14.1 Medical Terminology: Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes, Location and Movement Terms, Abbreviations & Specialties
Key Takeaways
- Understanding the Language of Medical Reports is a standalone 4% domain on the Series 17-70, roughly four scored questions.
- Clinical terms decompose into a word root naming the body part, an optional prefix for position or quality, and a suffix naming the condition or procedure.
- The suffix usually signals the magnitude of exposure: -scopy is diagnostic, -ectomy is removal, -otomy is incision, and -plasty and -desis signal replacement or fusion.
- Directional terms are read against the anatomical position, and range-of-motion terms such as flexion, abduction and external rotation supply the objective deficits behind a serious injury threshold argument.
- DJD and DDD are degenerative findings that strengthen a carrier’s causation defence when they appear alongside a claimed traumatic herniation.
Medical Terminology: Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes, Location and Movement Terms, Abbreviations & Specialties
Exam Focus: Understanding the Language of Medical Reports is a discrete 4% domain on the Series 17-70 — about four scored questions, and one of the few places on the exam where rote vocabulary pays directly. New York is unusual in testing it: most state adjuster exams do not. Learn to decode an unfamiliar term from its parts rather than memorising word lists.
Why Medical Language Is on an Adjuster Exam
A New York general adjuster reads operative reports, emergency department records, independent medical examination (IME) reports, and no-fault NF-3 health service bills. The reserve you set, the serious-injury threshold analysis you perform under Insurance Law § 5102(d), and the credibility of your file all depend on reading those records accurately. An adjuster who cannot tell arthroscopy from arthroplasty, or -otomy from -ectomy, will mis-reserve a shoulder claim by five figures.
Decoding a Medical Term: Root + Prefix + Suffix
Almost every clinical term is built from a word root (the body part or system), an optional prefix (position, number, quality) and a suffix (the procedure, condition or process), joined by a combining vowel — usually o.
Common Word Roots
| Root | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| arthr/o | joint | arthritis, arthroscopy |
| oste/o | bone | osteomyelitis, osteoporosis |
| my/o | muscle | myopathy, myalgia |
| cardi/o | heart | cardiomyopathy |
| neur/o | nerve | neuropathy, neuralgia |
| encephal/o | brain | encephalopathy |
| derm/o, dermat/o | skin | dermatitis |
| gastr/o | stomach | gastritis |
| nephr/o, ren/o | kidney | nephrectomy |
| pulmon/o, pneum/o | lung, air | pneumothorax |
| hemat/o, hem/o | blood | hematoma |
| spondyl/o, vertebr/o | vertebra | spondylolisthesis |
| chondr/o | cartilage | chondromalacia |
| cost/o | rib | costochondritis |
| crani/o | skull | craniotomy |
Common Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | without | anoxia |
| hyper- | excessive, above | hypertension |
| hypo- | deficient, below | hypoglycemia |
| brady- | slow | bradycardia |
| tachy- | fast | tachycardia |
| peri- | around | pericardium |
| inter- | between | intervertebral |
| intra- | within | intra-articular |
| sub- | under | subdural |
| poly- | many | polytrauma |
| dys- | painful, difficult | dyspnea |
| post- / pre- | after / before | postoperative |
Common Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Claims significance |
|---|---|---|
| -itis | inflammation | Usually conservative care |
| -osis | abnormal condition | Often degenerative — a causation defence |
| -algia / -dynia | pain | Subjective complaint |
| -ectomy | surgical removal | Meniscectomy — tissue taken out |
| -otomy | surgical incision | Craniotomy — cut into, not removed |
| -ostomy | creation of an opening | Colostomy |
| -plasty | surgical repair/reshaping | Arthroplasty — joint replacement, high value |
| -scopy | viewing with an instrument | Arthroscopy — diagnostic/minimally invasive |
| -desis | binding, fusion | Arthrodesis, spinal fusion — high value |
| -pathy | disease | Radiculopathy |
| -emia | blood condition | Anemia |
| -oma | tumour, mass | Hematoma |
| -plegia | paralysis | Paraplegia |
Reserve Cue: the suffix often tells you the order of magnitude. -scopy is a same-day diagnostic procedure; -ectomy is a partial resection; -plasty and -desis signal joint replacement or fusion, which drive surgical, facility, hardware and long disability exposures.
