Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 4
Where to Go from Here 4
Part 1: Living for Linguistics 5
Chapter 1: Scrubbing In to Master Medical Terminology 7
The Tale behind the Terms 7
Making Terminology Work for You 8
Building a Foundation of Vocabulary 9
In Terms of Anatomy 9
All Systems Go 10
Down-Under Details 12
The Ultimate Resource: You 13
Chapter 2: Medical Terminology: The How and Why 15
Defining Medical Terminology 15
Medical Terminology in the Real World 16
In theory and practice 16
Writing it down 17
Changes in Medical Terminology 18
It’s Greek and Latin to Me 19
Modernizing Medicine 19
Chapter 3: Introducing the Big Three: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes 23
Rooting Around for Answers 24
Exterior root words 24
Interior root words 27
Prefix as Precursor 33
Common Prefixes 33
Suffixes: Final Thoughts 34
Chapter 4: Acronyms, Eponyms, Homonyms, Multiples, and Plurals — Oh My! 37
Acronyms 38
Eponyms 40
Homonyms 42
Deriving a Plural the Medical Way 43
Medical rules for forming plurals 43
English rules of forming plurals 46
Welcome to the Peanut Gallery: More Exceptions to the Plural Rules 48
Chapter 5: Say What? Pronunciation and Usage 53
Hooked on Phonics 53
Pronouncing Common Prefixes and Beginning Sounds 54
The sound of silence 54
From your ear to the dictionary 55
Pronouncing Common Suffixes and Endings 56
Pronouncing Common Combinations 57
Putting It All Together 58
What Condition Your Condition Is In 60
Suffering Suffixes 60
Part 2: Mapping Words and Bodies 63
Chapter 6: As It Was in the Beginning: Prefixes 65
Common Prefixes 65
A–E prefixes 66
F–J prefixes 67
K–O prefixes 68
P–Z prefixes 69
Matching Prefixes to Situations 69
In your body 70
In the doctor’s office and hospital 71
In the pharmacy and research lab 72
Retro Root Rewind A–M 72
Retro Root Rewind N–Z 76
Chapter 7: So It Shall Be in the End: Suffixes 79
Common Suffixes 79
-itis 80
-oma 80
-pathy 80
And lots more suffixes 81
Matching Suffixes to Situations 83
In your body 83
In the doctor’s office and hospital 84
In the pharmacy and research lab 85
Chapter 8: Hey, I Know You: Word Recognition 87
The Inside Story: Terms for Your Interior 87
Terms for the Outside of Your Body 92
Pathological Conditions 93
Chapter 9: Deconstruction Junction: Breaking Down Words 95
Finding Parts of Words 96
Identifying word elements 96
Defining the prefix 96
Defining the root word 97
Identifying the combining vowel 98
Defining the suffix 98
Going Deeper into Suffixes 99
Adding Up Individual Word Meanings 101
Chapter 10: An Org Chart to Live By: Organization of the Body 105
Looking at the Big Picture 105
Cells 106
Tissues 107
Organs and Systems 108
Cavities of the Body 109
Directional Terms and Anatomical Planes 110
Regions of the Body 113
Chapter 11: All Systems Go: When Systems Combine 119
Anatomical Systems Working Together 119
The musculoskeletal system 120
The integumentary system 120
The sensory system 121
Physiology Systems Working Together 121
The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems 121
The respiratory system 123
The gastrointestinal system 124
The endocrine system 125
The nervous system 126
The urinary and reproductive systems 127
Part 3: In Terms of Anatomy 129
Chapter 12: Boning Up on the Skeletal System 131
How the Skeletal System Works 132
Bones and osteology 132
Axial skeleton 134
Appendicular skeleton 137
Joints 138
Skeletal Root Words 139
More Anatomical Terms 141
Common Skeletal Conditions 143
Finding the Culprit: Skeletal Diseases and Pathology 145
Testing, Testing: Skeletal Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 146
Paging Dr Terminology: Skeletal Surgeries and Procedures 147
Chapter 13: Getting Ripped: The Muscular System 149
How the Muscular System Works 149
Classes of muscles 150
Types of muscles 151
Muscles and tendons 151
Roundup of the superficial muscles 152
Muscular Roots and Suffixes 156
Action Item: The Movement of Your Muscles 157
Common Muscular Conditions 158
Finding the Culprit: Muscular Diseases and Pathology 159
Testing, Testing: Muscular Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 160
Paging Dr Terminology: Muscular Surgeries and Procedures 161
It’s All Related: More Muscular Terms 161
Chapter 14: Skin Deep: Skin, Glands, Nails, and Hair 163
Layers of Skin 163
Epidermis 165
Dermis 166
Subcutaneous layer 166
Glands, Both Sebaceous and Sudoriferous 166
Hair and Nails 168
Integumentary Root Words 169
Common Integumentary Conditions 171
Finding the Culprit: Integumentary Diseases and Pathology 172
Testing, Testing: Integumentary Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 175
Paging Dr Terminology: Integumentary Surgeries and Procedures 175
More Integumentary Terms 177
Chapter 15: It Depends on Your Perception: The Sensory Systems 179
The Eye 179
Inner eye 180
Outer eye 182
The Ear 182
Outer ear 184
Middle ear 184
Inner ear 184
The Nose 185
The Mouth 186
The Touch Receptor 186
Sensory Root Words 186
It’s All Related: More Anatomical Terms 190
Common Sensory Conditions 192
Finding the Culprit: Sensory Diseases and Pathology 193
Testing, Testing: Sensory Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 194
Paging Dr Terminology: Surgeries and Procedures 195
Terminology RX: Sensory Pharmacology 196
Part 4: Let’s Get Some Physiology Terminology 197
Chapter 16: The Heart of the Matter: The Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems 199
How the Cardiovascular System Works 200
The heart 201
Blood vessels 202
Blood 203
How the Lymphatic System Works 206
Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Root Words 207
Common Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Conditions 212
Finding the Culprit: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Diseases and Pathology 213
Testing, Testing: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 217
Paging Dr Terminology: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic
Surgeries and Procedures 219
Terminology Rx: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Pharmacology 221
Chapter 17: Just Breathe: The Respiratory System 223
How the Respiratory System Works 223
Nose 225
Pharynx and larynx 225
Trachea 225
Bronchi 226
Lungs 226
Respiratory Root Words 228
It’s All Related: More Anatomical Terms 230
Common Respiratory Conditions 233
Finding the Culprit: Respiratory Diseases and Pathology 235
Testing, Testing: Respiratory Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 236
Paging Dr Terminology: Respiratory Surgeries and Procedures 238
Terminology RX: Respiratory Pharmacology 239
Chapter 18: Feeding Time: The Gastrointestinal System 241
How the Gastrointestinal System Works 242
Mouth and pharynx 242
Esophagus 244
Stomach 244
Liver 245
Pancreas 245
Gallbladder 245
Intestines 245
Gastrointestinal Root Words 246
Common Gastrointestinal Conditions 250
Finding the Culprit: Gastrointestinal Diseases and Pathology 253
Testing, Testing: Gastrointestinal Radiology and
Diagnostic Tests 254
Gastrointestinal Surgeries and Procedures 257
Terminology RX: Gastrointestinal Pharmacology 258
Chapter 19: Gatekeepers of Health: The Endocrine System 261
How the Endocrine System Works 262
Hormones 263
Pituitary and hypothalamus 263
Thyroid 265
Pancreas 266
Adrenals 266
Gonads 267
Endocrine Root Words 268
It’s All Related: More Endocrine Anatomical Terms 270
Common Endocrine Conditions 271
Finding the Culprit: Endocrine Diseases and Pathology 274
Testing, Testing: Endocrine Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 275
Paging Dr Terminology: Endocrine Surgeries and Procedures 276
Terminology RX: Endocrine Pharmacology 277
Chapter 20: Calming Down: The Nervous System 279
How the Nervous System Works 279
The Central Nervous System 280
Brain 280
Spinal cord 283
Peripheral Nervous System 284
Nervous Root Words 285
It’s All Related: More Nerve-Wracking Terms 287
Common Nervous Conditions 288
Finding the Culprit: Nervous Diseases and Pathology 290
Testing, Testing: Nervous Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 292
Paging Dr Terminology: Nervous Surgeries and Procedures 293
Terminology RX: Nervous Pharmacology 294
Part 5: Name That Plumbing 295
Chapter 21: When You Gotta Go: The Urinary System 297
How the Urinary System Works 298
Kidneys 299
Ureters 300
Urinary bladder 300
Urethra 300
Urinary Root Words 302
Common Urinary Conditions 304
Finding the Culprit: Urinary Diseases and Pathology 304
Testing, Testing: Urinary Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 306
Paging Dr Terminology: Urinary Surgeries and Procedures 308
Terminology RX: Urinary Pharmacology 309
Chapter 22: Check the Plumbing: The Male Reproductive System 311
How the Male Reproductive System Works 312
Testes 313
Ducts 313
Urethra 314
Prostate 314
Penis 314
Male Reproductive Root Words 315
Pathological Male Reproductive Conditions 316
Finding the Culprit: Male Reproductive Diseases and Pathology 318
Testing, Testing: Male Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 319
Paging Dr Terminology: Male Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures 321
Terminology RX: Male Reproductive Pharmacology 322
Say What? Male Terminology Tongue Twisters 323
Chapter 23: A Life Force: The Female Reproductive System 325
How the Female Reproductive System Works 325
Ovaries 326
Fallopian tubes 327
Uterus 327
Vagina 328
Female Reproductive Root Words 330
It’s All Related: More Female Reproductive Anatomical Terms 334
Common Female Reproductive Conditions 337
Finding the Culprit: Female Reproductive Diseases and Pathology 339
Testing, Testing: Female Reproductive Radiology and Diagnostic Tests 341
Paging Dr Terminology: Female Reproductive Surgeries and Procedures 341
Terminology RX: Female Reproductive Pharmacology 346
Part 6: The Part of Tens 347
Chapter 24: Ten Essential Medical Terminology References 349
Medterms.com 349
Medilexicon.com 350
webMD.com 350
Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 32nd Edition 350
Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 10th Edition 350
Stedman’s Medical Dictionary and Flashcards for Health
Professionals and Nursing Illustrated, 7th Edition 351
Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 23rd Edition 351
Sloane’s Medical Word Book, 5th Edition 351
Medicalmnemonics.com 352
Medical Terminology Systems Quick Study Guide 352
Chapter 25: Ten or So Useful Mnemonic Devices 353
Cranial Nerves 353
Lung Lobe Numbers 354
The Size of a Thyroid 354
Scalp Layers 354
Muscles of the Rotator Cuff 354
Radial Nerve 355
Face Nerves 355
Perineal versus Peroneal 355
Sperm Path through Male Reproductive Tract 355
Carpal Bone Locations 356
Cranial Bones 356
Chapter 26: Ten Sets of Terminology Tongue-Twisting Diseases 357
Skeletal 357
Muscular 358
Integumentary 358
Sensory 359
Cardiovascular and Lymphatic 359
Respiratory 359
Gastrointestinal 360
Endocrine 360
Nervous 360
Urinary and Reproductive 361
Chapter 27: Top Ten Crazy-Hard-to-Spell Medical Terms 363
Crazy-Hard-to-Spell Terms 363
Appendix: Handy Study Guide 365
Index 375
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