Composing Medical Terms
The Endocrine system utilizes chemical messengers (hormones) to communicate and control our bodies. There are several diseases associated with this system, which include Diabetes, Graves, Addison’s, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Gigantism, Graves disease and others. For this discussion, you will be composing medical terms related to one of these diseases.
You are to compose four medical terms in a well-written paragraph about one of the diseases of the Endocrine system. You need to include at least one diagnostic imaging or surgical procedure as it relates to the disease chosen. The paragraph needs to utilize proper sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.
Note: The medical terms you choose need to include one of the following: prefix, suffix, and/or combining form. However, do not identify those word elements! Leave that to your classmates….
Guided Response: Choose two classmates and respond by identifying their four medical terms and label any combining forms, prefixes, and/or suffixes.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Composing medical terms is an important skill for medical students to possess as it pertains to their understanding and communication within the medical field. As a medical professor, I have assigned a task for students to compose four medical terms related to one disease of the Endocrine system, including a relevant diagnostic imaging or surgical procedure. The purpose of this discussion is to evaluate students’ understanding of medical terminology and improve their written communication skills.
Answer:
Student 1: The disease chosen by Student 1 is Cushing Syndrome. The first medical term is “hypercortisolism” which includes the combining form “hyper-” meaning excessive and the combining form “cortisol” which is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. The second medical term is “adrenal adenoma” which uses the combining form “adrenal” relating to the adrenal glands and “adenoma” which is a tumor. The third medical term is “laparoscopic adrenalectomy” which includes the prefix “laparo-” meaning the abdomen and “adrenalectomy” which means the removal of the adrenal glands. The fourth medical term is “dexamethasone suppression test” which uses the combining form “dexamethasone” which is a synthetic steroid and “suppression test” which is a diagnostic test to evaluate adrenal gland function.
Student 2: The disease chosen by Student 2 is Diabetes. The first medical term is “glycemia” using the combining form “glyc-” which pertains to sugar and “emia” which means blood condition. The second medical term is “neuropathy” using the combining form “neuro-” which means nerve and “pathy” which means disease. The third medical term is “pancreatectomy” using the combining form “pancrea-” relating to the pancreas and “ectomy” meaning surgical removal. The fourth medical term is “insulin therapy” using the combining form “insulin” relating to the hormone produced by the pancreas and “therapy” which means treatment.
In conclusion, both Student 1 and Student 2 have demonstrated a good understanding of medical terminology while using proper sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. By identifying the different word elements used in medical terms, you can improve your medical knowledge and effectively communicate with other professionals in the field.
