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© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 1
BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply
Medical Terminology Appropriately
Medical Administration Training
Written by Jennifer Atkins www.mediweb.com.au
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 2
Copyright
Copyright © Jennifer Atkins 2013.2
© 2009 Version 1
This training manual is copyright under the Copyright Act 1968.
Any third party copyright material included in this publication is attributed.
Jennifer Atkins asserts her ownership of the Intellectual Property contained in this
training manual. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, utilised,
distributed, or translated into any other language in whole or in part, in any form or
by any means, by any other party whether it be electronic, manual, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise.
Copying without authorisation is illegal.
Disclaimer
Every attempt has been made to ensure this workbook is free from errors or
omissions. However, as an educational resource, all effort should be made to
ensure you seek professional advice before relying on any statement or fact
contained herein. Material in this workbook is current at the time of writing.
Jennifer Atkins Medical Administration Training
www.mediweb.com.au
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 3
Table of Contents
RESOURCES: HELPFUL WEBSITES ............................................................................ 7
BSBMED301B: INTERPRET AND APPLY MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY APPROPRIATELY ... 9
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 13
WHAT IS MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY? 14
HOW IS MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY COMMUNICATED? 15
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 16
SPECIALIST AREAS OF MEDICINE 21
CHECKLISTS 23
LEARNING MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ..................................................................... 27
ROOT WORD 28
COMBINING VOWEL 29
COMBINING FORM 29
PREFIX 30
SUFFIX 30
RULES WHEN JOINING MEDICAL TERMS TOGETHER 32
LITERAL MEANING OF MEDICAL TERMS 40
SEEK CLARIFICATION 41
DICTIONARY MEANING VERSUS LITERAL MEANING 42
AUSTRALIAN VERSUS AMERICAN SPELLING 44
SINGULAR AND PLURAL WORDS 46
PRONUNCIATION 49
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 52
MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................... 61
MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS WRITTEN ON SCRIPTS 62
LIST OF COMMON MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS 66
SYMBOLS 68
SYSTEMS OF THE BODY ........................................................................................ 77
ELEVEN MAIN SYSTEMS OF THE HUMAN BODY 77
ANATOMICAL PLANES AND POSITIONS ................................................................ 85
PLANES OF THE BODY 86
BODY CAVITIES 87
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 4
DIRECTION AND LOCATION 88
LIST OF TERMS FOR POSITION AND DIRECTION 90
MOVEMENT OF JOINTS 91
ABDOMINOPELVIC QUADRANTS AND REGIONS 93
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 96
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM ................................................................................. 103
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM 104
THE LAYERS OF THE SKIN 105
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN 105
SKIN COLOUR 106
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 113
GLOSSARY OF INTEGUMENTARY TERMS 124
SKELETAL SYSTEM .............................................................................................. 127
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE SKELETAL SYSTEM 128
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKELETON 129
TYPES OF FRACTURES 130
THE FIVE SECTIONS OF THE SPINE 133
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 136
NAMES OF SKELETAL BONES 149
GLOSSARY OF SKELETAL TERMS 151
MUSCULAR SYSTEM ........................................................................................... 155
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM 156
HOW MUSCLES ARE NAMED 157
MAJOR MUSCLES OF THE BODY 157
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 161
NAMES OF MUSCLES 173
GLOSSARY OF MUSCULAR TERMS 175
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ............................................................................................. 179
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 180
FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 182
PATIENT INFORMATION SHEET 185
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 192
GLOSSARY OF DIGESTIVE TERMS 202
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 5
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM ................................................................................ 207
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM 208
FUNCTIONS OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR ORGANS 209
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) 212
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE 215
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 220
GLOSSARY OF CARDIOVASCULAR TERMS 230
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ....................................................................................... 233
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 234
FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION 235
ASTHMA 238
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 244
GLOSSARY OF RESPIRATORY TERMS 254
NERVOUS SYSTEM ............................................................................................. 257
