Medical Transcription Tutor
Learning Medical Transcription Terminology
A helpful note: proofreading is encouraged throughout your course.

Medical terminology is taught in a variety of units throughout your course. I will provide you with some examples of common medical terms that I have used in the medical field and that you may encounter during your medical transcription studies. I will try to define the terms with a basic, easy to understand explanation. You should use your medical reference books for the detailed, specific definitions.

Diabetes mellitus: a metabolic disorder that produces hyperglycemia, (increased blood sugar). Common symptoms may be increased thirst, increased urination and loss of weight.
Glucose: sugar, or blood sugar
Endocrine: refers to glands in the body that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Examples: pituitary, thyroid, and adrenals
Pituitary: the master endocrine gland that secretes hormones that control growth and reproduction. Examples: growth hormone, prolactin, and adrenocorticotropic hormone, etc.
Thyroid: an endocrine gland in the neck that produces hormones that help regulate metabolism
Symptoms: objective outward signs of an illness
Syndrome: a group of symptoms
Bronchitis: An irritant from fumes, allergens such as dust, or a virus or bacteria can cause the bronchial airways to become inflamed and produce symptoms
Pneumonia: the lungs are inflamed from a viral or bacterial infection
Pathology: the study of the causes of disease
Laboratory: does clinical testing or studies on blood or tissues from patients. Example: CBC blood tests, urinalysis, and examinations of specimens of tissues.
Anesthesia: some loss of sensation,(you may or may not lose consciousness). It is usually produced by administration of an anesthetic medication to prepare you for surgery.
Appendectomy: removal of the appendix by surgery
Tonsillectomy: removal of the tonsils by a surgical procedure
Incision: a cut usually made for surgery reasons
Benign: not malignant ( not cancerous)
Carcinoma: a malignant growth, (cancerous)
Aphasia: difficulty with speech and ability to communicate
Dysphagia: difficult to swallow
Dorsal: refers to the back, opposite of ventral
Lateral: refers to the side
Atrophy: the size decreases, or wasting away
Bladder: urinary reservoir that collects urine from the kidneys
Ureters: two tubes that bring urine into the bladder from the kidneys
Urethra: the tube that empties the urine from the bladder to the outside

List of Common Medical Terms