Prefix
Medical Terminology
– Above or more than normal
Hypercritical
Hypercholesterolemia
Hypertoxicity
Hyperflexion
Hyperactivity
Hyperlipidemia
Hyperproteinuria
Unit 3
Oncology and the Central Nervous System
Prefix
More Examples
Hypo– Below or less than normal
Hypocalcemia
Hypodactylia
Hyposensitive
Hypothermia
Hypokalemia
Hypothyroidism
Hypodermic
“glands”
– Adenitis
– Adenectomy
– Adenoma
– Adenopathy
– Lymphadenopathy
Hypertrophy
Hypotrophy (atrophy)
Hypotension
– Overdevelopment
Hypertension
Hyperemesis
– High blood pressure
– Progressive degeneration
– Low blood pressure
– Excessive vomiting
Aden/o
Hyper-
Skin Lesions
Lesion = One of many possible types of
abnormal tissue conditions
– Ulcer = Open sores on the skin or mucous
membranes
– Tumor = Abnormal growth in numbers and/or
types of cells. May be benign or malignant
(cancerous)
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Benign vs. Malignant
Benign
Malignant
– Carcinoma/-carcinoma
– -oma
From epithelial-type
tissue
Benign vs. Malignant
Adenoma
Papilloma
fibroadenoma
– Exception to pattern
– Sarcoma/-sarcoma
Adenocarcinoma
Melanoma (Malignant
Melanoma)
From connective-type
tissue
Carcin/o = “crab”
= Cancer
Squamous Cell
Carcinoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
CA or Ca
Skin Cancers
Benign vs. Malignant
Melanoma.gif
Basal cell carcinoma.jpg
Melanoma
Osteoma
Chondroma
Leiomyoma
Lipoma
Hemangioma
Neuroma
Atheroma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Lipoma
Osteosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Liposarcoma
Angiosarcoma
Neurosarcoma
Lymphosarcoma
Exceptions
Sound like benign but are malignant:
– Melanoma (Malignant melanoma)
– Myeloma (Multiple Myeloma)
– Lymphoma
– Leukemia
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Metastasis
Metastasis
Metastases
Metastatic
Metastasize(d)
Meta- = beyond -stasis = in one place
Singular Noun
Plural Noun
Adjective
Verb
Plural Formation
-oma
– Lipoma
– Sarcoma
– Atheroma
– Adenoma
– Melanoma
– Spreading beyond the original place
omata
Lipomata
Sarcomata
Atheromata
Adenomata
Melanomata
Met, Metas, Mets
Onc/o
Onc/o = Tumor
From Greek word oncos = mass
Means like or resembling
– Oncology
– Lipoid
– Oncologist
– mucoid
Ather/o
Ather/o
-oid
Means fatty or porridgelike
– Atheroma = tumorlike thickening and
degeneration of blood vessel walls caused by
fatty deposits
Atherosclerosis = hardening of
vessel walls due to fatty
deposits
Be careful:
– Ather/o = fatty, porridgelike
– Arteri/o = arteries
– Arthr/o = joint
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Hist/o
Hist/o
Hist/o
Hist/o
Means tissue
Histolysis = destruction of tissue
Histogenous = made of tissue
Histology = the study of tissue
Histologist = one who studies tissues
An Embryonic tissue
A tissue cell
Resembling tissue
Histoblast
Histocyte
Histoid
NeoNeo
Greek neos mean new
Neogenesis = generation of new substance
Neonatal = refers to the newborn
Neoplasm = new formation, tumor or growth
– Plasm/o = formation
– A nonmalignant tumor is called a benign neoplasm
– Carcinoma or sarcoma are malignant neoplasm
Anti- is a Prefix meaning against
-plast/ic is an adjective suffix for abnormal
growth
– Antineoplastic is a therapeutic agent that works
against cancerous neoplasms
-genesis refers to development.
– Antitumorigenesis = the process of inhibiting
development of a tumor
Mucosa & Serosa
Muc/us = secretion of the mucous membrane
Cephal = Head
– Noun
Cephal/algia
Cephalgia
Cephal/o/dynia
– Noun: Muc/us adjective: Muc/ous
Mucosa = mucous membrane
– Lining of the open body cavities, like digestive system
Ser/ous
Serosa = serous membrane
– Lining of the closed body cavities. Covers the outside
of organs such as the intestines
Headache (pain in head)
(-algia = pain)
(Odyne, -odynia = pain)
– Adjective
Cephal/o/dynic
Cephalic
– Adjective: Pertaining to the head
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Encephal = Brain
Brain
Encephal/itis: inflammation of the brain
Encephal/o/cele: Herniation of brain tissue
through cranial fissure
– Kele or –cele = abnormal protrusion or swelling
– Brain herniation is sometimes a finding in
hydrocephaly
Encephal/o/malac/ia: softening of brain tissue
Encephal/o/tomy: incision into the brain
Electr/o/encephal/o/gram (EEG): picture of
the electrical activity of the brain
Crani/o
Crani/o = Skull
Cranium = skull
Cranioplasty: Surgical repair
of skull
Cerebr = Cerebrum
– Thought occurs
– -plasty = surgical repair
Craniomalacia: softening of
the bones of the skull
Craniectomy: excision of part
of the cranium
Craniotomy: incision into skull
Craniometer: instrument used
to measure the cranium
Cranial (Adjective)
– Feeling is interpreted
– Motor impulses arise
– “gray matter”
Cerebr = Cerebrum
Cerebr/itis
Cerebr/oma
Cerebr/otomy
Cerebr/o/vascul/ar
Cerebr/o/spin/al
Cerebrum is a part of the brain
Cerebral (adjective)
Mening/o
Mening/o = Meninges
Meninges are 3-layered membrane that
covers the brain and spinal cord.
– Pia mater, arachnoid, dura mater
Mening/o/cele: herniation of meninges
Mening/o/malac/ia: softening of the
meninges
Mening/itis: inflammation of the meninges
– Caused by bacteria or virus
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Meninges
Abbreviation
AIDS
ASCP
BX
BCC
BP
Ca, CA
CIS
CLA
CP
CSF
CV
Abbreviation
CVA
Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
EEG
Electroencephalogram
END
Electroneurodiagnostic
ENG
Electronystaygraphy
EP
Evoked Potential
HA
Headache
HCVD
Hypertensive Cardiovascular disease
MBD
Minimal brain dysfunction
Met., metas., mets.
Metastasis
MLT
Medical laboratory technician
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
American Society of Clinical Pathology
Biopsy
Basal cell carcinoma
Blood pressure
Calcium, Cancer
Carcinoma in situ
Certified laboratory assistant
Cerebral palsy
Cerebralspinal fluid
Cardiovascular
Abbreviation
mmHG
MT
NCS
PSG
TIA
millimeters of mercury (pressure)
Medical technologist
Nerves Conduction Studies
Polysomnography
Transient ischemic attack
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