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 258
THE BRAIN AND THE SENSES 260
FUNCTIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 261
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 266
GLOSSARY OF NERVOUS SYSTEM TERMS 276
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM .......................................................................................... 281
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM 282
FUNCTIONS OF THE ENDOCRINE GLANDS 283
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 289
GLOSSARY OF ENDOCRINE TERMS 299
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM ........................................................................................... 303
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM 304
THE ROLE OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM 305
FUNCTIONS OF THE LYMPHATIC ORGANS AND TISSUES 306
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 309
GLOSSARY OF LYMPHATIC AND IMMUNE TERMS 318
URINARY SYSTEM .............................................................................................. 321
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE URINARY SYSTEM 322
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 6
HOW DOES YOUR BODY REMOVE WASTE? 323
URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS 323
FUNCTIONS OF THE URINARY ORGANS 325
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 329
GLOSSARY OF URINARY TERMS 338
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM ..................................................................................... 343
INTERESTING FACTS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM 344
FUNCTIONS OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 345
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 350
GLOSSARY OF REPRODUCTIVE TERMS 359
RADIOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 363
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT RADIOLOGY 363
X-RAY 364
CT SCAN (COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY): 364
ULTRASOUND 365
MRI (MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING) 366
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 370
GLOSSARY OF RADIOLOGY TERMS 380
PATHOLOGY....................................................................................................... 385
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PATHOLOGY 385
NINE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES OF PATHOLOGY 386
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITIES 391
GLOSSARY OF PATHOLOGY TERMS 399
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ....................................................................................... 403
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 7
RESOURCES: HELPFUL WEBSITES
Professional Associations and Medical Standards
AGPAL Australian General Practice Accreditation Ltd www.qip.com.au
Australian Association of Practice Managers www.aapm.org.au
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency http://www.ahpra.gov.au/
Australian Medical Association (AMA) www.ama.com.au
General Practice Computer Standards http://www.racgp.org.au/your-
practice/e-health/cis/ciss/
General Practice Registrars Australia www.gpra.org.au
Health Services Commission http://www.health.vic.gov.au./hsc/
Medical Practice Act 1992
www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/mpa1992128/s167.html
NSW Rural Doctors Network www.nswrdn.com.au
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) www.racgp.org.au
State and Territory Doctors Health Advisory www.doctorshealth.org.au
Medical and Health Reference sites
National vaccine storage guidelines http://www.immunise.health.gov.au
Alcohol Awareness Site
http://www.drinkingnightmare.gov.au/internet/DrinkingNightmare/publishing.nsf
Australian Doctor Online Newspaper http://www.australiandoctor.com.au
Cancer Screening Government Site http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au/
Department of Health and Aged Care www.health.gov.au
Department of Health, Victoria http://www.health.vic.gov.au
Doctors Reference Site www.drsref.com.au
Government Website About Health Issues www.healthinsite.gov.au
How Do You Measure Up
http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 8
Infection Control Guidelines For a Health Setting
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/node/30290
National Skin Cancer Awareness www.skincancer.gov.au
Quit Smoking www.quitnow.info.au
Royal District Nursing Service www.rdns.com.au
Seniors Reference Site www.seniors.gov.au
Online Medical Dictionaries
Medical Dictionary and Abbreviations http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
Medical Dictionary http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php
Medical Dictionary www.medterms.com
Medical Dictionary www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/medical_dictionary.asp
Medical Dictionary http://www.mydr.com.au/medical-dictionary
Spell Check www.spellex.com/speller.htm
Medical Abbreviations
Abbreviations http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalabbreviations.php
Acronyms www.drsref.com.au/acronyms
Health Thesaurus
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-
thesaurus.htm
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 9
BSBMED301B: Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Appropriately
About this unit
This unit provides participants with advanced medical terminology skills for general
practice, specialist rooms, hospitals and allied health environments. Topics:
o Learn the structure of medical words
o Prefix/Root/Suffix
o Basic and advanced terminology
o Systems of the body
o Abbreviations and symbols
o Pronunciation of medical terms.
