, tachy-, and poly- mean?
Answer: brady-: slow (bradycardia); tachy-: fast (tachycardia); poly-: many (polyuria).
Explanation
Used constantly in vital-sign terms.
Suffixes
What do -plegia, -paresis, and -pnea mean?
Answer: -plegia: paralysis (paraplegia); -paresis: weakness (hemiparesis); -pnea: breathing (apnea, dyspnea).
Explanation
Tachypnea = rapid breathing.
What do -rrhea, -rrhage/-rrhagia, and -rrhexis mean?
Answer: -rrhea: flow or discharge (diarrhea); -rrhage: bursting forth of blood (hemorrhage); -rrhexis: rupture (cardiorrhexis).
Explanation
All start with double r.
What do -algia, -pathy, and -megaly mean?
Answer: -algia: pain (neuralgia); -pathy: disease (neuropathy); -megaly: enlargement (hepatomegaly).
Explanation
Cardiomegaly = enlarged heart.
What do -scopy, -graphy, and -gram mean?
Answer: -scopy: visual examination (colonoscopy); -graphy: process of recording (angiography); -gram: the record itself (electrocardiogram).
Explanation
Instrument: -scope, -graph.
What do -plasty, -rrhaphy, and -pexy mean?
Answer: -plasty: surgical repair (rhinoplasty); -rrhaphy: suturing (herniorrhaphy); -pexy: surgical fixation (nephropexy).
Explanation
More surgical suffixes.
What do -ectomy, -otomy, and -ostomy mean?
Answer: -ectomy: surgical removal (appendectomy); -otomy: cutting into (craniotomy); -ostomy: creating an opening (colostomy).
Explanation
Common surgical suffixes.
What do -itis, -osis, and -emia mean?
Answer: -itis: inflammation (appendicitis); -osis: abnormal condition (fibrosis); -emia: blood condition (anemia).
Explanation
-oma = tumor.
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