Location Terms (Directional Anatomy)
Reports describe findings relative to the anatomical position — standing erect, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms forward.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Anterior (ventral) | Toward the front |
| Posterior (dorsal) | Toward the back |
| Superior (cephalad) | Toward the head |
| Inferior (caudad) | Toward the feet |
| Medial | Toward the midline |
| Lateral | Away from the midline |
| Proximal | Nearer the point of attachment or trunk |
| Distal | Farther from the point of attachment |
| Superficial | Nearer the surface |
| Deep | Farther from the surface |
| Bilateral / Unilateral | Both sides / one side |
| Ipsilateral / Contralateral | Same side / opposite side |
| Supine / Prone | Lying face up / face down |
Movement Terms (Range of Motion)
Range-of-motion (ROM) deficits are the backbone of a permanent consequential limitation or significant limitation of use argument under the New York serious injury threshold, so an adjuster must read ROM tables fluently.
- Flexion / Extension — decreasing / increasing the angle of a joint.
- Abduction / Adduction — moving away from / toward the midline.
- Rotation — turning about an axis; internal (medial) and external (lateral).
- Pronation / Supination — palm down / palm up.
- Inversion / Eversion — sole turned inward / outward.
- Dorsiflexion / Plantar flexion — toes toward the shin / toes pointed down.
- Circumduction — circular movement combining the above.
A report reading “right shoulder abduction 90° (normal 180°), external rotation 30° (normal 90°)” documents a quantified, objective deficit — far stronger evidence than a narrative complaint of pain.
Abbreviations Used in Medical Reports
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hx / Dx / Tx / Rx / Px | History / diagnosis / treatment / prescription / prognosis | c/o | complains of |
| SOB | shortness of breath | HNP | herniated nucleus pulposus |
| ROM | range of motion | DJD | degenerative joint disease |
| WNL | within normal limits | DDD | degenerative disc disease |
| NAD | no acute distress | LOC | loss of consciousness |
| ADL | activities of daily living | TBI | traumatic brain injury |
| PT / OT | physical / occupational therapy | ORIF | open reduction internal fixation |
| ED / ER | emergency department | IME | independent medical examination |
| s/p | status post (after) | q.d. / b.i.d. / t.i.d. | once / twice / three times daily |
| p.r.n. | as needed | NPO | nothing by mouth |
Causation Cue: DJD and DDD are degenerative findings. When an MRI report pairs a disc herniation with extensive DDD, the carrier's causation argument — that the finding pre-dated the accident — gets materially stronger, and an IME or a records review should be considered before reserving to a surgical value.
Medical Specialties
| Specialty | Scope | When you see it on a file |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedics | Musculoskeletal system | Fractures, joint injury, spine surgery |
| Neurology / Neurosurgery | Nervous system | TBI, radiculopathy, spinal cord |
| Physiatry (PM&R) | Physical medicine & rehabilitation | Long-term ROM and impairment ratings |
| Radiology | Imaging | X-ray, MRI, CT interpretation |
| Anesthesiology / Pain Management | Anesthesia, pain | Epidural steroid injections, blocks |
| Cardiology | Heart and vessels | Cardiac events, exertion claims |
| Pulmonology | Lungs | Inhalation, occupational lung disease |
| Psychiatry / Psychology | Mental health | Emotional distress, PTSD claims |
| Chiropractic | Spinal manipulation | High-frequency no-fault treatment |
| Podiatry | Foot and ankle | Lower-extremity trauma |
| Ophthalmology / Otolaryngology (ENT) | Eye / ear, nose, throat | Vision and hearing loss claims |
An operative report is captioned “right knee arthroplasty.” Breaking the term into its parts, what procedure was performed, and what does that imply for reserving?
A treating physician records “right shoulder abduction 90° (normal 180°)” and the MRI impression notes extensive DDD at the cervical levels. What do these two entries respectively supply to the file?