This unit will teach you the skills and knowledge to be able to:
Respond appropriately to instructions which contain medical terminology
Carry out routine tasks
Use appropriate advanced medical terminology in oral and written
communication.
About this book
This book is suitable for participants in a range of situations, from classroom based
learning to distance education learning.
The book is developed as a step-by-step learning guide. You are to complete each
chapter before moving onto the next section. Activities are provided for you to work
through, and once the relevant skills are developed then you can move on to the
next part of the book.
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 10
As this is a nationally recognised unit, the activities throughout the book will require
you to draw upon your experiences in life, and your mock experiences in a medical
environment. These exercises form the basis of your learning so you will develop the
skills necessary to meet the required competency for the unit. Competency in the
unit will be demonstrated through the completion of the various activities and
assessments as determined by your assessor.
Nationally Accredited Qualification: This unit is nationally recognised under the
Australian Qualifications Framework. Upon completion of this unit you will be
awarded competency in BSBMED301B: Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology
Appropriately.
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 11
BSBMED301B: Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Appropriately
Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to
understand and respond to instructions; to carry out routine tasks and communicate
with a range of internal/external clients in a medical environment; and to use
appropriate advanced medical terminology.
Performance criteria
Element Performance Criteria
1. Respond appropriately to instructions which contain medical terminology
1.1 Receive, interpret and document written and oral instructions using medical terminology
1.2 Use checklists where appropriate
1.3 Ensure own understanding of abbreviations for specialised medical terminology and associated processes
1.4 Ensure own understanding of and adhere to, the policies and procedures of the enterprise
1.5 Seek clarification when necessary
2. Carry out routine tasks
2.1 Use medical terminology correctly in the completion of routine tasks
2.2 Seek assistance from supervisor or experienced staff member as required
3. Use appropriate medical terminology in oral and written communication
3.1 Use appropriate medical terminology as directed, in oral communication with patients, fellow workers and health professionals
3.2 Use appropriate medical terminology as directed, in written communication with patients, fellow workers and health professionals
3.3 Present written communication to a designated person for verification if required
3.4 Spell and pronounce medical terminology correctly
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 13
Effective communication with staff and patients is important in any environment;
however it is critical in a medical environment as it underpins patient welfare. While
doctors talk to their patients in non-medical or layman’s terms, they use medical
terminology in records, reports and correspondence. Often a doctor will pass on
verbal instructions to employees, assuming there is an understanding of what these
instructions mean. For this reason it is an integral part of the medical office worker’s
training to be able to recognise and understand medical terminology. The time spent
learning this new language ensures you will confidently communicate with patients
and other medical workers.
A medical environment is among the busiest of all work environments. A medical
office worker is responsible for a wide range of daily tasks which includes scheduling
patient appointments, filing, handling payments, typing reports and letters,
recording information and maintaining an organised and safe working environment.
Medical terminology is embedded in each of these duties.
Introduction
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 21
Specialist Areas of Medicine
What types of specialists do patients see?
Patients will see a variety of specialists, all of whom require a referral. There are
many different types of specialists. Below is a list of some of the more common
specialists and the area they specialise in.
Specialist Area Study of…
Cardiology The heart
Dermatology The skin
Endocrinology The glands and their secretions
Gastroenterology The stomach and intestines
Gynaecology and
Obstetrics
The female reproductive system (Gynaecology) and
pregnancy and childbirth (Obstetrics)
Haematology The blood
Immunology The immune system
Neurology The nervous system
Oncology Cancer
Ophthalmology The eyes
Orthopaedics The skeleton
Paediatrics Children
Psychiatry The mind
Rheumatology The rheumatic system, including joints, muscles, connective
tissues, and soft tissues around the joints and bones
Urology The urinary system
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 22
Which specialist department do you think patients would be referred to for the
following conditions?
