1. Prefixes - appear at the beginning of a word.
2. Suffixes - Found at the end of the word.
For a medical coder, it's important to know some common prefix and suffix
in order to understand the CPT code descriptions, especially surgery codes.
Generally, we can split most of the medical terms into component,
which make them easier to understand. Many of these terms are derived from
Latin or Greek.
Common
Prefixes
1.
2. Mono – one
3.
4. Ambi – both
5. Diplo - double
6. Tri – three
7. Quadr – four
8. Hex – six
9. Brady – decrease
10. Tachy – increase
11. Hyper – excessive / above
12. Hypo – deficient / below
13. Megalo – large
14. Micro – small
15. Dys – difficult
16. Mal – bad
17. Eu – normal/good
18. Endo – within
19. Exo – outside
20. Epi – upon
21. Peri – surrounding
22. Trans – through
23. Infra – below
24. Supra – above
25. Ipsi – same
26. Iso – same
27. Contra – opposite
28. Retro – back
29. Hetero – different
30. Homo – same
Common Suffixes
A.
Medical Conditions related suffix words:
1. –algia /dynia: Pain
2. –asthenia: Weakness
3. –emia: Blood
4. –itis: Inflammation
5. –lysis: Destruction;
break down
6. –lytic: Destroy
7. –oma: Tumor
8. –opathy: Disease of
9. –orrhagia:
Hemorrhage
10. –orrhea: Discharge
11. –paresis: Weakness
12. –plegia: Paralysis
13. –plasia: Growth
14. –pnea:
Breathing
15. –malacia: Softening
16. –lithiasis: Stone/calculus
17. –phagia: Swallowing
18. –phasia: Speaking
19. –phonia: Voice
20. –stenosis: Narrowing
21. –ectasis: Dilation
22. –xerosis: Dryness
23. –mycosis: Fungi
B.
Medical Procedures related suffix words:
1. –centesis: puncture a cavity to remove fluid
2. –ectomy:
surgical removal
3. –oplasty:
surgical repair
4. –orrhaphy: surgical repair/suture
5. –ostomy: surgical
opening
6. –otomy: surgical cutting into
7. –otripsy: crushing,
destroying
8. –graphy:
9. –desis: surgical union
10. –scope:
an instrument to view/examine
11. –scopy:
to view/visualize
12. –gram
record
13. –tripsy
crushing
14. –pexy surgical fixation
15. –logy:
study
16. –logist: one who studies
Examples;
1. Tonsillitis – Inflammation of the tonsils (Suffix word –itis refer to
inflammation)
2. Pancreatitis – Inflammation of the pancreas (Suffix word –itis refer to
inflammation)
3. Appendectomy – Surgical removal of Appendix (Suffix word -ectomy refer to
surgical removal)
4. Splenectomy - Surgical removal of the spleen (Suffix word -ectomy refer to surgical removal)
5. Colonoscopy – Endoscopic examination of Colon (Suffix word -scopy refer
to viewing using instrument)
6. Dysuria – Difficult
in urination (Prefix word Dys- refer to difficulty)
7. Transrectal –
through the rectum (Prefix word Trans- refer to Through)
8. Heterograft – Graft
took from different species (Prefix
word Hetero- refer to different)
1. Prefixes - appear at the beginning of a word.
2. Suffixes - Found at the end of the word.
Generally, we can split most of the medical terms into component,
which make them easier to understand. Many of these terms are derived from
Latin or Greek.
Common Prefixes
1.
2. Mono – one
3.
4. Ambi – both
5. Diplo - double
6. Tri – three
7. Quadr – four
8. Hex – six
9. Brady – decrease
10. Tachy – increase
11. Hyper – excessive / above
12. Hypo – deficient / below
13. Megalo – large
14. Micro – small
15. Dys – difficult
16. Mal – bad
17. Eu – normal/good
18. Endo – within
19. Exo – outside
20. Epi – upon
21. Peri – surrounding
22. Trans – through
23. Infra – below
24. Supra – above
25. Ipsi – same
26. Iso – same
27. Contra – opposite
28. Retro – back
29. Hetero – different
30. Homo – same
Common Suffixes
A. Medical Conditions related suffix words:
1. –algia /dynia: Pain
2. –asthenia: Weakness
3. –emia: Blood
4. –itis: Inflammation
5. –lysis: Destruction;
break down
6. –lytic: Destroy
7. –oma: Tumor
8. –opathy: Disease of
9. –orrhagia:
Hemorrhage
10. –orrhea: Discharge
11. –paresis: Weakness
12. –plegia: Paralysis
13. –plasia: Growth
14. –pnea:
Breathing
15. –malacia: Softening
16. –lithiasis: Stone/calculus
17. –phagia: Swallowing
18. –phasia: Speaking
19. –phonia: Voice
20. –stenosis: Narrowing
21. –ectasis: Dilation
22. –xerosis: Dryness
23. –mycosis: Fungi
B. Medical Procedures related suffix words:
1. –centesis: puncture a cavity to remove fluid
2. –ectomy:
surgical removal
3. –oplasty:
surgical repair
4. –orrhaphy: surgical repair/suture
5. –ostomy: surgical
opening
6. –otomy: surgical cutting into
7. –otripsy: crushing,
destroying
8. –graphy:
9. –desis: surgical union
10. –scope:
an instrument to view/examine
11. –scopy:
to view/visualize
12. –gram
record
13. –tripsy crushing
14. –pexy surgical fixation
15. –logy:
study
16. –logist: one who studies
Examples;
1. Tonsillitis – Inflammation of the tonsils (Suffix word –itis refer to
inflammation)
2. Pancreatitis – Inflammation of the pancreas (Suffix word –itis refer to
inflammation)
3. Appendectomy – Surgical removal of Appendix (Suffix word -ectomy refer to
surgical removal)
4. Splenectomy - Surgical removal of the spleen (Suffix word -ectomy refer to surgical removal)
5. Colonoscopy – Endoscopic examination of Colon (Suffix word -scopy refer
to viewing using instrument)
6. Dysuria – Difficult
in urination (Prefix word Dys- refer to difficulty)
7. Transrectal –
through the rectum (Prefix word Trans- refer to Through)
8. Heterograft – Graft took from different species (Prefix word Hetero- refer to different)