Medical Terminology Systems (Text Only): A Body Systems Approach 7th Edition

Book Preface

As medical terminology educators, we face common challenges. First, we must present a vast amount of fairly complex information to students of various learning levels and abilities. Second, we need to impress upon them the importance of medical terminology as an essential tool of communication in the health-care industry. Finally, we must help them apply what they have learned to the “real world of medicine.” Building on the success of the sixth edition, which received the prestigious McGuffey Longevity and Excellence Award from the Textbook Authors’ Association (TAA), Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach, 7th edition, continues to live up to its well-established track record of presenting medical word-building principles based on competency-based curricula. Because of the pedagogical success of previous editions, the seventh edition continues its structural design as a textbook–workbook that complements all teaching formats, including traditional lecture, distance learning, and independent or self-paced study. The popular, basic features of the previous edition have been enhanced and expanded. The body systems chapters have been updated to include new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as well as new pharmaceutical agents in current use. Many new, visually impressive, full-color illustrations have been added to this edition. Artwork throughout the book is specifically designed to present accurate and aesthetically pleasing representations of anatomical structures, disease conditions, and medical procedures. Illustrations augment course content in new and interesting ways and help make difficult concepts clear. Two new learning activities have been incorporated in each body-system chapter.

All modifications and additions in the seventh edition are designed to aid in the learning process and improve retention of medical terms. The following is a brief summary of chapter content:

• Chapter 1 explains the techniques of medical word-building using basic word elements.
• Chapter 2 categorizes major surgical, diagnostic, symptomatic, and grammatical suffixes.
• Chapter 3 presents major prefixes of position, number and measurement, direction, and other parameters.
• Chapter 4 introduces anatomical, physiological, and pathological terms. It also presents combining forms denoting cellular and body structure, body position and direction, regions of the body, and additional combining forms related to diagnostic methods and pathology. General diagnostic and therapeutic terms are described and provide a solid foundation for specific terms addressed in the body-system chapters that follow.
• Chapters 5 through 16 are organized according to specific body systems and may be taught in any sequence. These chapters include key anatomical and physiological terms; basic anatomy and physiology; a body systems connections table; combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes; pathology; diagnostic, symptomatic, and related terms; diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; pharmacology; abbreviations; learning activities; and medical record activities. All activities allow self-assessment and evaluation of competency.
• Appendix A: The Answer Key contains answers to each learning activity to validate proficiency and provide immediate feedback for student assessment. Although the answer key for the terminology section of each medical record is not included in this appendix, it is available to
adopters in the Activity Pack.
• Appendix B: Common Abbreviations and Symbols include an updated, comprehensive list of medical abbreviations and their meanings, an updated summary of common symbols, and an updated list of “do-not-use” abbreviations.
• Appendix C: The Glossary of Medical Word Elements contains alphabetical lists of medical word elements and their meanings. This appendix presents two methods for word–element indexing—first by medical word element, then
by English term.
• Appendix D: The Index of Genetic Disorders lists genetic disorders presented in the textbook.
• Appendix E: The Index of Clinical, Laboratory, and Imaging Procedures lists radiographic and other diagnostic imaging procedures presented in the textbook.