Physical condition Specialist area required
Chronic intestinal pain
Chronic Back injury
Pregnancy
Stomach ulcer
Fibromyalgia
Chronic eye infections
Scarring caused by acne
Schizophrenia
Persistent urinary tract infections
Low iron stores
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 27
Introduction
Learning Medical Terminology is similar to learning a new language. In fact medical
terms are based on Latin and Greek words. It is common to feel overwhelmed by the
number of new words and terms that are part of a medical environment. However
you will be pleased that even the longest medical word can be broken down into
components and learnt. The terms you will learn in this book describe common
conditions, diseases, and their diagnosis and treatment.
There are five basic parts to a medical word:
Root word
Combining vowel
Combining form
Prefix
Suffix
Learning Medical Terminology
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 28
Root word
The root word is the basic building block of medical words. Most root words are
derived from Latin and Greek words. They give you the prime meaning of the
medical word which usually refers to a part of the body.
For example, cardi means heart. It is used in the word cardiopathy, which means
disease of the heart.
Other parts of the body have their own medical terminology, as shown below.
Body part Medical term
Heart cardi
Stomach gastr
Intestines enter
Nose rhin
Muscle my/muscul
Skeleton skelet
Skin dermat
Can you underline the root word for the following medical terms, and state the
meaning of the root word.
Note: You do not need to know the meaning of the whole word; only the meaning of
the root word.
Medical term (underline root word) Meaning of root word
Dermatitis
Cardiologist
Rhinoplasty
Skeleton
Epigastric
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 36
Complete the following table to add the prefix to the joining word to make medical
terms. Use the table on the following page to assist. The first word has been
completed for you.
Prefix Meaning Joining word Medical term Meaning of medical word
Epi Above Gastric Epigastric Pertaining to above the
stomach
Micro Small Scope
Dys Painful Pnoea
Hypo Below/Low Tension
Complete the following table to add the suffix to the joining word. Use the table on
the following page to assist. The first word has been completed for you.
Suffix Meaning Joining word Medical term Meaning of medical word
Logist Specialist
who studies
Cardio Cardiologist Specialist who studies the
heart
Tomy Incision Gastro
Ectomy Removal of Mast
Logy Study of Bio
Pathy Disease Gastro
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 38
Body Parts with Multiple Root Words
Because medical terminology is based on Latin and Greek words, it is possible that a
body part will have terms which are derived from both languages. One such example
is the nose. The Latin derived word for nose is nas/o and the Greek derived word is
rhin/o. Although both these root words mean nose they are not always
interchangeable, which means some medical words will use nas/o and others will
use rhin/o. For example:
Nasogastric tube - is a tube inserted into the stomach through the nose
The root word cannot be changed to rhin/o, as the accepted term uses the root word
nas/o. Therefore nasogastric is correct and rhinogastric is not correct.
Rhinoplasty - is a surgical repair of the nose
The root word cannot be changed to nas/o, as the accepted term uses the root word
rhin/o. Therefore rhinoplasty is correct and nasoplasty is not correct.
If you are unsure which root word to use, check your dictionary as it will display the
correct choice of term.
Which root word will you use for the following words?
(Use your dictionary to assist you)
Meaning Possible terms (circle the
correct one)
Correct root word
Relating to the nose (Nasal, Rhinal)
Visual examination of the nose (Nasoscopy, Rhinoscopy)
Study of the nose (Nasology, Rhinology)
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 44
Australian Versus American Spelling
For many words there are two ways of spelling them. It is important to be aware that
some spell checks will recognise the American spelling and not the Australian or
English spelling. American spelling of medical words do not acknowledge any silent
vowels, which means an ‘o’ or an ‘a’ that is not pronounced is not spelt. The other
major difference is with the spelling of words where the ‘c’ is pronounced as a ‘k.’
American spelling will spell it with a ‘k’ whereas Australian spelling is with a ‘c’.
