aorta: Largest artery in the body.
capillary: Smallest blood vessel.
arteriole: Small artery.
venule: Small vein.
artery: Largest type of blood vessel. Carries blood away from the heart to all parts of the body
(Hint: Notice that artery and away begin with 'a').
atrioventricular bundle: (bundle of His): Specialized muscle fibers in the wall between the ventricles that carry the electric impulses to the ventricles.
atrioventricular node: (AV node): Specialized tissue at the base of the wall between the two upper heart chambers. Electrical impulses pass from the pacemaker (SA node) through the AV node to the bundle of His.
pacemaker: Specialized nervous tissue in the right atrium that begin the heartbeat; also called the sinoatrial node. A cardiac pacemaker is an electronic apparatus implanted in the chest to stimulate heart muscle.
sinoatrial note: (SA node): Pacemaker of the heart.
atrium (plural: atria): One of two upper chambers of the heart.
ventricle: One of two lower chambers of the heart.
endothelium: Innermost lining of blood vessels.
endocardium: Inner lining of the heart.
myocardium: Muscle layer of the heart.
pericardium: Sac-like membrane surrounding the heart.
pulmonary artery: Carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs.
pulmonary vein: Carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium heart.
pulmonary valve: Positioned between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery.
pulmonary circulation: Flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart.
systemetic circulation: Flow of blood from the body cells to the heart and back out from the heart to the cells.
sphygmomanometer: Instrument to measure blood pressure.
vena cava (plural: venae cavae): Largest vein in the body. The superior and inferior venae cavae bring blood into the right atrium of the heart.
deoxygenated blood: Blood that is oxygen-poor.
coronary arteries: The blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
diastole: Relaxation phase of the heartbeat. (in Greek diastole means 'dilatation')
systole: Contraction phase of the heartbeat. (in Greek systole means 'contracting')
mitral valve: Valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart (bicuspid valve)
tricuspid valve: Valve between the right atrium and right ventricle; it has three leaflets, (or cusps).
Combining Forms and Terminology:
angi/o -> vessel
aort/o -> aorta
arter/o -> artery
arteri/o -> artery
athero/o -> yellowish paque, fatty substance
atri/o -> atrium, upper right chamber
brachi/o -> arm
cardi/o -> heart
coron/o -> heart
cholesterol/o -> cholesterol (a lipid substance)
cyan/o -> blue
myx/o -> mucus
ox/o -> oxygen
pericardi/o -> pericardium
phleb/o -> vein
sphygm/o -> pulse
steth/o -> chest
thromb/o -> clot
valvul/o -> valve
valv/o -> valve
vas/o -> vessel [vasoconstriction,vasodilation]
vascul/o -> vessel
ven/o -> vein
ven/i -> vein
ventricul/o -> ventricle, lower heart chamber.
Pathalogical conditions:
-----------------------
Abnormal heart rhythms - dysrhythmias , arrhythmias
Failure of proper conduction of impulses through the AV node to the atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His) - Heart block
Rapid but regular contractions of atria or ventricles - flutter
Rapid, random, ineffectual, and irregular contractions of the heart - fibrillation
Abnormalities in the heart at birth: Congenital heart disease
Narrowing (coarctation) of the aorta: coarctation of the aorta (CoA)
A small duct between the aorta and pulmonary artery, which normally closes soon after birth, remains open - patent ducts arteriosus (PDA).
Small holes in the septa between the atria or the ventricles - septal defects
A congenital malformation of the heart involving four (tetra-) distinct defects. - tetralogy of Fallot
The heart is unable to pump its requied amount of blood - congestive heart failure (CHF)
Disease of the arteries surrounding the heart - coronary artery disease (CAD) [ ACS - acute coronaryb syndrome, AMI - acute myocardial infarction]
Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart caused by bacteria - endocarditis
High blood pressure affecting the heart - hypertensive heart disease
Improper closure of the mitral valve - mitral valve prolapse [MVP - mitral valve prolapse]
An extra heart sound, heart between normal beats - murmur
Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart - pericarditis
Heart disease caused by rheumatic fever - rheumatic heart disease
Local widening (dilation) of an arterial wall - aneurysm
High blood pressure - hypertension
Blockage of blood vessels outside of the heart - peripheral vascular disease [PVD]
Short episodes of pallor and cyanosis in the fingers and toes - Raynaud disease
Abnormally swollen and twisted veins, usually occuring in the legs. - varicose veins
An abnormal sound heart on auscultation - bruit
Pain, tension, and weakness in a leg after walking has begun, but absesce of pain at rest. - claudication
Collections of mateial (clots or other substances) that travel to and suddenly block a blood vessel - emboli
Area of dead tissue - infarction
Closure of blood vessel - occlusion
Open - patent
Small, pinpoint hemorrhages - petechiae
Clumps of platelets, clotting proteins, microorganisms, and red blood cells on the endocardium in conditions such as bacterial endocarditis and rheumatic heart disease - vegetations
Laboratory Tests, Clinical Procedures, and Abbreviations
--------------------------------------------------------
Measurement of cholesterol and triglycerides in a blood sample. - lipid tests.
Lipoproteins are physically separted in a blood sample - lipoprotein electrophoresis
Chemicals measured in the blood as evidence of a heart attack - serum enzyme tests
X-ray imaging of blood vessels after injection of contrast material - andiography
Video equipment and a computer produce x-ray images of blood vessesls - digital substraction angiography (DSA)
Sound waves measure movement of blood flow - Doppler ultrasound
High-frequency sound waves and echoes produce images of the heart - ECHO - echocardiography
Images showing blood flow and function of the myocardium following uptake of radioactive substances. - positron emission tomography scan [PET scan]
Images of cardiac tissue are produced with magentic waves - cardiac MI
A thin, flexible tube is guided into the heart via a vein or an artery - cardiac catheterization
Recording of electricity flowing through the heart - electrocardiography
An ECG device is worn during a 24-hour period to detect cardiac arrhythmias - Holter monitoring
Musculoskeletal System - Introduction
The musculoskeletal system provides form, stability, and movement to the human body. It consists of the body's bones (which make up the skeleton), muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and other connective tissue. The term "connective tissue" is used to describe the tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together. Its chief components are elastic fibers and collagen, a protein substance.
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Integumentary System
The skin and its accessory organs (hair, nails, and glands) are the integumentary system of the body. Integument means covering.
Skin contains two types of glands that produce important secretions. These glands under the skin are the sebaceous and the sweat glands.
Sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily secretion, and sweat glands produce sweat, a watery secretion.
Layers of the skin
Squamous epithelial cells are flat and scale-like. In the outer layer of the skin, these cells are arranged in several layers (strata) and are therefore called stratified squamous epithelium.
apocrine sweat gland: One of large dermal exocrine glands located in the axilla and genital areas.
Basal layer: The deepest region of the epidermis; it gives rise to all the epidermal cells.
collagen: Structual protein found in the skin and connective tissue.
Stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, which consists of flattened, keratinized (horny) cells.
keratin: Hair protein material found in the epidermis, hair, and nails. Keratin means horn and is commonly found in the horns of the animals. The basal layer of the epidermis contains special cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes form and contain a brown-black pigment called melanin.
albino: Person with skin deficient in pigment (melanin)
lunula: is a semilunar (half-moon), white region at the base of the nail plate.
paronychium: is the soft tissue surrounding the nail border.
cuticle: a narrow, band of epidermis (layer of keratin)
epithelium: Layer of skin cells forming the outer and inner surfaces of the body.
hair follicle: Sac within which each har grows.
lipocyte: A fat cell.
melanin: Major pigment that gives the skin color. It is formed by melanocytes in the epidermis.
pors: Tiny opening on the surface of the skin.
sebum: Oily substance secreted by sebaceous glands.
squamous epithelium: Flat, scale-like composing the epidermis.
statified: Arranged in layers.
stratum (plural: strata) : A layer (of cells).
stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, which consists of flattened, keratinized (horny) cells.
epidermis: Outer most layer of the skin.
dermis: Middle layer of the skin; also called corium.
subcutaneous tissue: The innermost layer of the skin, containing fat tissue.
Integumentary System - Combining Forms and Suffixes
adip/o - fat
lip /o - fat
steat/o - fat
albin/o - white
leuk/o - white
anthrac/o - black (as coal)
chlor/o - green
cirrh/o - tawny yellow
jaund/o - yellow
xanth/o - yellow
lute/o - yellow
cyan/o - blue
eosin/o - rosy
erythr/o - red
melan/o - black
poli/o - gray
caus/o - burn, burning
cauter/o - heat, burn
cutane/o - skin
derm/o - skin
dermat/o - skin
diaphor/o - profuse sweating
erythem/o - redness
erythemat/o - redness
hidr/o - sweat
ichthy/o - (fish-like) - scaly, dry
kerat/o - hard, horny tissue
lip/o - fat
myc/o - fungus (fungi include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms)
onych/o - nail
ungu/o - nail
phyt/o - plant
pil/o - hair
trich/o - hair
rhytid/o - wrinkle
seb/o - sebum (oily secretion from sebaceous glands)
squam/o - scale-like
steat/o - fat
trich/o - hair
ungu/o - nail
xanth/o - yellow
xer/o - dry
Suffixes
-derma -> skin
Integumentary System - Lesions, Signs and Symptoms, Abnormal Conditions, and Skin Neoplasms
Integumentary System - Cutaneous Lesions
crust: Collection of dried serum and cellular debris.
cyst : Thick-walled, closed sac or pouch containing fluid or semisolid material.
erosion: Wearing away of loss of epidermis.
fissure: Groove or crack-like sore.
polyp: Mushroom-like growth extending on a stalk from the surface of mucous membrane.
ulcer: Open sore on the skin or mucous membrane.
vesicle: Small collection of clear fluid (serum); blister.
wheal: Smooth, slightly elevated, edematous (swollen) area that is redder or paler than the surrounding skin.
macule: Discolored (often reddened) flat lesion.
nodule: Solid, elevated lesion more than 1 cm in diameter. (>1 cm - nodule)
papule: Solid, elevated lesion less than 1 cm in diameter. (<1 cm - papule)
pustule: Small elevation of the skin containing pus.
Integumentary System - Signs and Symptoms
alopecia: Absence of hair from areas where it normally grows.
ecchymosis (plural - ecchymoses): Bluish-black mark (macule) on the skin; black-and-blue mark. (ec- means out and chym/o means pour)
petechia (plural - petechiae): A small, pinpoint hemorrage.
pruritus: Itching.
purpura: Merging ecchymoses and petechiae over any part of the body.
urticaria(hives): Acute allergic reaction in which red, round wheals develop on the skin.
Integumentary System - Abnormal Conditions
acne: Papular and pustular eruption of the skin.
burns: Injury to tissues caused by heat.
cellulitis: Diffuse, acute infection of the skin marked by local heat, redness, pain, and swelling.
eczema: Inflammatory skin disease with erythematous, papulovesicular lesions.
exanthematous viral diseases: Rash (exanthem) of the skin due to a viral infection.
gangrene: Death of tissue associated with loss of blood supply.
impetigo: Bacterial inflammatory skin disease characterized by vesicles, pustules, and crusted-over lesions.
psoriasis: Chronic, recurrent dermatosis marked by itchy, scaly, red plaques covered by silvery gray scales.
scabies: A contagious, parasitic infection of the skin with intense pruritus.
scleroderma: A chronic progressive disease of the skin with hardening and shrinking of connective tissue.
systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE): Chronic inflammatory disease of collagen in the skin, of joints, and of internal organs.
tines: Infection of the skin caused by a fungus.
vitiligo: Loss of pigment (depigmentation) in areas of the skin (milk-white patches). Also known as leukoderma.
Integumentary System - Skin Neoplasms
callus: Increased growth of cells in the keratin layer of the epidermis caused by pressure or friction.
keloid: Hypertrophied, thickened scar that occurs after trauma or surgical incision.
keratosis: Thickened area of the epidermis.
leukoplakia: White, thickened patches on mucous membrane tissue of the tongue or cheek.
nevus (plural - nevi): Pigmented lesion of the skin.
verruca: Epidermal growth caused by a virus(wart).
Integumentary System - Cancerous Lesions
basal cell carcinoma: Malignant tumor of the basal cell layer of the epidermis.
Kaposi sarcoma: Malignant, vascular, neoplastic growth characterized by cutaneous nodules. Frequently on the lower extremities.
malignant melanoma: Cancerous growth composed of melanocytes.
squamous cell carcinoma: Malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells of the epidermis.
Integumentary System - Clinical Procedures
cryosurgery: Use of subfreezing temperature via liquid nitrogen application to destroy tissue.
curettage: Use of sharp dermal curet (curette) to scrape away a skin lesion.
electrodesiccation: Tissue is destroyed by burning with an electric spark.
Mohs surgery: Thin layers of malignant growth are removed, and each is examined under a microscope.
skin biopsy: Suspected malignant skin lesions are removed and sent to the pathology laboratory for microscopic examination.
skin test: The reaction of the body to a substance by observing the results of injecting the substance intradermally or applying it topically to the skin.
Integumentary System - Abbreviations
ABCD - asymmetry, border, color, diameter; characteristics associated with skin cancer.
bx - biopsy.
Derm. - dermatology.
DLE - discoid lupus erythematosus.
PPD - purified protein derivative; skin test for tuberculosis.
PUVA - psoralen-ultraviolet (A light therapy).
SLE - systemic lupus erythematosus
subcut - subcutaneous.
Skin contains two types of glands that produce important secretions. These glands under the skin are the sebaceous and the sweat glands.
Sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily secretion, and sweat glands produce sweat, a watery secretion.
Layers of the skin
Integumentary System - Vocabulary
- Epidermis : a thin, cellular membrane layer (Outermost layer of the skin).
- Dermis (Corium) : Middle layer of the skin. Dense, fibrous, connective tissue layer. (Sebaceous glands are located in dermal layer. They secrete an oily substance called sebum)
- Subcutaneous tissue: thick, fat-containing tissue. (Lipocytes are predominant in the subcutaneous layer)
Squamous epithelial cells are flat and scale-like. In the outer layer of the skin, these cells are arranged in several layers (strata) and are therefore called stratified squamous epithelium.
apocrine sweat gland: One of large dermal exocrine glands located in the axilla and genital areas.
