DR.

KANDEEL TERMINOLOGY
Medical terminology
Consists of: mainly of 3 standard parts (prefix, root, suffix)

Prefixes
 appears at the beginning of the medical term, indicating location, direction, quality, quantity, color or type

Prefixes for size

Prefix Meaning Example
1- macro-/ megalo- large Macro-molecule
2- micro- small Microscope

Prefixes for numbers

1- mono-, uni- One 2- di / bi-, tri-, qua(dr/r/t) two, three, four
3- semi- Half 4- hemi- half (one side)
5- equi- Equal 6- poly- Many

Prefixes for level

1- hyper above normal hyperthermic
2-Hypo- Below normal Hypothermic
3- eu-/normo- normal, good Euthermic

Prefixes for time or speed

1- post- After 2- re- Again
3- retro- back, backward 4- pro-, pre-, ante- Before
5- neo- new 6- chron- Slow
7- brady- (Cardia) slow 8- tachy- (cardia) Fast
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Prefixes for function or quality

1- anti-, contra- Against 2- mal- Bad
3- eti- Cause 4- a-, de- Without
5- dys- Not working correctly, painful --------- ----------

Prefixes for direction or position

1- ab- away from 2- ad- Towards
3- supra- above 4- peri-, epi-, circum- Around
5- end(o)- within, inside 6- exo-, ecto- outside, out of
7- auto- self 8- dia- through, completely
9- trans- (osophageal) inter 10- inter- Between
11- con- together 12- sub- Below

word Meaning
Anterior, ventral at or near the front surface of the body
Posterior, dorsal At or near the back surface of the body
superior Above
Inferior Below
lateral Side
distal farthest from center
proximal nearest to center
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Prefixes for colors

1- chromo- / color -------- 2- melan- black -----------
chromato-
3- leuko- white leukocyte (cyte is suffix means cell), 4- erythro- red Erythrocyte: Red blood cells
white blood cells helps to fight disease
5- cyano- blue 6- chloro- green ------------

other prefixes
1- prostho- addition of artificial part -------- 2- echo- reflected sound -----------
3- chemo- chemical ---------- 4- electro- electrical -------------

Roots
 It is the foundational element of any term & gives the term its essential meaning  Each term contains at least one root
 The term begins with root when the prefix is absent  It indicates a body part or system
 Sometimes the medical term may contain more than one root, which is called compound word
Ex: gastro-enter-ology that means study of stomach and intestine

Head
1- encephalo Brain electroencephalogram (EEG) 3- ot, aur Ear
3- cephalo head cephalic (-ic suffix means pertaining to) 4- tympan Ear drum
5- ophthalm, ocul Eye ophthalmoscope (suffix: scope ) 6- faci face
7- rhin/o Nose Rhinitis 8- crani skull
9- lingu tongue ---------- 10- odont, dent tooth
Labi/o lip Bucc/o Cheek
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Heart and circulatory
1- Cardi/o Heart Cardiology 2- Vascul/o, angio blood vessel
3- aort aorta ---------- 4- Phleb/o, ven Vein
5- Hemo, sangu blood Hematology, hemoglobin 6- Arterio Artery

Bones and muscles

1- brachi/o Arm 2- myo Muscle
3- oste/o Bone 4- dorsum/a Back
5- ped, pod Foot 6- tal Ankle
7- cost Rib 8- scapul Shoulder
9- carp Wrist 10- arth Joint

* Note: osteoarthritis: condition of bone & joint degeneration * Diaphragm: dome shaped
osteosarcoma: most common type of bone cancer * Osteomalacia: low vitamin D