Common examples are:
Australian / English American
Oedema Edema
Haematology Hematology
Colour Color
Anaesthesia Anesthesia
Foetal Fetal
Paediatrician Pediatrician
Diarrhoea Diarrhea
Haemorrhoid Hemorrhoid
Leucocyte Leukocyte
Oesophagus Esophagus
Sulphate Sulfate
Vaporise Vaporize
Underline the part of each Australian/English medical word which is omitted or
altered in the American spelling.
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 45
The following words have been spelt incorrectly. To spell them correctly refer to
the previous table or look up each word in a medical dictionary.
American spelling Australian / English spelling
Esophagitis
Edema
Tumor
Orthopedic
Hemostasis
Anesthesia
Hemoglobin
Leukopenia
Diarrhea
Behavior
Dyspnea
Hematologist
Anemia
Fiber
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 103
Introduction
The integumentary system consists of the skin, its glands, hair and nails. Integument
means covering.
The skin is considered the largest organ of your body. This is because the surface
area of the skin on an average adult is 2 m2, weighs 3.5-4.5 kg, and represents 16
percent of your body’s total weight.
The thickness of your skin differs throughout your body. High use areas of your body
have thicker skin. For example, your skin is thickest on the soles of your feet, and the
palms of your hands.
Integumentary System
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 104
Interesting facts on the Integumentary System
An average adult's skin contains more than 18 kilometres of blood vessels.
The skin releases as much as 11 litres of sweat a day in hot weather. The
areas that don't sweat are the nail bed, the margins of the lips, and the
eardrums.
Body odour comes from a second kind of sweat—a fatty secretion produced
by the apocrine sweat glands, found mostly around the armpits, and genitals.
Body odour is caused by bacteria on the skin eating and digesting those fatty
compounds.
Globally, dead skin accounts for about a billion tons of dust in the
atmosphere. Your skin sheds 50,000 cells every minute.
Breasts are a modified form of sweat gland.
There are at least five types of receptors in the skin that respond to pain and
to touch.
One experiment revealed that Meissner corpuscles—touch receptors that are
concentrated in the fingertips and palms, lips and tongue, and genitals —
respond to a pressure of just 20 milligrams, the weight of a fly.
Adapted from: http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/20-things-skin/ 4 February 2010
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 106
Skin Type Colour Features
I White or freckled skin Always burns, never tans
II White skin Burns easily, tans poorly
III Olive skin Mild burn, gradually tans
IV Light brown skin Burns minimally, tans easily
V Dark brown skin Rarely burns, tans easily
VI Black skin Never burns, always tans
Reference: Goldman MP. Shiffman MA, Mirrafati SJ, Lam SM, Cueteaux CG. Simplified Facial Rejuvenation. 2. Springer Berlin
Heidelberg; 2007:47-50.
Skin Colour
The amount of melanin pigment in the skin determines a person’s skin colour
(called the skin phototype). The amount of skin pigment a person has can be
genetically inherited, due to various diseases, or due to the hormonal changes
that occur during pregnancy.
The Fitzpatrick Scale is used to classify skin complexion and response to
ultraviolet exposure. The table below displays the Fitzpatrick scale.
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 107
Colours
Many medical conditions have symptoms which are denoted by colouration. Here is
a list of different colours and their combining forms.
Colour Combining form Example
Black Melan/o Melanosis
Blue Cyan/o Cyanosis
Green Chlor/o Chloroma
Grey Poli/o Poliomyelitis
Red Erythr/o Erythrocyte
Red Eosin/o Eosinophil
White Leuc/o Leucocyte
White Albin/o Albinism
Yellow Cirrh/o Cirrhosis
Yellow Xanth/o Xanthoma
Yellow Jaund/o Jaundice
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 108
Colour Activity
For the following medical terms, use forward slashes to divide the word into parts
and then give the meaning of the individual word parts. The first one has been
completed for you.
Medical term (divide using slashes) Meaning
Albin/ism White / condition
Chloropsia
Cirrhosis
Cyanosis
Erythrocyte
Erythrocytosis
Leucocyte
Melanoma
Melanosis
Xanthoma
Xanthosis
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 109
Labelled Diagram of the Skin
The diagram below is a microscopic cross section of human skin.