Basal layer: The deepest region of the epidermis; it gives rise to all the epidermal cells.
collagen: Structual protein found in the skin and connective tissue.
Stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, which consists of flattened, keratinized (horny) cells.
keratin: Hair protein material found in the epidermis, hair, and nails. Keratin means horn and is commonly found in the horns of the animals. The basal layer of the epidermis contains special cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes form and contain a brown-black pigment called melanin.
albino: Person with skin deficient in pigment (melanin)
lunula: is a semilunar (half-moon), white region at the base of the nail plate.
paronychium: is the soft tissue surrounding the nail border.
cuticle: a narrow, band of epidermis (layer of keratin)
epithelium: Layer of skin cells forming the outer and inner surfaces of the body.
hair follicle: Sac within which each har grows.
lipocyte: A fat cell.
melanin: Major pigment that gives the skin color. It is formed by melanocytes in the epidermis.
pors: Tiny opening on the surface of the skin.
sebum: Oily substance secreted by sebaceous glands.
squamous epithelium: Flat, scale-like composing the epidermis.
statified: Arranged in layers.
stratum (plural: strata) : A layer (of cells).
stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, which consists of flattened, keratinized (horny) cells.
epidermis: Outer most layer of the skin.
dermis: Middle layer of the skin; also called corium.
subcutaneous tissue: The innermost layer of the skin, containing fat tissue.
Integumentary System - Combining Forms and Suffixes
adip/o - fat
lip /o - fat
steat/o - fat
albin/o - white
leuk/o - white
anthrac/o - black (as coal)
chlor/o - green
cirrh/o - tawny yellow
jaund/o - yellow
xanth/o - yellow
lute/o - yellow
cyan/o - blue
eosin/o - rosy
erythr/o - red
melan/o - black
poli/o - gray
caus/o - burn, burning
cauter/o - heat, burn
cutane/o - skin
derm/o - skin
dermat/o - skin
diaphor/o - profuse sweating
erythem/o - redness
erythemat/o - redness
hidr/o - sweat
ichthy/o - (fish-like) - scaly, dry
kerat/o - hard, horny tissue
lip/o - fat
myc/o - fungus (fungi include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms)
onych/o - nail
ungu/o - nail
phyt/o - plant
pil/o - hair
trich/o - hair
rhytid/o - wrinkle
seb/o - sebum (oily secretion from sebaceous glands)
squam/o - scale-like
steat/o - fat
trich/o - hair
ungu/o - nail
xanth/o - yellow
xer/o - dry
Suffixes
-derma -> skin
Integumentary System - Lesions, Signs and Symptoms, Abnormal Conditions, and Skin Neoplasms
Integumentary System - Cutaneous Lesions
crust: Collection of dried serum and cellular debris.
cyst : Thick-walled, closed sac or pouch containing fluid or semisolid material.
erosion: Wearing away of loss of epidermis.
fissure: Groove or crack-like sore.
polyp: Mushroom-like growth extending on a stalk from the surface of mucous membrane.
ulcer: Open sore on the skin or mucous membrane.
vesicle: Small collection of clear fluid (serum); blister.
wheal: Smooth, slightly elevated, edematous (swollen) area that is redder or paler than the surrounding skin.
macule: Discolored (often reddened) flat lesion.
nodule: Solid, elevated lesion more than 1 cm in diameter. (>1 cm - nodule)
papule: Solid, elevated lesion less than 1 cm in diameter. (<1 cm - papule)
pustule: Small elevation of the skin containing pus.
Integumentary System - Signs and Symptoms
alopecia: Absence of hair from areas where it normally grows.
ecchymosis (plural - ecchymoses): Bluish-black mark (macule) on the skin; black-and-blue mark. (ec- means out and chym/o means pour)
petechia (plural - petechiae): A small, pinpoint hemorrage.
pruritus: Itching.
purpura: Merging ecchymoses and petechiae over any part of the body.
urticaria(hives): Acute allergic reaction in which red, round wheals develop on the skin.
Integumentary System - Abnormal Conditions
acne: Papular and pustular eruption of the skin.
burns: Injury to tissues caused by heat.
- first-degree burns: superficial epidermal lesions, erythema, hyperesthesia, and no blisters. (Ex: Sunburn).
- second-degree burns: partial-thickness burn injury.
- third-degree burns: full-thickness burn injury.
cellulitis: Diffuse, acute infection of the skin marked by local heat, redness, pain, and swelling.
eczema: Inflammatory skin disease with erythematous, papulovesicular lesions.
exanthematous viral diseases: Rash (exanthem) of the skin due to a viral infection.
gangrene: Death of tissue associated with loss of blood supply.
impetigo: Bacterial inflammatory skin disease characterized by vesicles, pustules, and crusted-over lesions.
psoriasis: Chronic, recurrent dermatosis marked by itchy, scaly, red plaques covered by silvery gray scales.
scabies: A contagious, parasitic infection of the skin with intense pruritus.
scleroderma: A chronic progressive disease of the skin with hardening and shrinking of connective tissue.
systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE): Chronic inflammatory disease of collagen in the skin, of joints, and of internal organs.
tines: Infection of the skin caused by a fungus.
vitiligo: Loss of pigment (depigmentation) in areas of the skin (milk-white patches). Also known as leukoderma.
Integumentary System - Skin Neoplasms
callus: Increased growth of cells in the keratin layer of the epidermis caused by pressure or friction.
keloid: Hypertrophied, thickened scar that occurs after trauma or surgical incision.
keratosis: Thickened area of the epidermis.
leukoplakia: White, thickened patches on mucous membrane tissue of the tongue or cheek.
nevus (plural - nevi): Pigmented lesion of the skin.
verruca: Epidermal growth caused by a virus(wart).
Integumentary System - Cancerous Lesions
basal cell carcinoma: Malignant tumor of the basal cell layer of the epidermis.
Kaposi sarcoma: Malignant, vascular, neoplastic growth characterized by cutaneous nodules. Frequently on the lower extremities.
malignant melanoma: Cancerous growth composed of melanocytes.
squamous cell carcinoma: Malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells of the epidermis.
Integumentary System - Clinical Procedures
cryosurgery: Use of subfreezing temperature via liquid nitrogen application to destroy tissue.
curettage: Use of sharp dermal curet (curette) to scrape away a skin lesion.
electrodesiccation: Tissue is destroyed by burning with an electric spark.
Mohs surgery: Thin layers of malignant growth are removed, and each is examined under a microscope.
skin biopsy: Suspected malignant skin lesions are removed and sent to the pathology laboratory for microscopic examination.
skin test: The reaction of the body to a substance by observing the results of injecting the substance intradermally or applying it topically to the skin.
Integumentary System - Abbreviations
ABCD - asymmetry, border, color, diameter; characteristics associated with skin cancer.
bx - biopsy.
Derm. - dermatology.
DLE - discoid lupus erythematosus.
PPD - purified protein derivative; skin test for tuberculosis.
PUVA - psoralen-ultraviolet (A light therapy).
