Introduction to Medical Terminology

Victoria Fils, EdD, MPH, RHIT

Suffixes

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (ot/o = ear) + (-algia = pain) =

• (my/o = muscle) + (-algia)=

• (neur/o = nerve) + (-algia)=

• (septic = infection) + (-emia) =

• (ur/o = urea) + (-emia) =

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (esophag/o) + (-itis) =

• (mening/o = meninges) +

(-itis) =

• (cyst = bladder) + (-itis) =

• (phleb/o = vein) + (-itis) =

• (col/o = colon) + (-itis) =

Image: http://trialx.com/curebyte/2011/07/05/pictures-for-errosive-esophagitis/

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (cardi/o = heart) + (-megaly = enlargement) =

• (hepat/o = liver) + (-megaly)=

• (aden/o = gland) + (-oma = tumor/mass) =

• (aden/o) + (carcin/o = cancer) + (-oma) =

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (my/o = muscle) + • (-oma) =

• (my/o) + (sarc/o = flesh) + (-oma) =

• (myel/o = bone marrow) + (-oma) =

• (hemat/o) + (-oma) =

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (nephr/o) + (-osis = abnormal condition of) =

• (necr/o = dead) (-osis) =

• (erythr/o = red) + (cyt/o) + (-osis) =

• (leuk/o) + (cyt/o) + (-osis)=

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (encephal/o) + (-pathy = disease) =

• (nephr/o) + (-pathy) =

• (rhin/o) + (-rrhea = flow/discharge) =

• (men/o = menses) + (-rrhea) =

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (hem/o = blood) + (-rrhage = bursting forth) =

• (men/o = menses) + • (-rrhage) =

• (hemat/o) + (-uria = condition of urine) =

• (periton/o = peritoneum) + (-eal = pertaining to) =

Diagnostic Suffixes

• (vascul/o = vessel) + (-ar) =

• (axilla = under arm) + (-ary = pertaining to) =

• (mamm/o = breast) + (-ary) =

• (pulmon/o = lung) + (-ary) =

• (chron/o = time) + (-ic) =

• (pelv/o = pelvis) + (-ic) =

Procedural Suffixes

• (thorac/o = chest) + (-centesis =

puncture/aspiration) =

• (amni/o = amnion) + (-centesis) =

• (arthr/o = joint) + (-centesis) =

• (tonsill/o = tonsil) + (-ectomy = resection) =

• (hyster/o = uterus) + (-ectomy) =

Procedural Suffixes

• (oophor/o = ovary) + (-ectomy)=

• (salping/o = fallopian tube) + (-ectomy) =

• (cholecyst/o = gallbladder) + (-ectomy) =

• (mast/o = breast) + (-ectomy) =

Procedural Suffixes

• (myel/o = spinal cord) + (gram = record of) =

• (mamm/o = breast) + (-gram) =

• (hem/o) + (dia- through) + (-lysis = separation) =

• (mamm/o) + (-plasty = surgical repair) =

• (rhin/o) + (-plasty) =

Procedural Suffixes

• (lapar/o = abdomen) + (-scopy = procedure to view with a scope) =

• (col/o = colon) + (-stomy = creation of temporary or permanent opening to outside of the body) =

• (trache/o = trachea) + (-ostomy) =

Procedural Suffixes

• (radi/o = radiation) + • (-therapy = treatment) =

• (chem/o = therapeutic substances) + (-therapy) =

• (crani/o = cranium) + (-tomy = incision into) =

• (lapar/o) + (-tomy) =

References

• References:– Chabner: D, Medical Terminology: A Short

Course– Fils, V.