Look up the medical terms in the Glossary of Integumentary Terms (found at the
end of this chapter), and write the function of each part of the skin.
Sweat Gland
Blood Vessels
Hair
Epidermis
Sebaceous Gland
Dermis
Hair Follicle
Subcutaneous Tissue
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 112
Word Components
The following word components are commonly used in the integumentary system.
Complete the table by adding meanings and medical words for all word components.
Word component Meaning Example
Albin/o
Chlor/o
Cry/o Cold, freezing
Cut/i Skin
Cyan/o Cyanosis
Derm/a Skin Dermatitis
Eosin/o Eosinophil
Erythr/o
Hidr/o Sweat
Jaund/o
Kerat/o Horny layer of skin
Leuc/o, leuk/o
Melan/o
Myc/o Fungus
Onych/o Nail Onychomycosis
Phyt/o Plant
Pil/o Hair
Poli/o
Py/o Pus
Scab/o To itch Scabies
Scler/o Hard
Seb/o Fat, sebum
Sub Beneath, under
Trich/o Hair
Vesic/o Blister
Xanth/o
Xero Dry
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 113
Medical Terminology Activities
A. Using your dictionary for clarification, spell the following words correctly
1. Celulitis ___________________________________________________
2. Dermatitice ___________________________________________________
3. Papula ___________________________________________________
4. Alopacea ___________________________________________________
5. Vitillego ___________________________________________________
6. Soriasis ___________________________________________________
B. Give the meaning of the following combining forms
1. Melan/o __________________________________________________
2. Leuc/o ___________________________________________________
3. Dermat/o ___________________________________________________
4. Onych/o ___________________________________________________
5. Trich/o ___________________________________________________
6. Cry/o ___________________________________________________
C. Give the meaning of the following suffixes
1. –al ___________________________________________________
2. –auxis ___________________________________________________
3. –cyte ___________________________________________________
4. –itis ___________________________________________________
5. –logist ___________________________________________________
6. –lysis ___________________________________________________
7. –plasty ___________________________________________________
8. –rrhoea ___________________________________________________
9. –trophy ___________________________________________________
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 114
D. Give the meaning of the following prefixes
1. Auto- ___________________________________________________
2. Crypto- ___________________________________________________
3. Dys- ___________________________________________________
4. Hyper- ___________________________________________________
5. Hypo- ___________________________________________________
6. Intra- ___________________________________________________
7. Pachy- ___________________________________________________
8. Para- ___________________________________________________
E. Using slashes divide the following terms into parts and give the meaning of the
whole word
1. Epidermis ________________________________________________
2. Dermatologist ________________________________________________
3. Seborrhoea ________________________________________________
4. Onychodystrophy ________________________________________________
F. Complete the medical term based on its meaning
1. Extreme cold treatment: ________________________ therapy
2. Pertaining to beneath the skin: ___________________ cutaneous
3. Abnormal dryness of skin: ______________________ sis
4. Abnormal condition of nail fungal infection: ________________ mycosis
5. A cell that produces melanin: ____________________________ cyte
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 115
G. Match the term in Column 2 with its correct meaning from Column 1
Column 1 Column 2
1. Plant/fungus ________________________ Melano-
2. Reddening of the skin ________________________ Myc-
3. Dry ________________________ Onych-
4. Dark pigment ________________________ Phyt-
5. Skin ________________________ Erythem-
6. Nail ________________________ Adip-
7. Excessive flow ________________________ -derma
8. Fungus ________________________ -lysis
9. Break down ________________________ -rrhoea
10. Fat ________________________ Xero-
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 116
H. Choose one of the following medical words to complete the sentences below.
Note there are more words than sentences
Impetigo Eczema Tinea
Psoriasis Scabies Cellulitis
Acne Onycholysis Papule
Alopecia Albino Cysts
1. Chris has a scaly pink rash all over his knees and elbows, called
_________________
2. Dr Johnson has been treating his patient John, with symptoms of itchy skin
which is weeping, called ____________________
3. Heather has recently suffered from acute swelling of her lower legs with
heat, pain and redness, diagnosed as _____________________
4. Karen has ___________________ on her face, which has pustules and
associated blackheads.
