Appendix B – AFA/EMR Medical Terminology

 

Word Section Meaning
a-, an- without, lacking
ab-, abs- away from
 -ac pertaining to
acous-, acouso- hearing
aden-, adeno- gland
adip-, adipo- fat
adren-, adreno- gland
-alge-, -algesi pain
ambi- both sides
andr-, andro- male
angi-, angio- blood vessel
ante- before, forward
anti- against
arthr-, arthro- joint
ateri-, aterio- artery
auto- self
bi- two
bio- life
 -blast-, -blasto,
-blastic
bud, germ
blephar- eyelid
brady- slow
bronch-, bronchi- bronchus
bucc-, bucco- cheek
burs-, burso- bursa
carcin-, carcino- cancer
cardi-, cardio- heart
 -cele bulge
-centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid
cephal-, cephalo- head
chem-, chemo- chemistry
chlor-, chloro- green
chol- bile
chondr- cartilage
chrom-, chromato- colour
circum- around
contra- against
Word Section Meaning
coron- heart
cost- rib
crani-, cranio- brain
cry-, cryo- cold
cutane skin
cyano- blue
cycl- circle, cycle
cyst-, cysti-, cysto- bladder or sac
cyt-, cyto- cell
-cyte, -cytic cell
dactyl-, dactylo- digit (finger or toe)
de- away from, ending
derm-, dermato- skin
-desis surgical binding
dextr-, dextro- right side
dia- across, through
diplo- double
dis- separation, taking apart
duodeno- duodenum
-dynia pain, swelling
dys- difficult, abnormal
-eal, -ial pertaining to
ect-, ecto-, exo- outer, outside
-ectasis expansion or dilation
-ectomy cut out, removal
elect- electrical activity
-emesis vomiting
-emia blood condition
en- inside
end-, endo-, ent- enter-, entero-, within, inner
epi- upon, outside of
erythr-, erythro- red
-esis state or condition
-esthesio sensation
eu- good, well
ex-, extra- beyond
fibr-, fibro- fiber
Word Section Meaning
gastr- stomach
gloss- tongue
gluco-, glycol- glucose, sugar
gnath-, gnatho- jaw
-gram, -graph, -graphy recording, written
grav- heavy
gyn-, gyno-, gynec- female
hem, hema-, hemat-, hemato-, hemo- blood
hemi- half
hepat-, hepatico-, hepato- liver
hetero- other, different
hidr-, hidro- sweat
hist-, histio-, histo- tissue
homo- same
hydr-, hydro- water
hyper- above, beyond, excessive
hypo- under, deficient
hyster-, hystero- uterus
-ia condition
-iasis condition, formation of
idio- self, one’s own
ileo- ileum (the lower part of the small intestine)
infra- beneath, below
inter- between
intra- within
irid-, irido- iris
ischi-, ischio- ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone)
-ism condition
iso- equal, like
-ites, -itis inflammation
-ity pertaining to
-ium structure or tissue
karyo- nucleus
kerat-, kerato- cornea (eye or skin)
Word Section Meaning
kin-, kine-, kinesi-, kinesio-, kino- movement
kyph-, kypho- humped
lacrim-, lacrimo- tear (from your eyes)
lact-, lacti-, lacto- milk
laryng-, laryngo- larynx (voice box)
leuk-, leuko- white
lingu-, linguo- tongue
lip-, lipo- fat
lith-, litho- stone, mineral concretion
lymph-, lympho- lymph
-lysis, -lytic, lyso-, lys- break down, destruction, dissolving
macro- large, long, big
mal- bad, abnormal
-malacia softening
mamm, mast-, masto- breast
-mania morbid impulse towards an object/thing
meg-, mega-, megal-, megalo- great, large
-megaly enlargement
melan-, melano- black
mening-, meningo- meninges (the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)
meso- middle
meta- beyond, change
-meter device used for measuring
-metry measurement of
mic-, micro- small
mon-, mono- one
morph-, morpho- shape
multi- many
muscul-, musclo- muscle
my-, myo- muscle
myc-, myco- fungus
myel-, myelo- spinal cord OR bone marrow
myring-, myringo- eardrum
myx-, myxo- mucus
Word Section Meaning
myring-, myringo- eardrum