SLE - systemic lupus erythematosus
subcut - subcutaneous.
Medical Transcription Questions
Transcription Referencing Quiz
TRUE or FALSE and MULTIPLE CHOICE
TRUE or FALSE and MULTIPLE CHOICE
True or False?
- Dermatitis is a painful condition of the eyes. T/F
- An eschar is a thick, coagulated crust. T/F
- Quiescent means to become very active. T/F
- Intramuscular means within the vein. T/F
- Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils. T/F
- Erythema means blueness of the skin. T/F
- Tinea pedis is a fungal infection of the hands. T/F
- Hyperpigmentation means decreased pigment in a tissue or body part. T/F
- Paroxysm means occurring at night. T/F
- Etiology means a visionary theory. T/F
- A laceration is a surgical incision made by a physician. T/F
- Cyanosis is a dark reddish coloration of the skin and mucous membranes. T/F
- The term carotid refers to a vein. T/F
- The definition of cholelithiasis is inflammation of the gallbladder. T/F
- The term normoactive would mean abnormally active. T/F
- The term hematuria means blood in the urine. T/F
- The peritoneum is the space between the anus and the scrotum or vaginal opening. T/F
- The term syncope means to faint or swoon. T/F
- The term atraumatic means to have suffered abnormally severe trauma. T/F
- The term esophagitis means inflammation of the esophagus. T/F
- A fibroadenoma is a benign neoplasm. T/F
- The term febrile means without a fever. T/F
- The term urosepsis means infection from obstruction of contaminated urine. T/F
- The term intercostal means between the ribs. T/F
- The term "in extremis" means to be extremely weak. T/F
Multiple Choice
1. Leukocytes are what types of cells?
A. Red blood cells B. Malignant cells C. White blood cells D. Plasma cells
2. The term labile, as in labile hypertension, means
A. unstable B. tagged C. explosive D. hard
3. The definition of hematemesis is
A. blood in the stool B. a blood cell C. vomiting of blood D. blood in the urine
4. The term excision means
A. cut into B. cut out C. cut off D. cut open
5. The abbreviation p.c. means
A. after a meal B. by mouth (orally) C. as required D. poison control
6. A physician may say, "I was unable to ______ a response to the Babinski reflex."
A. elicit B. illicit C. ellicit D. solicit
7. The term supine means
A. face downward B. face upward C. head flexed backward D. lying on the side
8. The term diaphoretic means
A. perspiration B. percutaneous C. diaphragm D. translucent
9. The term hepatocellular refers to cells within the
A. kidney B. gallbladder C. liver D. pancreas
10. The term suppuration is best defined as
A. above a crest B. above the maxilla C. formation of pus D. above the urinary tract
11. The term thrombosis is best defined as
A. serotonin B. clotting within a blood vessel C. megakaryocyte D. blockage
12. The term decubitus means
A. extending downward B. position of patient in bed, or dorsal C. decortication D. clubbing
13. The term atrophy means
A. abnormal sound B. wasting of tissues or organs C. inability to ambulate D. without levels
14. Ecchymosis is a term that means
A. blue patch B. purplish patch C. red patch D. black patch
15. Which one of the following measurements would not be included in arterial blood gases?
A. pH B. creatinine C. pCO2 D. pO2
Referencing Refinements
Because medical terminology uses so many Greek and Latin terms, the spellings are not always what you would expect in English.
Sound everything out and look up the sounds you are hearing based on many different ways of spelling the sounds, as in "f" or "ph," and as in "k" or "ch."
Remember, too, to work your way through the vowels after the main sound: if "ch" is the main sound you would then look up words with a-e-i-o-u-and y following "ch."
Examples:
> You hear --"a-k"--as in acanthosis; check ac, acc, ach, ak, aq
> You hear--"ace"--as in acebutolol; check ace, aci, ase, asy
> You hear--"acu"--as in acute; check in acu, accu
> You hear--"ad-e"--as in adenovirus; check ade, adi, ady
> You hear--"aero"--as in aerobic; check aro, arro, ary, ero, ery
> You hear--"alla"--as in allachesthesia; check alla, alle, allo, ala, ale, ali, allyl, alo
> You hear--"ambi"--as in ambient; check ambi, ambly, ambe
> You hear--"am-e"--as in ametropia; check ame, ami, amy
> You hear--"ank"--as in ankyloglossia; check anch, ank
> You hear--"ante"--as in antegrade; check ante, anti
> You hear--"a-f"--as in aphasia; check aph, af
> You hear--"apo"--as in apoplexy; check api, apo, ape, appe, appi, appo, apy
> You hear--"antree"--as in antresia; check antre, antri
Word Research Techniques
Word Research Techniques
The ability to research medical terms that you are not familiar with is the paramount skill that will be called on each day you practice medical transcription.
There will constantly be new terms that need to be researched in reference books, along with a need to look up potential words when the word has been dictated in a manner that makes it unclear, i.e. the physician cuts off either the first part or last part of a word.
1. Always look under the noun first.
In the following examples, the word to look up is in bold.
postsphenoidal bone / Unna's boot / tardive dystonia
submantle layer / appendiceal mass / suppurative mastitis
olivary nucleus / Hodgkin's sarcoma / growth quotient
2. If the term to be researched is a syndrome, also check under these terms: sign / disease / symptom / process / phenomenon
3. Don't forget to look up anatomical terms under their Latin names. Many physicians will give the Latin names for muscles, veins, arteries, etc. See below for a listing of several Latin names and their English equivalents.
| LATIN | ENGLISH |
| vena | vein |
| musculus | muscle |
| arteria | artery |
| ligamentum | ligament |
| nervus | nerve |
4. If you can't find the term you need under the noun, then look under each word you hear. You will eventually run into the term you are looking for. In time, this will be accomplished faster and easier with the use of Google or Yahoo opposed to the use of books.
5. A trick I have always used in researching a word is to work my way through the vowels (a, e, i, o, u, and y) in order to eventually locate the correct spelling of the word I need. In medicine, there are many words that might sound like they begin with an "a," but that really begin with another vowel. Use this trick of working your way through the vowels to eventually find the correct spelling of the word you are researching.
6. Always sound out what you are hearing and research according to every phonetic way possible of spelling the word.
For example:
If you hear "fima"... don't forget that "phy" has the same sound, so the word is "phyma."
If you hear "condro"... don't forget that this could also be "chondro" or "kondro."
If you hear "terigoid"... don't forget that in medicine, there are several terms that have the "t" sound that start with "pt." The word is "pterygoid
MT Grammar Guidelines in Brief
Mentioned below are some of the key points to remember while transcribing any document. Though some of these features may change in course of time with the oncoming AAMT style of book.
The most difficult task or rather the biggest confusion occurs while writing numbers. Here is a list of some Dos and Don’ts.
“Playing with Numbers”
• Always spell out whole numbers zero through nine and use numerals for 10 and above. Eg. This nine-year-old boy comes for a followup visit.
• Use numerals to express size and measurements.
• Use numerals for every sort of measurement. Centimeters, millimeters, liters, etc.
• Use numerals in all expressions pertaining to drugs - this includes strength, dosage and directions. Eg. Tamoxifen 20 mg daily, or Xeloda 1000 mg on days 2-5.