5. Brett has ___________________, which means he has lost the hair on part of
his body
6. Julian was diagnosed with ________________________ which is a fungal
condition of his nails.
7. John has a condition where he doesn’t have any melanin, called
_________________
8. Jack has multiple sacks of fluid on his chest, and is relieved they are only
__________________
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 118
J. Unlabeled diagram of the skin
Label the diagram of the skin using the following terms:
Blood vessels, dermis, epidermis, hair follicle, hair, sebaceous gland, sweat
gland, and subcutaneous tissue.
All terms in defined in the Glossary of Integumentary Terms.
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 119
K. Case Study – Psoriasis
Read the following case study. Then (a) look up the listed words in the dictionary,
and (b) write the meaning of the words in the section provided.
Mr. Newman, a 43 year old man has a long history of erythrodermic psoriasis, the
most severe of all forms of psoriasis. He has attended various dermatology clinics
and seen many respected dermatologists in the past, with minimal success.
On examination, his epidermis is red and scaly. His scalp, face and hands are the
worst of all body areas. He sheds skin continuously and has a chronic case of
xeroderma. He also suffers from a secondary form of psoriasis affecting the body
folds and his genitals, known as flexural psoriasis.
As the psoriasis becomes more scaly and inflamed, I am concerned that it may be
developing into pustular psoriasis, which will cause him more pain than he is
currently in. He already suffers myalgia which causes considerable pain.
I am referring him for up to date pathology tests and have today taken a skin
scraping to look for the presence of inflammatory markers. I have requested urgent
results from microbiology.
Previously a biopsy of his skin was sent to histology for analysis by a senior
pathologist.
The cytological results of this were revealed under microscope; showing large
numbers of leucocytes.
(a) Look up the following words in your dictionary and write out their meanings:
Psoriasis
Inflammatory (inflammation)
Pustular (pustule)
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 120
(b) The following are the medical terms from the case study. Using slashes divide
the terms into parts and give the meaning of the whole word.
Erythrodermic
Dermatology
Dermatologists
Epidermis
Xeroderma
Myalgia
Pathology
Microbiology
Histology
Pathologist
Cytological
Microscope
Leucocytes
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 121
Additional Integumentary Activities
1. Seek clarification from supervisor
Rakib is a new patient at Summerhill Medical Centre. He has a specialist report
stating that he needs to bathe his skin in a certain solution. He asks you where he
can get this from. The report states he needs to use Ph neutral products on his skin.
He asks is this means he can use household soap.
You are not familiar with his condition, the skin product, or the Ph of soap. However
Susan, your practice manager is in the next office and you are able to seek assistance
from her. List the questions you would ask her?
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2. Match the term in Column 2 with its layman’s term from Column 1
Column 1 Column 2
1. Baldness _________________________ Verruca
2. Blackheads _________________________ Naevi
3. Rash _________________________ Pruritus
4. Birthmark _________________________ Vesicle
5. Itching _________________________ Urticaria
6. Hives _________________________ Alopecia
7. Wart _________________________ Comedomes
8. Blister _________________________ Exanthem
© Jennifer Atkins BSBMED301B Interpret and Apply Medical Terminology Page | 123
Spelling List
The following integumentary words are listed in the Glossary of Integumentary
Terms. Spell each word three times in the space following the word.
Acne
Alopecia
Benign
Biopsy
Dermatitis
Eczema
Erbium laser
Erythema
Hyperpigmentation
Keratosis
Keratotic
Cryotherapy
Malignant
Melanoma
Onychomycosis
Pigmentation
Pruritus
Psoriasis
Pustule
Rosacea
Scabies
Tinea
Vesicle
Vitiligo