myx-, myxo- mucus
necr-, necro- death
neo- new
nephr-, nephro- kidney
neur-, neuri-, neuron nerve
normo- normal
oculo- eye
odont-, odonto- tooth
-odyn pain
-oid resembling
olig-, oligo- few, little
-oma tumor
onco- tumor, bulk, volume
onych-, onycho- fingernail, toenail
oo- egg, ovary
oophor-, oophoro- ovary
op-, opt- vision
ophthalm-, ophthalmo- eye
-opsy visual examination
orchid-, orchido-, orchio- testis
orth-, ortho- straight, normal, correct
-osis condition, usually abnormal
osseo- bony
ossi- bone
ost-, oste-, osteo- bone
-ostomy opening
ot-, oto- ear
-otomy incision
-ous pertaining to
ovari-, ovario-, ovi-, ovo- ovary
oxy- sharp, acute, oxygen
pan-, pant-, panto- all or everywhere
para- alongside, abnormal
Word Section Meaning
-pathy, patho-, path- disease
-penia deficiency, lack of
per- through
peri- around
-pexy surgical fixation
-phagia, phagy eating, swallowing
phalang- phalanx (any bone in the fingers or toes)
pharmaco- drug, medicine
pharyng-, pharyngo- pharynx, throat
-phasia speech
phleb-, phlebo- vein
phob-, phobia fear
phon-, phono- sound
phos- light
phot-, photo- light
phren-, phreni-, phrenico-, phreno- diaphragm
-plasia, -plastic growth
-plasty surgical reconstruction
-plegia paralysis
pleur-, pleura-, pleuro- rib, pleura (membrane that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity)
-pnea breathing
pneum-, pneuma-, pneumat-, pneumato- air, lung
pod-, podo foot
-poiesis production
poly- many, excessive
post- behind, after
-praxia movement
pre- before, in front
pro- favouring, supporting
proct-, procto- anus, rectum
prostat- prostate
Word Section Meaning
pseudo- false
psych-, psyche-, psycho- mind
-ptosis falling, drooping
pyel-, pyelo- pelvis
pyo- pus
pyro- fever
quadri- four
rachi- spine
radio- radiation, radius
re- again, backward
rect-, recto- rectum
ren-, reno- kidney
retin- retina (of the eye)
retro- backward, behind
rhabd-, rhabdo- rod-shaped, striated
rhin-, rhino- nose
-rrhage, -rrhagic bleeding
-rrhaphy suture
-rrhea flow or discharge
salping-, salpingo- tube
sarco- muscular, flesh-like
schisto- split, cleft, division
schiz-, schizo split, cleft
sclera-, sclero- hardness
-sclerosis hardening
scoli-, scolio- twisted
-scope, -scopy examine, for examining
semi- half
sial-, sialo- saliva, salivary gland
sigmoid-, sigmoido- sigmoid colon
sinistr-, sinistro- left, left side
-sis condition
somat-, somatico-, somato- body, bodily
-spasm muscle condition
spasmo- spasm
Word Section Meaning
sperma-, spermato-, spermo- sperm
spirat- breath, breathing
splanchn-, splanchni-, splanchno- viscera (internal organ)
splen-, spleno- spleen
spondyl-, spondylo- vertebra
-stasis level, unchanging
sten-, steno- narrowed, blocked
stern- sternum (breastbone)
stom-, stoma-, stomat-, stomato- mouth, opening
-stomy surgical opening
sub- under
super- above
supra- above, upon
sy-, syl-, sym-, syn-, sys- together
tachy- fast
-taxis movement
tetra- four
thel-, thelo- nipples
therm-, thermo- heat
thorac-, thoracico-, thoraco- chest
thromb-, thrombo- blood clot
thyr-, thyro- thyroid gland
-tomy cutting; incision
tono- tone, tension, pressure
trache-, tracheo- trachea (windpipe)
trans- across, through
tri- three
-tripsy crushing
-trophy growth
tympan-, tympano- eardrum
Word Section Meaning
uni- one
ur-, uro- urine
uri-, uric-, urico- uric acid
-uria in the urine
vagin- vagina
varic-, varico- duct, blood vessel
vasculo- blood vessel
ven-, veno- vein
vertebr- vertebra, spine
vesic-, vesico- vesicle (cyst or pouch)
xanth-, xantho- yellow

 

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