Digestive system
1- append Appendix 2- cholecyst gall bladder
3- col colon (large intestine) 4- o/esophag/o oesophagus
5- enter (itis) Small intestine (first part: duodenum, 6- ren (al), nephr/o kidney
end part: ileum)
7- gastr (otomy) Stomach 8- hepato-(itis) liver
9- peritone membrane lining abdomen and pelvis 10- rect, proct rectum
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Other common roots
1- neur nerves Neurology 2- pulm lung ---------
3- derm, dermat skin Dermatitis 4- carcin cancer carcinoma (cancerous tumor)
5- chem drug ---------- 6- electr electricity Electrocardiogram
7- therm heat --------- 8- gnos knowledge diagnosis
9- bio life Biology 10- bar, tension pressure -------
11- echo returned sound ---------- 12- aden/o gland adenoma (tumor of gland)
13- cis to cut Incision 14- glyc sugar Hyperglycemia
15- gyro old age ----------- 16- gynae woman, female gynecology
17- ped child Pediatric 18- onc tumor oncology
19- psych mind psychology, psychiatrist 20- crin secrete (form & give off) Endocrine glands (secrete hormones)

Suffixes
 Medical term always ends with the suffix

Basic nouns and adjective suffixes

1- -genic Causing carcinogenic 2- -ia, -ism, -sis, -y condition ---------
3- -iatry, iatrics specialty, medical treatment ----------- 4- -ian, -ist specialist -------
5- -um, -us Structure ------- 6- -logy study of Dermatology
7- -ac, -ar(y), -al, -ic, -ior, -ory, -ous, -tic pertaining to cardiac, neural ------------ --------- -----------------

Tests and procedures

1- -plasty surgical repair 2- -ectomy removal of
3- -gram image / record 4- -orrhaphy suture, stitching
5- -otomy cutting into, incision 6- -scopy Viewing (visual examination)
7- -otripsy crushing, destroying 8- -stomy opening
-------- ---------------- scope Instrument to view
-Pherenia Medical condition ------------- ----------------
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Pathology or function
1- -emia blood (condition of) 2- -cyte Cell Nephrectomy
3- -osis Condition or disease 4- -pnea Breathing Hyperpnea
5- -itis inflammation 6- -algia Pain Arthralgia
7- -penia Deficiency 8- -pathy Disease Enteropathy
9- - rrhag(e/ia) excessive flow 10- -oma mass, tumor hepatoma (malignant tumor of liver)
11- -schisis separation, splitting 11- -plegia condition of paralysis Diplegia
13- -lith Stone

Examples for suffix ''-itis'':

Term Inflammation of Term Inflammation of
Carditis Heart Pneumonitis Lung
Colitis Colon Otitis Ear
Hepatitis Liver Gastritis Stomach
Encephalitis Brain Cystitis Bladder
Nephritis Kidney Cholecystitis Gall bladder

Examples for suffix ''-ectomy'':

Term Removal of Term Removal of

Colectomy Colon Nephrectomy Kidney
Tonsillectomy Tonsils Gastrectomy Stomach
Appendectomy Appendix
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Parts of the body
 Most of body parts have ordinary names except the following:
Common word Anatomical name Common word Anatomical name
Stomach Abdomen Armpit Axilla
Wrist Carpus Hip Coxa
Elbow Cubitus Breast Mamma
Buttocks Nates Knee Patella or Knee cap
Jaw Mandible Chest Thorax
Groin Inguinal region side of the head behind eye Temple
Bottom part of feet Sole
Periumbilical Navel

Symptoms and signs

 Symptoms: problems that patient complain of & tell them to the doctor  Signs or findings: What the doctor finds when examining the patient

Symptoms Meaning
Tiredness. Lethargy, fatigue, lassitude loss of energy
Malaise General feeling of being unwell
Anorexia loss of appetite
Weight gain increase in weight
Weight loss Decrease in weight
Constipation Hard, infrequent faeces
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Words and their opposite:
Word Opposite Word Opposite
Acute Chronic Opened Closed
Back Front Major Minor
Dead Alive Reduce Increase
Improve Deteriorate Smooth Rough
Healthy Ill Benign Malignant
Constipation Diarrhea Inhale Exhale

