The Language Of Medicine 10ed

1. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 1
The Language OfThe Language Of
MedicineMedicine
1010thth
editionedition
Davi-Ellen ChabnerDavi-Ellen Chabner

2. Chapter 4
Prefixes
Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
2

3. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 3
Chapter Goals
• Define basic prefixes used in the medical
language.
• Analyze medical terms that combine prefixes
and other word elements.
• Learn about the Rh condition as an example of
an antigen-antibody reaction.

4. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 4
Combining Forms
• carp/o wrist bones
• cib/o meals
• cis/o to cut
• cost/o rib
• cutane/o skin
• dactyl/o fingers, toes
• duct/o to lead, carry
• flex/o to bend
• furc/o forking, branching
• gloss/o tongue
Combining FormCombining Form MeaningMeaning

5. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 5
Combining Forms (cont’d)
• glyc/o sugar
• immun/o protection
• morph/o shape, form
• mort/o death
• nat/i birth
• nect/o to bind, tie, connect
• norm/o rule, order
• ox/o oxygen
• pub/o pubis; anterior portion of pelvic or
hipbone
Combining FormCombining Form MeaningMeaning

6. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 6
Combining Forms (cont’d)
• seps/o infection
• somn/o sleep
• son/o sound
• the/o to put, place
• thel/o, theli/o nipple
• thyr/o thyroid gland; shield
• top/o place, position, location
• tox/o poison
• trache/o windpipe, trachea
• urethr/o urethra
Combining FormCombining Form MeaningMeaning

7. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 7
Suffixes
• -blast embryonic, immature
• -crine to secrete
• -drome to run
• -fusion coming together; to pour
• -gea substance that produces
• -lapse to slide, fall, sag
• -lysis breakdown, destruction, separation
• -meter to measure
• -mission to send
• -or one who
SuffixSuffix MeaningMeaning

8. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 8
Suffixes
• -oxia oxygen
• -partum birth, labor
• -phoria to bear, carry; feeling
• -physis to grow
• -plasia development, formation, growth
• -plasm structure or formation
• -pnea breathing
• -ptosis falling, dropping, prolapse
• -rrhea flow, discharge
• -stasis stopping, controlling
• -trophy development, nourishment
SuffixSuffix MeaningMeaning

9. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 9
Chapter 4
Lesson 4.1

10. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 10
a-, an- no, not, without
ab- away from
ad- toward
ana- up, apart
ante- before, forward
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and Terminology

11. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 11
anti- against
auto- self, own
bi- two
brady- slow
cata- down
con- with, together
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

12. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 12
contra- against, opposite
de- down, lack of
dia- through, complete
dys- bad, painful, difficult, abnormal
ec-, ecto out, outside
endo- in, within
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

13. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 13
epi- upon, on, above
eu- good, normal
ex- out, outside, away from
hemi- half
hyper- excessive, above
hypo- deficient, under
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

14. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 14
in- not
in- into, within
infra- beneath, under
inter- between
intra- in, within, into
macro- large
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

15. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 15
mal- bad
meta- beyond, change
micro- small
neo- new
pan- all
para- abnormal, beside, near
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

16. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 16
per- through
peri- surrounding
poly- many, much
post- after, behind
pre- before, in front of
pro- before, forward
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

17. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 17
pros- before, forward
re- back, again
retro- behind, backward
sub- under
supra- above, upper
syn-, sym- together, with
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

18. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 18
tachy- fast
trans- across, through
ultra- beyond, excess
uni- one
PrefixPrefix MeaningMeaning
Prefixes and
Terminology (cont’d)

19. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 19
QUICK QUIZ:
1. Which term means a muscle that
draws a limb TOWARD the body?
(Watch spelling!)
A. Adducter
B. Abductor
C. Adductor
D. Abducter

20. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 20
QUICK QUIZ: (cont’d)
2. Which term means painful
breathing?
A. Dyspnea
B. Dysplasia
C. Apnea
D. Cephalgia

21. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 21
A Closer Look: Antigens and
Antibodies; the Rh Condition
Background on Rh Condition
• Antigen: A substance, usually foreign to the
body, that stimulates the production of
antibodies.
• Antibodies: Protein substances made by white
blood cells in response to the presence of
foreign antigens.

22. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 22
Rh Condition (cont’d)
• Rh Condition: An antigen-antibody condition
that develops when there is a difference in Rh
blood factor between that of the pregnant
mother (Rh negative) and that of the fetus (Rh
positive).

23. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 23
Rh Condition (cont’d)

24. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 24
QUICK QUIZ:
3. Antibodies are made by what type
of cell?
A. Platelets
B. Leukocytes
C. Thrombocytes
D. Erythrocytes

25. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 25
A Closer Look:
Congenital Anomaly
•Congenital anomaly: An irregularity in a
structure or organ that an infant is born with
•Includes webbed fingers or toes (syndactyly),
heart defects, and clubbed feet
•Some are hereditary; others are produced by
factors present during pregnancy; for example,
when a pregnant woman drinks high levels of
alcohol, there is a pattern of physical and mental
defects in the infant at birth

26. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 26
A Closer Look:
Recombinant DNA
• Recombinant DNA: Taking a gene from one
organism and inserting it into the DNA of
another organism.
• Recombinant techniques are used to
manufacture insulin outside the body
• A related term is polymerase chain reaction
(PCR); the method of producing multiple
copies of a single gene

27. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 27
A Closer Look:
Syndrome
• Syndrome: A group of signs or symptoms that
commonly occur together and indicate a
particular disease or abnormal condition
• Reye syndrome is characterized by vomiting,
swelling of the brain, increased intracranial
pressure, hypoglycemia, and dysfunction of
the liver; may occur in children after a viral
infection that has been treated with aspirin

28. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 28
A Closer Look: Transurethral
Resection of the Prostate Gland
• Transurethral resection of the prostate gland
(TURP)
• A portion of the prostate gland is removed with
an instrument passed through (trans-) the
urethra
• The procedure is indicated when prostatic tissue
increases (hyperplasia) and interferes with
urination

29. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 29
A Closer Look:
Ultrasonography
Ultrasonography: A diagnostic technique using ultrasound waves
to produce an image or photograph of an organ or tissue.
Echocardiogram: ultrasound image of the heart
Sonogram: fetal ultrasound image

30. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 30
Pronunciation
• ā as in āpe
• ē as in ēven
• ī as in īce
• ō as in ōpen
• ū as in ūnit
• ă as in ăpple
• ĕ as in ĕvery
• ĭ as in ĭnterest
• ŏ as in pŏt
• ŭ as in ŭnder

31. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 31
Pronunciation (cont’d)
• Examples
antigen
contralateral
malaise
prolapse
• ĂN-tĭ-jĕn
• cŏn-tră-LĂT-ĕr-ăl
• măl- ĀZ
• PRŌ-lăps