Sometimes it seems like medical terms are Greek.  That is an accurate observation because the terms usually have  a Greek or  Latin composition .  Terms usually have a root word that is the focus or basis of the term.  For example, hem or hemo may be used to designate red blood cells. A suffix such as lysis (which is defined as destruction) may be added to form the word hemolysis , which refers to the destruction of red blood cells. Thus, most medical terms are made up of a prefix or a suffix, such as lysis  and a root word such as hem. The “o” in hemolysis is  often referred to as a combining vowel.  These are useful for pronunciation of the terms.

Here are some of the most common laboratory terms and their definitions and roots:

Kathy Valusek, DNP,MPH

Certified Nurse Practitioner

Clinical Manager IHLC