Medical practitioners
Rota list of people do particular job
PRHO pre-registration house officer (newly graduated doctor in the first year after graduation training) ‫طبيب مقيم‬
SHO senior house officer (in the second year of post-graduation training) ‫طبيب بعد التخرج بسنتين‬
GP General practitioner does primary care ‫ممارس عام‬
SP R Specialist registrar ( doctor that complete foundation programme & train for one medical speciality
Consultant (fully qualified specialist)
Medical or clinical director Responsible for all medical staff
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Examples for specialists and specialities:

Term The study of Specialist in this study is called

Cardiology Heart Cardiologist
Endocrinology Endocrine system Endocrinologist
Oncology Tumors Oncologist
pulmonology Lung Pulmonologist
Gastroenterology Digestive system (stomach, intestine) Gastroenterologist
Nephrology Kidney Nephrologist
otolaryngology Ear, larynx Otolaryngologist
Psychiatry Brain condition (psychology) Psychiatrist
Neurology Nerves Neurologist
Geriatrics Old age Geriatrician
pediatrics children, young age Pediatrician
Anesthesiology Anesthetization Anesthetist
Dermatology Skin Dermatologist
Rheumatology Rheumatoid Rheumatologist
Traumatology Emergency section Traumatologist
Gynecology Women's disease Gynecologist
Obstetrics Labor Obstetrician
Immunology Immune system Immunologist
Ophthalmology Eye Ophthalmologist
Pathology Disease Pathologist
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Some important expressions in taking history:

Word Meaning word Meaning

Compliance Taking medications right & in time medication doesn't cause addiction
Recreation to refresh of life (physical & mental stimulus outside work) drugs causes addiction / abuse
Siblings brother and sister Homeopathy taking medications with little doses
Spouse Wife or husband blackout Syncope / faint ‫فقد الوعي وعدم االتزان‬
Fits seizures or convulsions --------- ---------------------
Numbness anathesia Dose Quantity of medication to be taken at
one time
over the remedies prescribed and dispensed by pharmacists to drug allergy hypersensitivity to particular drug
counter patient
Herbal remedy medication prepared from plants Housing Apartment, room, houses

- Some important expressions in complaining & describing pain:

word, expression Meaning word, expression Meaning
bring on cause, induce bring up expectorate, vomit
carry on Continue come on commence )‫(بدأ‬
give up Stop put on gain weight
turn out happen at the end turn up happen unexpectedly
Throbbing ‫ متقطع وشديد‬pulse of headache Boring pain ‫الم وصداع زي الشاكوش‬
Blurry ‫رؤية مشوشة‬ aching pain in muscle or joint
----------- ------------- Tightness Gripping
Scalding Boiling stabbing Knife pain
Crushing Pressure stinging Biting
peptic ulcer in the lining of stomach and first part of small intestine Gastric ulcer Inside stomach itself
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Mental illness or mental health

N.B: Abuse is using of something in a harmful way - The most common type of abuse is alcoholism, drug abuse
e.g: dementia: mental disorder caused by organic brain disease - it could be associated with old age & called senile dementia

Affective disorders:

Disorder Meaning Disorder Meaning

Affect or mood persistent Emotional state psychomotor agitation excessive movement and thoughts
Depression ‫اكتئاب‬ Psychomotor retardation slowing of movement and thoughts
Insomnia sleep disturbances suicide recurrent thoughts of death
Fatigue loss of energy

Neurotic & stress-related disorders:

Disorder Meaning Disorder Meaning

Obsession persistent idea that interfere person life compulsion obsessive idea forces patient to
repeat unnecessary actions
e.g: washing hand many times
Stress feeling of being unable to cope Anxiety fear of problems
panic attack sudden attack of anxiety
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Medical ethics

Guideline Meaning
professional competence level of knowledge and skills
Care Protecting, looking after someone
Confidential private, secret
Prejudice have a negative influence on
Risk possibility of something bad happening
Fit to practice in a suitable condition to work

Bioethical issues:

Issue Meaning
Euthanasia medical profession help terminal illness person to end their life
Genetic engineering such as embryo to be cloned, select genetic materials to produce what called designer babies
Transplant surgery removal of some body parts

Term Meaning
struck off banned from practicing medicine in UK
palliative care treatment to relieve rather than cure symptoms
Hospice facility providing care for terminally ill patients
terminally ill not expected to live
persistent vegetative state unable to speak, doesn't respond in any psychologically meaningful way
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Research
 divided into 4 main sections: Introduction, Methods, results, discussion

Introduction contain background information, information about previous studies & investigations, concern on subject & purpose of research
Methods give details of people who were studied, participants in research, steps, statistical analysis
Results tells what was found or the findings of the study
Discussion contain explanation, importance of study, conclusion in separate section
Acknowledgment short section present at the end of most articles to thank people who have helped in research
References book and articles which author have used

Medical abbreviations

Abbreviation Means Abbreviation Means

A&E Accident & Emergency OTC Over the counter
AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome PM Post mortem
ENT Ear, Nose, thorax PMA Progressive muscular atrophy
CAT Computerized axial tomography PMT premenstrual tension
CHD Coronary heart disease RQ respiratory quotient
BMR Basal metabolic rate --------- ---------------
D&V Diarrhea & vomiting SAD seasonal affective disorder
DOA Dead on arrival SIDS sudden infant death syndrome
GP General practitioner STI sexual transmitted infection
HAV Hepatitis A virus TB Tuberculosis
HIV Human immunodeficiency virus TBI total body irradiation
MND Motor neuron disease UV Ultraviolet
VDH Valvular disease of the heart WHO World health organization
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Two-words expressions:

Term Description
heart attack - heart has a reduced blood supply because one of the arteries becomes blocked by a blood clot
- causing myocardial ischaemia and myocardial infarction

General anesthetic A substance given to make someone lose consciousness

Bone Marrow Soft tissue in cancellous bone
Surgical intervention treatment of disease or other condition by surgery
Plastic Surgery Surgery to repair damaged part of the body.
Primary tooth Any one of the first twenty teeth which develop in children between about six months and two-and-a-half years of age
Brain death nerves in brain stem have died, person can be certified as dead, although the heart may not have stopped beating
Bedside manner way in which a doctor behaves towards a patient, especially a patient who is in bed.
allergic reaction An effect produced by a substance to which a person has an allergy
clinical trials A trial carried out in a medical laboratory on a person or on tissue from a person.
Malignant tumors A tumor which is cancerous and can grow again or spread into other parts of the body
General practitioner doctor who provides first-line medical care for all types of illness
Biological clock rhythm of daily activities and bodily processes such as eating , controlled by hormones
Digestive System The set of organs such as the stomach, liver and pancreas
Balanced diet A diet that provides all the nutrients needed in the correct proportions.
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Symptoms and common illnesses:

illness symptoms or Description
Influenza (flu) An infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract with fever and muscular aches, cough, terrible cold,
which is transmitted by a virus
Rubella - common infectious viral disease of children, with mild fever, swollen lymph nodes and a rash.
(German measles) - It can cause malformation of an unborn baby if the mother catches disease while pregnant

Coryza (common cold) inflammation of the nasal passages, in which someone sneezes and coughs and running nose.
Varicella infectious disease of children, caused by a herpes virus, and characterised by fever and red spots , itching
(chicken pox virus)
Rubeola (measles) infectious disease of children where the body is covered with a red rash.
- can weaken the body's resistance to other disease, especially bronchitis and ear infections.
Parotitis (Mumps) An infectious disease of children, with fever and swellings in the salivary glands, caused by a paramyxovirus.

allergic rhinitis Inflammation in the nose and eyes caused by an allergic reaction to dust mites
(Hay fever)
Pertussis infectious disease affecting the bronchial tubes, common in children and sometimes very serious.
(Whooping cough) - patient coughs very badly , noise when try to breathe
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illness symptoms or Description

Epilepsy - disorder of nervous system in which there are convulsions, loss of consciousness

Gangrene - tissues die, decay, as a result of bacterial action, because the blood supply has been lost through injury

Cataract A condition where the lens of the eye gradually becomes hard and opaque.