• Spell out fractions and hyphenate them when standing alone. Eg: She drank one-half liter of Ensure.
• Use numerals to express mixed fractions. 1½ months.
• Use commas only if there are 5 or more digits when expressing numbers. E.g. Platelets 250,000 and WBC 4000.
• Use numerals when expressing vital statistics including height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and respiration.
• Substitute a hyphen for the word "to". John was supposed to take 1-2 tablets of Naprosyn every 4-6 hours p.r.n. but he misunderstood and took five of them at a time.
• Leave a space between numerals and measurements unless they form a compound modifier. Eg. It is 10 cm below the popliteal fossa. A 4-cm melanocytic nevi was removed. A 5 x 4-mm lesion from the breast was resected.
• By default, always use 0 in front of the decimal point if the number is not a whole number. 0.75 mg
• Use decimal fractions with metric measurements. 1.5 cm
• Use mixed fractions with English system measurements. 1 1/2 inch
• Use numerals for: Ages, units of measure, vital statistics, lab values and in other instances where it is important to communicate clearly the number referenced. She has three cats, all of which died last summer. Around 8 keratotic plaques were removed.
• Do not start a sentence using a number. Spell out the number or recast the sentence. Eg. When it dictated as “3 milligrams of Diazepam was administered stat,” transcribe it as “Diazepam 3 mg was administered stat.” However, there is one exception to this when beginning the sentence with a date. Eg. 2005 has been a bad year for this patient.
Plurals - Do not use an apostrophe to form plural numbers.
Eg: 5 x 5s. She was in her late 30s or thirties. She was born in the 1950s.
Series of numbers - Use numerals if at least one is greater than nine or if there is a mixed or decimal fraction.
• Example – She works at 2 places, gets paid for 3 jobs as she works 16 hours a day.
• Most common error is while transcribing “Diabetes type I and type II,” which is not correct. The correct version is Diabetes type 1 and 2. Similarly, “A II/VI holosystolic murmur was heard” is wrong. The correct way of transcribing is “A 2/6 holosystolic murmur was heard.”
• Many a times it happens that the figures get jumbled up, or rather two different series of numbers are and measurements are present in the same sentence. So to avoid confusion, it is better to transcribe one in figures and spell out the other. Eg. The Apgar scores were 6 and 8 at one and five minutes.
Time Examples
• 4:30 a.m. - morning
• 7:30 p.m. - evening
• noon, not 12:00 noon
• midnight, not 12:00 midnight or 12 'o'clock or 12:00 p.m.
“Space Usage”
Do not Type a Space
• Between any word and the punctuation following it.
• Between the number and the colon used to indicate a dilute solution or ratio.
• Following a period with an abbreviation
• Following a period used as a decimal point
• Between quotation marks and the quoted material
• Before or after a hyphen
• Before or after a slash
• Before or after a dash
• Between a number and percent sign
• Between parentheses and the enclosed material
• On either side of the colon when expressing the time of day
• Before an apostrophe
• Before or after a comma used within numbers
• Before or after an ampersand in abbreviations, e.g., C&S
• On either side of the colon when expressing ratios e.g. 1:1
• After the closing parenthesis if another mark of punctuation follows
Do Type One Space
• Between words
• After a comma
• After a semicolon
• After a period following an initial
• after the closing parenthesis
• on each side of the x(times or multiplication sign) in an expression of dimension, e.g. 4 x 4, alert and oriented x3.
“Get your Measurements right”
• Use F for Fahrenheit if it is accompanied by the symbol for degree, as in-his temperature was recorded as 101.6°F
• However, spell out Fahrenheit if you wish to take the pain of spelling of the degree out-101.6 degrees Fahrenheit (but not generally advisable as it lengthens the text.)
• Similarly use C for Celsius if accompanied by the symbol for degree-35.3°C and spell out Celsius if degree is spelled out. 35.3 degrees Celsius.
• Spell out all non-metric measurements. Feet, inches, pounds, ounces, yards with few exceptions as in “tsp for teaspoon” and “tbsp for tablespoon.”
• By default abbreviate all metric measurements. Write cm for centimeter, similarly mm for millimeter and so forth. There are some abbreviations for non-metric measurements too.
• Use ft or ' for feet
• Use " for inches
• Use yd for yard
• Use pt for pint
• Use oz for ounce
• Use fl oz for fluid ounce
It is customary to abbreviate units of measure when accompanied by numerals, as using full form does not look good for it increases the text length.
Eg: 140/80 milligram of mercury - 140/80 mmHg. Also do not leave space between mm & Hg.
1.5 centimeters square -0.8 sq cm
4.2.0 liters per minute-3.0 L/min (L is abb for liters and should be written in Capital letters while milliliter is written as ml.)
8.5 grams percent of hemoglobin-8.5 gm% (no space to be used between gm and % as advised
earlier).
Use Symbols when you can’t text
Use symbols when they are used with numbers
Eg. Four to five 4-5
Number 3 0 #3-0
Twenty-twenty vision 20/20
BP 120 over 80 120/80
Grade two over six 2/6
A positive A+
Three point five centimeters 3.5 cm
Point five centimeters 0.5 cm
“Capitalize when lower is ruled out”
Capitalize abbreviations when the words they represent are capitalized
Capitalize the first word following a colon if it begins a complete sentence or is part of an outline entry
Capitalize most abbreviations of English words
Capitalize the first letter of chemical elements
Capitalize the names of the days of the week, months, holidays, historic events and religious festivals
Capitalize the names of specific departments or sections in the institution only when the institution name is included
Capitalize the names of diseases that include proper nouns, eponyms or genus names
Capitalize the trade or brand names of drugs
Capitalize a quote when it is a complete sentence
Capitalize the names of races, peoples, religions and languages. Eg African-American female, Black man.
Do not capitalize the spelled out names of the chemical elements
Do not capitalize the seasons of the year
Do not capitalize the common names of diseases
Do not capitalize the names of viruses unless they include a proper noun
Do not capitalize generic drug names
Do not capitalize the common noun following the brand name. Example - Tylenol tablets
Do not capitalize the names of medical or surgical specialties
Do not capitalize designations based on skin color, like "a tall white man."
“The prodigy of Hyphenation”
Use of hyphenation has been always a big headache while transcribing. It is difficult to remember which words are to be hyphenated and which not. However, in general terms, all those words, which are commonly used are generally not hyphenated. Besides below is a list of those words starting with these prefixes that do not require the use of hyphen:
ante Antepartum
anti antihypertensive
bi bibasilar
co cooperative
contra contraindicated
de defibrillated
extra extrapyramidal
infra infratemporal
inter intervertebral
intra intramammary
micro microglossia
mid midpole
non Noninflammatory
over Overprotective
pre preoperative
post postvoid
pro proactive
pseudo pseudomembranous
re reevaluation
semi semicircular
sub sublingual
super superannuated
supra supratentorial
trans transesophageal
ultra ultraviolet
un unintentional
under undernutrition
weight Weightloss
Always use a hyphen when compounded with the prefix self.
Example - self-administered, self-monitored.
IMP: Many a times, there may be altogether different meanings of a non-hyphenated word depending on sentence structure for clarification.
