PHAROS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ALLIED MEDICAL SCIENCE

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGYMLMT-201

Dr. Tarek El Sewedy

Department of Medical Laboratory Technology

Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences

LECTURE 5

WORDS WITH TWO ROOTS

&

ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

By the end of this lecture, students will learn:

Words with two roots , Spelling, abbreviations and symbols

Intended Learning Outcomes

Lecture content

Words with two roots

Spelling importance

Abbreviations and symbols

• In words with 2 roots, Each word root uses a combining vowel

• Remember combining vowels connect roots to suffixes and roots to other roots.

• The combining vowel plus the root is called a combining form.

• How many combining forms are there in the word:

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM ?

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

ELECTR/O/CARDI/O/GRAM

Root (electricity) Combining vowels

root (heart) Combining vowels

Suffix Record

Combining formCombing form

• Thus the entire term means:

“record of the heart electricity”

GASTROENTEROLOGY

GASTR / O / ENTER / O / LOGY

Root (“stomach”)

Combining vowelRoot (“intestines”)

Combining vowel Suffix (“study

of”)Combing formCombing form

• The two combining forms are GASTR/O and ENTER/O.

• The entire word (reading from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term, and across) means:

“study of the stomach and the intestines”

GASTR / O / SCOPERoot

“stomach” Combining vowel

Combining form

Suffix “Instrument to visually examine

“Instrument to visually examine the stomach”

Gastroscope

GASTR / IC

Root (“stomach”)

Suffix (“pertaining to”)

“Pertaining to the stomach”

• Notice that the combining vowel is not used

when the suffix (-IC) begins with a vowel.

• Words ending in –IC mean “pertaining to.”

Gastric banding

Gastric ulcer

CARDIACCARDI/AC

CARDI ROOT(HEART)

AC SUFFIX

(PERTAINING TO)

• Again, the combining vowel is dropped

when the suffix (-AC) begins with a vowel.

• Words ending in –AC mean “pertaining to.”

ENTER / ITIS

Root (“intestines”) Suffix (“inflammation”)

“Inflammation of the intestines”

ENTER / ITIS• Again, the combining vowel is dropped when

the suffix (-ITIS) begins with a vowel.

GASTROENTERITISGASTR / O / ENTER / ITIS

Root (“stomach”)

Combining vowel

Root (“intestines”) Suffix (“inflammation”)

“Inflammation of the stomach and intestines

Combining form

• Notice that the combining vowel (O) remains between the

two roots even though the second root (ENTER) begins

with a vowel.

Prefix importance• Many medical terms also have a word part attached

to the beginning of the term. This is called a Prefix.

• It can change the meaning of a term in important

ways

• For example, watch what happens to the meaning of

the following medical terms when the prefix

changes…

PREFIX_____GASTRIC

SUB / gastr / ic = “pertaining to below the stomach”

Prefix (“below”)

PREFIX_____GASTRIC

Trans/ gastr / ic = “pertaining to across the stomach”

Prefix (“Across”)

PREFIX_____GASTRIC

Retro/ gastr / ic = “pertaining to behind the stomach”

Prefix (“behind”)

Spelling

• Correct spelling is critical in medical

terminology and healthcare.

• Misspelled words can lead to diagnostic,

medication and treatment errors.

• Some words look or sound similar and can be

confusing.

Spelling• Pay attention to the context to help you figure out

the correct meaning of a term.• Example: “The client has a fractured ilium”

ilium = part of the hip bone

ileum = part of the intestine

Abbreviations & symbols

• Medical abbreviations and symbols are a

“short hand” for medical professionals

• Most have been standardized and are

universally accepted.

Abbreviations & symbols• Individual facilities and specialties may use their

own specific abbreviations and symbols or use a symbol differently depending on the context.

Example: Means “change”

• But In maternity care it is also used to mean “trimester”

Abbreviations & symbols

• Don’t assume you know what an

abbreviation or symbol means.

• Learn the abbreviations and symbols used

on your clinical site during orientation to

the practice, through chart review, and by

asking.

Abbreviations & symbols

• Don’t use your own personal abbreviations in health care

documents.

• Use only standard medically accepted abbreviations and

those used by the facility on your clinical site

• Use capital and small letters appropriately

• Non-standard abbreviations can result in medical errors

and fines for the agency when discovered during chart

audits.

Common abbreviations & symbols

• a.c. = before meals (from "ante cibum", before meals)

• b.i.d. = twice a day (from "bis in die", twice a day)

• gtt. = drops (from "guttae", drops)

• p.o. = by mouth, orally (from "per os", by mouth)

• p.r.n. = when necessary (from "pro re nata", for an occasion

that has arisen, as circumstances require, as needed)

• q.d. = once a day (from "quaque die", once a day)

• q.i.d. = four times a day (from "quater in die", 4 times a day)

Common abbreviations & symbols• q._h.: If a medicine is to be taken every so-many

hours (from "quaque", every and the "h" indicating the number of hours)

• q.h. = every hour• q.2h. = every 2 hours• q.3h. = every 3 hours• q.4h. = every 4 hours• t.i.d. = three times a day ("ter in die", 3 times a

day)• ut dict. = as directed (from "ut dictum", as

directed)

Common abbreviations & symbols

ā before

a.c. before a meal

BP blood pressure

PNV Potential Natural Vegetation

Medical abbreviations & symbols

c/o complains of

d/c discontinue

h. hour

n.p.o. Nothing by mouth

n&v nausea and vomiting

Medical abbreviations & symbols

O.D. Right eye

O.S. Left eye

O.U. Each eye

p after

p.c. After meals

Medical abbreviations & symbols

q.d. Daily, once a day

R respiration

RR respiration rate

s without

Medical abbreviations & symbolsT temperaturet.i.d. Three times a day

TPR temperature, pulse and respiration

Tx Treatment; VS vital signs

Rx Prescription

Wt. Weightx multiplied by

Medical symbols

> greater than< less than↓ decreased, down, lower

↑ increased, higher, up, elevate↘ decreasing↗ increasing# number

Medical symbols

′ foot or minute

″ inch or second

o degree

♂ male

♀ female

∆ change, trimester

@ at

Study question:give the meaning of the following

shorthand

• Client S.J., 24 yo, 8 weeks gestation, c/o 1st

bleeding

• Client S.J., 24 yo, 8 weeks gestation, c/o

constipation. Recommend her PNV Rx @

her next PNV.

Students selected for assignments

بدر هشام سهى

Assignments• Students on next slide are requested to prepare

a presentation (minimum of 5 slides) on the following topic:

1. Abbreviations used in medical fields

Assignments should be delivered by next week

Study questions• - Write the suffix and the meaning for the following words hat means

“condition of” in each of the following words:

• 1. egotism (exaggerated self-importance)

• 2. dysentery (intestinal disorder)

• 3. insomnia (inability to sleep)

• 4. parasitism (infection with parasites or behaving as a parasite)

• 5. thrombosis (having a blood clot in a vessel)

• 6. psoriasis (skin disease)

• 7. analgesia (absence of pain)

• 8. sclerosis (hardening)

Reference books1 – Medical Terminology an illustrated Guide by Barbara Jonson Cohen 2003

 2 – “Medical Terminology Simplified” F. A David 2009

 

3 – “Medical Terminology system : Approach Fifth Edition” Barbara A Gylys 2004