Parkinson's disease nervous disorder without a known cause which is a type of Parkinsonism

Tuberculosis - infectious disease, commonest form is infection of lungs, causing patients to lose weight, cough blood, have a fever.

Cystic fibrosis Hereditary (=Genetic) disease in which there is malfunction of the exocrine glands such as the pancreas

Cirrhosis A progressive disease of the liver, often associated with alcoholism

Diphtheria. A serious disease of children, first symptoms are a sore throat - A fibrous growth like a membrane forms in throat

Cerebral Palsy - disorder of the brain, mainly due to brain damage occurring before birth, or due to lack of oxygen during birth.
- lack of muscle co-ordination
Gastroenteritis. Inflammation of membrane lining the intestines, stomach, caused by a viral infection, resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.
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Instruments and equipments:

Instrument Description
Wheelchair a chair with wheels in which someone can sit
Scalpel a small sharp-pointed knife used in surgery
Probe an instrument used to explore inside wound
Forceps surgical instrument with handles like a pair of scissors, used for holding
Curette a surgical instrument like a long thin spoon, used for scraping the inside of an organ
Pipette a thin glass tube used for taking and measuring samples of liquid
Tourniquet tight bandage wrapped round a limb to constrict an artery, so reducing the flow of blood and stopping bleeding
Hook a surgical instrument with a bent end used for holding structures apart in operation
Drain a tube used to remove liquid from the body
Gag an instrument placed between the teeth to stop the mouth from closing
Catheter a tube passed into the body along one of the passages in the body
Bandage a piece of cloth which is wrapped around a wound or an injured limb
Sling a triangular bandage attached around the neck, used to support an injured arm and prevent it from moving people
Stretcher a folding bed, with handles, on which an injured person can be carried by two
Splint a stiff support attached to a limb to prevent a broken bone from moving
Stethoscope two earpieces connected to a tube and a metal disc, used to listen to sounds made inside the body
Thermometer an instrument for measuring temperature
Syringe medical instrument made of a tube with a plunger, forcing contents out through a needle as in an injection
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Extra notes
Term Meaning Term Meaning
Infarct An area of dead myocardial tissue Alopecia condition of hair loss
Menarche Beginning of menstruation Scoliosis lateral curvature of the spine
Rhinorrhea drainage from nose Cushing's syndrome a condition in which the body produces
too much cortisol
onych- prefix pertaining to fingernail K chemical symbol for potassium
Hidradenitis Inflammation of a sweat gland Fe chemical symbol for iron
Thoraces plural form of the medical term that Colporrhaphy Repair of the vagina
means chest "thoraco-"
Hysteropexy surgical fixation of the uterus Mastopexy surgical procedure in which breast is lifted
and fixed to the chest wall
pyloromyotomy Incision in wall of pylorus which is related Proctosigmoidoscopy Non-sterile procedure in which rectum &
to gastrointestinal system sigmoidal colon are examined
Arthrocentesis procedure in which synovial fluid is Colonoscopy procedures of colon that is indicated when
removed for analysis an abnormal growth is identified on a
barium enema X-ray study
Orthopedics branches of medicine specializes in the Neurologist specialist in nervous tissue system & its
study of the musculoskeletal system related diseases such as encephalitis
Endocrinologist Specialist in endocrinal system & its Diabetes mellitus Disease in which blood glucose levels are
related diseases such as hypergonadism, above normal & is characterized by
prolactinoma, and hirsutism Polydipsia, polyuria, good appetite with
weight loss, blurred vision
Dysphonia Abnormal voice caused by inflammation Retinoblastoma malignant tumor of the eye that is known
of larynx "Laryngitis" to be hereditary
Diplococci round bacteria that grow in pairs Accommodation focusing ability of the eye