Cancer Classifications
Stage and grade - do not capitalize either one if it does not begin a sentence.
Use Roman numerals for cancer stages-stage I
Use Arabic numerals for cancer grades-grade 4
Eg: stage IIIA, stage IIIB, grade 3.
The most difficult task or rather the biggest confusion occurs while writing numbers. Here is a list of some Dos and Don’ts.
“Playing with Numbers”
• Always spell out whole numbers zero through nine and use numerals for 10 and above. Eg. This nine-year-old boy comes for a followup visit.
• Use numerals to express size and measurements.
• Use numerals for every sort of measurement. Centimeters, millimeters, liters, etc.
• Use numerals in all expressions pertaining to drugs - this includes strength, dosage and directions. Eg. Tamoxifen 20 mg daily, or Xeloda 1000 mg on days 2-5.
• Spell out fractions and hyphenate them when standing alone. Eg: She drank one-half liter of Ensure.
• Use numerals to express mixed fractions. 1½ months.
• Use commas only if there are 5 or more digits when expressing numbers. E.g. Platelets 250,000 and WBC 4000.
• Use numerals when expressing vital statistics including height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and respiration.
• Substitute a hyphen for the word "to". John was supposed to take 1-2 tablets of Naprosyn every 4-6 hours p.r.n. but he misunderstood and took five of them at a time.
• Leave a space between numerals and measurements unless they form a compound modifier. Eg. It is 10 cm below the popliteal fossa. A 4-cm melanocytic nevi was removed. A 5 x 4-mm lesion from the breast was resected.
• By default, always use 0 in front of the decimal point if the number is not a whole number. 0.75 mg
• Use decimal fractions with metric measurements. 1.5 cm
• Use mixed fractions with English system measurements. 1 1/2 inch
• Use numerals for: Ages, units of measure, vital statistics, lab values and in other instances where it is important to communicate clearly the number referenced. She has three cats, all of which died last summer. Around 8 keratotic plaques were removed.
• Do not start a sentence using a number. Spell out the number or recast the sentence. Eg. When it dictated as “3 milligrams of Diazepam was administered stat,” transcribe it as “Diazepam 3 mg was administered stat.” However, there is one exception to this when beginning the sentence with a date. Eg. 2005 has been a bad year for this patient.
Plurals - Do not use an apostrophe to form plural numbers.
Eg: 5 x 5s. She was in her late 30s or thirties. She was born in the 1950s.
Series of numbers - Use numerals if at least one is greater than nine or if there is a mixed or decimal fraction.
• Example – She works at 2 places, gets paid for 3 jobs as she works 16 hours a day.
• Most common error is while transcribing “Diabetes type I and type II,” which is not correct. The correct version is Diabetes type 1 and 2. Similarly, “A II/VI holosystolic murmur was heard” is wrong. The correct way of transcribing is “A 2/6 holosystolic murmur was heard.”
• Many a times it happens that the figures get jumbled up, or rather two different series of numbers are and measurements are present in the same sentence. So to avoid confusion, it is better to transcribe one in figures and spell out the other. Eg. The Apgar scores were 6 and 8 at one and five minutes.
Time Examples
• 4:30 a.m. - morning
• 7:30 p.m. - evening
• noon, not 12:00 noon
• midnight, not 12:00 midnight or 12 'o'clock or 12:00 p.m.
“Space Usage”
Do not Type a Space
• Between any word and the punctuation following it.
• Between the number and the colon used to indicate a dilute solution or ratio.
• Following a period with an abbreviation
• Following a period used as a decimal point
• Between quotation marks and the quoted material
• Before or after a hyphen
• Before or after a slash
• Before or after a dash
• Between a number and percent sign
• Between parentheses and the enclosed material
• On either side of the colon when expressing the time of day
• Before an apostrophe
• Before or after a comma used within numbers
• Before or after an ampersand in abbreviations, e.g., C&S
• On either side of the colon when expressing ratios e.g. 1:1
• After the closing parenthesis if another mark of punctuation follows
Do Type One Space
• Between words
• After a comma
• After a semicolon
• After a period following an initial
• after the closing parenthesis
• on each side of the x(times or multiplication sign) in an expression of dimension, e.g. 4 x 4, alert and oriented x3.
“Get your Measurements right”
• Use F for Fahrenheit if it is accompanied by the symbol for degree, as in-his temperature was recorded as 101.6°F
• However, spell out Fahrenheit if you wish to take the pain of spelling of the degree out-101.6 degrees Fahrenheit (but not generally advisable as it lengthens the text.)
• Similarly use C for Celsius if accompanied by the symbol for degree-35.3°C and spell out Celsius if degree is spelled out. 35.3 degrees Celsius.
• Spell out all non-metric measurements. Feet, inches, pounds, ounces, yards with few exceptions as in “tsp for teaspoon” and “tbsp for tablespoon.”
• By default abbreviate all metric measurements. Write cm for centimeter, similarly mm for millimeter and so forth. There are some abbreviations for non-metric measurements too.
• Use ft or ' for feet
• Use " for inches
• Use yd for yard
• Use pt for pint
• Use oz for ounce
• Use fl oz for fluid ounce
It is customary to abbreviate units of measure when accompanied by numerals, as using full form does not look good for it increases the text length.
Eg: 140/80 milligram of mercury - 140/80 mmHg. Also do not leave space between mm & Hg.
1.5 centimeters square -0.8 sq cm
4.2.0 liters per minute-3.0 L/min (L is abb for liters and should be written in Capital letters while milliliter is written as ml.)
8.5 grams percent of hemoglobin-8.5 gm% (no space to be used between gm and % as advised
earlier).
Use Symbols when you can’t text
Use symbols when they are used with numbers
Eg. Four to five 4-5
Number 3 0 #3-0
Twenty-twenty vision 20/20
BP 120 over 80 120/80
Grade two over six 2/6
A positive A+
Three point five centimeters 3.5 cm
Point five centimeters 0.5 cm
“Capitalize when lower is ruled out”
Capitalize abbreviations when the words they represent are capitalized
Capitalize the first word following a colon if it begins a complete sentence or is part of an outline entry
Capitalize most abbreviations of English words
Capitalize the first letter of chemical elements
Capitalize the names of the days of the week, months, holidays, historic events and religious festivals
Capitalize the names of specific departments or sections in the institution only when the institution name is included
Capitalize the names of diseases that include proper nouns, eponyms or genus names
Capitalize the trade or brand names of drugs
Capitalize a quote when it is a complete sentence
Capitalize the names of races, peoples, religions and languages. Eg African-American female, Black man.
Do not capitalize the spelled out names of the chemical elements
Do not capitalize the seasons of the year
Do not capitalize the common names of diseases
Do not capitalize the names of viruses unless they include a proper noun
Do not capitalize generic drug names
Do not capitalize the common noun following the brand name. Example - Tylenol tablets
Do not capitalize the names of medical or surgical specialties
Do not capitalize designations based on skin color, like "a tall white man."
