medical terms related to different body organs

1. Pre-Med Course ‘14

2. Medical
Terminology
BY: KAREEM HUSSEIN

3. Important general suffixes
Suffix Meaning Ex.
-cyte Cell Leuko/cyte
-genesis X -lysis Formation X
Destruction
Lipo/genesis .. Prote/o/lysis
-megaly Enlargement Cardio/megaly
-graphy The process Electro/cardio/graphy
ECG
-gram The record (result) Electro/encephalo/gram
-penia X -osis Decreased X
increased
Leuko/cyto/(penia-osis)
-otomy To cut into Trache/otomy
-ectomy To cut out Mast/ectomy
-pathy Diseased Neuro/pathy

4. Suffix Meaning Ex.
-oma Tumor Ost/e/oma
-plegia Paralysis Quadr/i/plegia
-plasia Development (no. of
cells)
Hyper/plasia
-trophy Development (size) a/trophy .. hyper/trophy
phage Eat Dys/phagia .. Phago/cyte
-rrhea Increased discharge Rhino/rrhea .. Dia/rrhea
-cide Kill Insect/i/cide ..
Sperm/i/cide
-cele Abnormal protrusion Meningio/cele
-plasty Reconstruction Rhino/plasty
-oid Resemble Cub/oid

5. 1. Musculoskeletal System

6. Term meaning Ex.
Oste/o- Bone Oste/oma
Chondr/o- Cartilage Chondro/cyte
Arthr/o- Joint Arthr/it is
Myel/o- Bone marrow Myel/oma
My/o- = myos/o- Muscle Myos/it is
Ten/o- = tend/o- Tendon (muscle to
bone)
Tendon/it is
Ligament/o- Ligament (bone to
bone)
Ligament/ous injury
-malacia Softning Osteo/malacia
-porosis Porous (eaten
away)
Osteo/porosis
 Orthopaedist
 Muscle biobsy

7. 2. Cardiovascular system

8. term Meaning Ex.
Cardi/o- Heart Myo/card/itis
Angi/o- Vessel Angio/gram
Ven/o- = Phleb/o- Vein Phleb/itis
Arteri/o = ather/o artery atherosclerosis
Haem/o- Blood Hemo/lysis
-emia Blood An/emia
-stasis To stop Hemo/stasis
-rhythm Regularity a/rrhythmia
 Cardiac catheterization
 atherosclerosis
 ECG
 murmur

9. 3. Respiratory System

10. Term Meaning Ex.
Rhin/o- Nose Rhino/rrhea
Laryng/o- Larynx “Voice box” Laryng/otomy
Trache/o- Trachea “windpipe” Trache/otomy
Bronch/o- Air passageway Bronch/oscopy
Pne/u- = -Pnea Air breath lung Dys/pnea
Pulmo- Related to lung Pulmonary artery
-ptysis Spitting Hemo/ptysis
 Laryngeoscopy
 Endotracheal intubation

11. 4. Nervous system

12. term Meaning Ex.
Neuro- Nerve Neur/ology
Cephal/o Head Ceph/algia
Encephal/o =
cerebr/o
brain Encephal/itis
Cerebell/o Cerebellum /itis
Myel/o Spinal cord Myelo/gram
Mening/o Membranes around
mo5
Mening/itis
 Lumbar puncture
 EEG, CT & MRI

13. 5. Digestive System

14.  Endoscopy
 Ultrasonography
 Chewing > ingestion > digestion > absorption > resorption &
defacation
Term Meaning Ex.
Gastr/o- Stomach Gastr/ectomy
Chol/e- Bile Cholecyst/itis
Emes/o- Vomit Hema/emesis
Litho/o- Stone Chole/lith/otomy
-centesis To puncture Abdomino/centesis
-Tripsy To crush Chole/lito/tripsy

15. 6.Urinary System

16. Term Meaning
Nephr/o- = Ren/o- kidney Nephro/pathy
Pyel/o- Renal pelvis Pyelo/gram
Ureter/o- Ureter uretritis
Cyst/o- Bladder Cyst/it is
Ur/o- = -uria Urine Poly/uria ..
Uro/genital
Poly- X olig/o- Much X few Poly/uria .. Olig/uria
 Nocturia
 Enuresis
 IV X retrograde pyelogram
 Dialysis
 Litho/tripsy

17. 7. Reproductive System

18. MALE FEMALE
Andr/o- (male) Gynec/o- = gyn/o- (female)
Testis = orchid/o- = testicle oophor/o- (ovary)
Epididem/o (epididymis) Salping/o- (fallobian tube)
Prostat/ic (prostate) Cervix
-gravid/a (pregnant)
-partum (give birth)
Mast/o = mamm/o (breast)
 Cryptorchidism
 Varicocele (varicose veins)
 BPH
 Dilatation & curettage D&C

19. 8. Ophthalmology

20. Term Meaning Ex.
-opia Vision My/opia ..
Hyper/opia
-tropia Turning exo/tropia
Conjunctiv/o- Conjunctiva /itis
Phac/o- = lent/o- lens Phaco/emulsificatio
n
Scler/o Sclera (white) Scleral (adj)
Iro- = irido- Iris (colored) Ir/itis
Retino- Retina (seeing part) Retinitis
Corn/e- = kerat/o- cornea Corneal
Cyclo- Ciliary body Cyclitis
Lacrim/o Tears Lacrimal gland Squint = strabismus
 Cataract
 glaucoma