“The prodigy of Hyphenation”
Use of hyphenation has been always a big headache while transcribing. It is difficult to remember which words are to be hyphenated and which not. However, in general terms, all those words, which are commonly used are generally not hyphenated. Besides below is a list of those words starting with these prefixes that do not require the use of hyphen:
ante Antepartum
anti antihypertensive
bi bibasilar
co cooperative
contra contraindicated
de defibrillated
extra extrapyramidal
infra infratemporal
inter intervertebral
intra intramammary
micro microglossia
mid midpole
non Noninflammatory
over Overprotective
pre preoperative
post postvoid
pro proactive
pseudo pseudomembranous
re reevaluation
semi semicircular
sub sublingual
super superannuated
supra supratentorial
trans transesophageal
ultra ultraviolet
un unintentional
under undernutrition
weight Weightloss
Always use a hyphen when compounded with the prefix self.
Example - self-administered, self-monitored.
IMP: Many a times, there may be altogether different meanings of a non-hyphenated word depending on sentence structure for clarification.
Cancer Classifications
Stage and grade - do not capitalize either one if it does not begin a sentence.
Use Roman numerals for cancer stages-stage I
Use Arabic numerals for cancer grades-grade 4
Eg: stage IIIA, stage IIIB, grade 3.
VIRGULE
A virgule is a punctuation mark “/”. It is also called a diagonal, separatrix, shilling mark,stroke, slant, or forward slash.
• In dates, the month, date, and year are separated by virgule, mostly in demographics.For example:
ADMISSION DATE: 01/01/2006 (MM/DD/YYYY)
DATE TRANSCRIBED: 01/02/2006 (no space before or after virgule)
• Sometimes a virgule is used to separate two terms to give choice between two entities.
For example:
The patient will be seen by his neurologist and/or psychiatrist.
• The virgule is also used to separate the numerator and denominator in fractions.
For example: 4/10
The wound measured approximately 2-1/4 inch.
• In numeral expressions, virgule is also used to express “over”.
For example:
The strength was 3/5 in all 4 extremities. (Transcribed)
The strength was three over five in all four extremities. (Dictated)
Similarly,
There was a grade 3/6 systolic ejection murmur over the precordium. (Transcribed)
There was grade three over six systolic ejection murmur over the precordium. (Dictated)
• A virgule is used to represent the word “per” when both entities are units of measure
and have a numeric quantity with them.
For example:
10 gm per liter (Dictated)
10 gm/L (Transcribed)
• A virgule is used to express terms having duality but referring to the same entity.
For example:
The patient will be seen by his hematologist/oncologist.
Transcribing percentages
The symbol for percent is % and it is used extensively in transcription . There are certain guidelines for use of this symbol though not very different from what we are usually used to.
The symbol % is used immediately following the Arabic numeral if it occurs in between the sentence.
For example: The ejection fraction was 40%.
If the sentence starts with the percentage, both the numeral and the symbol have to be spelled out.
For example: Forty percent ejection fraction is too great a risk for a patient with respiratory disorder.
When describing the range of percentages, the % symbol is to be used with each value.
For example: The carotid Doppler ultrasound showed 40% to 50% proximal stenosis.
It is wrong to transcribe it as 40 to 50% proximal stenosis.
If the percentage value is less than 1, 0 has to be placed before the decimal point.
For example: 0.5% Xylocaine is correct while .5% Xylocaine is wrong.
When the percentage value is a whole number, there is no need to add decimal or 0 after it.
For example: 20% of red blood cells showed rings and not 20.0% of red …
The symbol % is used immediately following the Arabic numeral if it occurs in between the sentence.
For example: The ejection fraction was 40%.
If the sentence starts with the percentage, both the numeral and the symbol have to be spelled out.
For example: Forty percent ejection fraction is too great a risk for a patient with respiratory disorder.
When describing the range of percentages, the % symbol is to be used with each value.
For example: The carotid Doppler ultrasound showed 40% to 50% proximal stenosis.
It is wrong to transcribe it as 40 to 50% proximal stenosis.
If the percentage value is less than 1, 0 has to be placed before the decimal point.
For example: 0.5% Xylocaine is correct while .5% Xylocaine is wrong.
When the percentage value is a whole number, there is no need to add decimal or 0 after it.
For example: 20% of red blood cells showed rings and not 20.0% of red …
Transcribing suture sizes in Transcription
The two most commonly used systems for suture sizes are:
USP system.
Brown and Sharp gauge.
USP system stands for United States Pharmacopeia System. This system classifies sizes of all types of suture materials. The start sizes range from 11-0, which is the smallest size to 7, which is the largest size.
For eg size 9-0 stands for 9 0's in a row, 000000000. Since this is too cumbersome to write, it is transcribed as 9-0, where 9 is for the number of zeros, followed by a hyphen, followed by the digit "0" without a space. Similarly, 000 will be 3-0 and 0000 will be 4-0. Sizes greater than 0 are expressed by whole numbers.
A symbol # is placed before the suture size while transcribing with any space in between.
For example:
Number three 0 Dacron is to be transcribed as "#3-0 Dacron."
Number two Prolene is transcribed as "#2 Prolene."
Brown and Sharp Gauge: This system is meant for expressing stainless suture steel sutures only. Here, whole numbers from 40 through 20 are used to specify the size in ascending amount wherein 40 is the smallest size and 20 is the largest. As mentioned before, symbol # is used if the word number is dictated before suture size.
For example:
Number thirty stainless steel wire is transcribed as "#30 stainless steel wire."
USP system.
Brown and Sharp gauge.
USP system stands for United States Pharmacopeia System. This system classifies sizes of all types of suture materials. The start sizes range from 11-0, which is the smallest size to 7, which is the largest size.
For eg size 9-0 stands for 9 0's in a row, 000000000. Since this is too cumbersome to write, it is transcribed as 9-0, where 9 is for the number of zeros, followed by a hyphen, followed by the digit "0" without a space. Similarly, 000 will be 3-0 and 0000 will be 4-0. Sizes greater than 0 are expressed by whole numbers.
A symbol # is placed before the suture size while transcribing with any space in between.
For example:
Number three 0 Dacron is to be transcribed as "#3-0 Dacron."
Number two Prolene is transcribed as "#2 Prolene."
Brown and Sharp Gauge: This system is meant for expressing stainless suture steel sutures only. Here, whole numbers from 40 through 20 are used to specify the size in ascending amount wherein 40 is the smallest size and 20 is the largest. As mentioned before, symbol # is used if the word number is dictated before suture size.
For example:
Number thirty stainless steel wire is transcribed as "#30 stainless steel wire."
SI UNITS
The international system of units consists of a set of units together with a set of prefixes. The units of SI can be divided into two subsets. There are the seven base units. Each of these base units are dimensionally independent. From these seven base units several other units are derived.
SI base units
SI writing style
• Symbols are written in lower case, except for symbols derived from the name of a person. The one exception is the liter, whose original symbol "l" is dangerously similar to the numeral "1". The NIST recommends that "L" be used instead, a usage, which is common in the U.S., Canada and Australia, and has been accepted as an alternative by the CGPM.
• Symbols are written without grammatical markers when used with singular numerals: i.e. "25 kg", not "25 kgs".
• Symbols do not have an appended period (.) unless at the end of a sentence.
• It is preferable to write symbols in upright Roman type (m for meters, L for liters), so as to differentiate from the italic type used for mathematical variables (m for mass, l for length).
• A space should separate the number and the symbol, e.g. "2.21 kg", "7.3×102 m2."
• Symbols formed by division of two units are joined with a virgule (/).
• For example, the "metre per second" is written as "m/s."
Spelling variations
• Several nations, notably the United States, typically use the spellings 'meter' and 'liter' instead of 'metre' and 'litre' in keeping with standard American English spelling.
• In addition, the official US spelling for the SI prefix 'deca' is 'deka'.
• The unit 'gram' is also sometimes spelled 'gramme' in English-speaking countries other than the United States, though that is an older spelling and its use is declining.
SI base units
Name-Symbol-QuantityA prefix may be added to units to produce a multiple of the original unit. All multiples are integer powers of ten. For example, kilo- denotes a multiple of a thousand and millidenotes a multiple of a thousandth hence there are one thousand millimeters to the metre and one thousand meters to the kilometer.
kilogram-kg-Mass
second-s-Time
metre-m- Length
ampere-A-Electrical current
kelvin-K-Temperature
mole-mol-Amount of substance
candela-cd-Luminous intensity
SI writing style
• Symbols are written in lower case, except for symbols derived from the name of a person. The one exception is the liter, whose original symbol "l" is dangerously similar to the numeral "1". The NIST recommends that "L" be used instead, a usage, which is common in the U.S., Canada and Australia, and has been accepted as an alternative by the CGPM.
• Symbols are written without grammatical markers when used with singular numerals: i.e. "25 kg", not "25 kgs".
• Symbols do not have an appended period (.) unless at the end of a sentence.
• It is preferable to write symbols in upright Roman type (m for meters, L for liters), so as to differentiate from the italic type used for mathematical variables (m for mass, l for length).
• A space should separate the number and the symbol, e.g. "2.21 kg", "7.3×102 m2."
• Symbols formed by division of two units are joined with a virgule (/).
• For example, the "metre per second" is written as "m/s."
Spelling variations
• Several nations, notably the United States, typically use the spellings 'meter' and 'liter' instead of 'metre' and 'litre' in keeping with standard American English spelling.
• In addition, the official US spelling for the SI prefix 'deca' is 'deka'.
• The unit 'gram' is also sometimes spelled 'gramme' in English-speaking countries other than the United States, though that is an older spelling and its use is declining.
Plurals
Plural means more than one and are usually made with the addition of "s" but in transcription there are certain guidelines to be followed.
When making plurals of upper cased abbreviations, lower cased 's' is added without apostrophe.
For example: WBCs, EKGs
The same is not true for lower cased abbreviations. Here an apostrophe is followed by lower cased 's.'
For example: rbc's
In case of brief forms, 's' is used without an apostrophe.
For example: exams, labs, segs, monos
In case of numbers, plurals are made by adding 's' only without any apostrophe, except in case of single digit number where apostrophe and 's' are used.
For example:
His pain scores were mostly 5's and 7's out of 10 on exam.
His mother died in her 60s.
However, no ‘s’ is used when making the plural of units of measure. Their singular and plural forms are the same. Therefore, 20 mgs is wrong.
For example: The incision was 10 cm long and not 10 cms long.
Plural of eponyms is made by adding 's' without apostrophe.
For example: Tinels were positive bilaterally.
Exceptions: Some words like biceps, triceps, forceps, series are always used in this same form whether singular or plural.
For more examples and information, please refer to the English section.
When making plurals of upper cased abbreviations, lower cased 's' is added without apostrophe.
For example: WBCs, EKGs
The same is not true for lower cased abbreviations. Here an apostrophe is followed by lower cased 's.'
For example: rbc's
In case of brief forms, 's' is used without an apostrophe.
For example: exams, labs, segs, monos
In case of numbers, plurals are made by adding 's' only without any apostrophe, except in case of single digit number where apostrophe and 's' are used.
For example:
His pain scores were mostly 5's and 7's out of 10 on exam.
His mother died in her 60s.
However, no ‘s’ is used when making the plural of units of measure. Their singular and plural forms are the same. Therefore, 20 mgs is wrong.
For example: The incision was 10 cm long and not 10 cms long.
Plural of eponyms is made by adding 's' without apostrophe.
For example: Tinels were positive bilaterally.
Exceptions: Some words like biceps, triceps, forceps, series are always used in this same form whether singular or plural.
For more examples and information, please refer to the English section.
Obstetrics Terminology
Obstetrics is that specialty of medicine, which is concerned with the care of women during the period of pregnancy, parturition, and delivery. The obstetrical history of a patient is put in abbreviated form with the use of GPA terminology, where in the GPA stands for G-gravid, P-para, and A-abortus.
The alphabets G, P, A along with Arabic numerals are used to describe the obstetric history of patient. If the patient is gravida 2, it is transcribed as G2 and similarly if the patient has aborted once, it is transcribed as 1. Thus, for a patient who is gravida 3, para 2 and aborted 1, the GPA is given as G3, P2, A1. The G, P, A are separated by commas and no space is left between the alphabet and Arabic numeral.
However, one can always spell out the GPA terms instead of writing in abbreviated form. So when these terms are spelled out, a space is given between the terms and the Arabic numeral.
For example: gravida 3, para 2, abortus 1.
How to transcribe, abbreviated or spell it out? Well, the golden rule is to transcribed Ad verbatim. If dictated G2, transcribe as G2 and if spelled out the gravida 2.
Station: Station denotes the degree of descent of the presenting part of the fetus through the maternal pelvis during the period of delivery. The base is taken at the point through ischial spine through which an imaginary plane is drawn and is designated as 0. Presentation of the fetus above or below this plane is then given reference values from -5 to +5, the distance above or below this is mentioned from -5 to +5 respectively in cm.
It is transcribed by using a + or - sign preceding the numeral 1 to 5 without any space in between.
For example: The cervix was 5 cm dilated at +4 station.
The alphabets G, P, A along with Arabic numerals are used to describe the obstetric history of patient. If the patient is gravida 2, it is transcribed as G2 and similarly if the patient has aborted once, it is transcribed as 1. Thus, for a patient who is gravida 3, para 2 and aborted 1, the GPA is given as G3, P2, A1. The G, P, A are separated by commas and no space is left between the alphabet and Arabic numeral.
However, one can always spell out the GPA terms instead of writing in abbreviated form. So when these terms are spelled out, a space is given between the terms and the Arabic numeral.
For example: gravida 3, para 2, abortus 1.
How to transcribe, abbreviated or spell it out? Well, the golden rule is to transcribed Ad verbatim. If dictated G2, transcribe as G2 and if spelled out the gravida 2.
Station: Station denotes the degree of descent of the presenting part of the fetus through the maternal pelvis during the period of delivery. The base is taken at the point through ischial spine through which an imaginary plane is drawn and is designated as 0. Presentation of the fetus above or below this plane is then given reference values from -5 to +5, the distance above or below this is mentioned from -5 to +5 respectively in cm.
It is transcribed by using a + or - sign preceding the numeral 1 to 5 without any space in between.
For example: The cervix was 5 cm dilated at +4 station.
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