Medical coders HAVE to know anatomy. I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop and look up a body part (I'm talking about you glabella and tragus)!
Luckily we can usually look it up when working, but for those times we can't - or when testing - root words are often a big help.
ROOT WORDS
Abdomin/o - Abdomen
Aden/o - Gland
Adip/o - Fat
Andr/o - Male
Angi/o - Vessel
Anter/o - Front
Arteri/o - Artery
Arthr/o - Joint
Audi/o - Hearing
Ather/o - Plaque or fatty substance
Blast/o - Germ or immature cell
Brachi/o - Arm
Bronch/o - Bronchus
Carcin/o - Cancer
Cardi/o - Heart
Cephal/o - Head
Cerebr/o - Brain
Cervic/o - Neck
Chol/e - Bile or gall
Chondr/o - Cartilage
Col/o - Colon
Cost/o - Rib
Crani/o - Skull
Cutane/o - Skin
Cyst/o - Bladder
Cyt/o - Cell
Dacry/o - Tear or tear duct
Derm/a, Derm/o, Dermat/o - Skin
Dors/i, Dors/o - Back
Encephal/o - Brain
Enter/o - Intestine
Erythr/o - Red
Esophag/o - Esophagus
Esthesi/o - Sensation
Fibr/o - Fiber
Galact/o - Milk
Gastr/o - Stomach
Gingiv/o - Gums
Gloss/o - Tongue
Glyc/o - Sugar
Gynec/o - Woman
Hem/o, Hemat/o - Blood
Hepat/o - Liver
Hidr/o - Sweat
Hist/o - Tissue
Hyster/o - Uterus
Immun/o - Immune
Kerat/o - Hard or cornea
Lapar/o - Abdomen
Laryng/o - Larynx
Leuk/o - White
ip/o - Fat
Lith/o - Stone or calculus
Malac/o - Softening
Mamm/o - Breast
Mast/o - Breast
Melan/o - Black or dark
Mening/o - Meninges
My/o - Muscle
Myc/o - Fungus
Myel/o - Bone marrow
Necr/o - Death
Nephr/o - Kidney
Neur/o - Nerve
Onc/o - Tumor
Onych/o - Nail
Ophthalm/o - Eye
Oste/o - Bone
Ot/o - Ear
Path/o - Disease
Ped/o - Child
Phag/o - Eat
Phleb/o - Vein
Phon/o - Sound
Phot/o - Light
Physi/o - Nature
Pneum/o - Lung
Pod/o - Foot
Proct/o - Anus and rectum
Pulmon/o - Lung
Py/o - Pus
Pyel/o - Renal pelvis
Radi/o - X-rays
Ren/o - Kidney
Rhin/o - Nose
Salping/o - Fallopian tube
Scler/o - Hardening
Scoli/o - Crooked
Sial/o - Saliva or salivary gland
Sialaden/o - Salivary gland
Sider/o - Iron
Somat/o - Body
Splen/o - Spleen
Spondyl/o - Vertebra
Sten/o - Narrowing
Stomat/o - Mouth
Thromb/o - Clot
Thyr/o - Thyroid
Tox/o - Poison
Trache/o - Trachea
Trich/o - Hair
Ur/o - Urine
Ureter/o - Ureter
Urethr/o - Urethra
Vas/o - Vessel
Ven/o - Vein
Ventr/o - Belly
Vertebr/o - Vertebra
Vesic/o - Bladder
Viscer/o - Internal organs
Xer/o - Dry
Xiph/o - Sword
Zo/o - Animal
ROOTS R/T TREATMENTS/PROCEDURES
Cente: Puncture
Percuss: Examine by striking
Scope: Look, examine
Sect, Tom: Cut
Tact: Touch
Graph: Record
Gram: Record, writing
Therm: Heat
Meter: Measure
Therap: Treatment
Plast: Repair, form
Cauter: Burn
Cryo: Cold
Dialys: Separate
Ech: Sound
Electr: Electricity
Fluor: Luminous
Lys: Break down
Pharm: Drug
Radi: Radiation
Son: Sound
Vas: Vessel
Ven: Vein
Apher: Remove
Arthro: Joint
Chemo: Chemical
Cysto: Bladder
Derm: Skin
Entero: Intestine
Gastro: Stomach
Hemo: Blood
Histo: Tissue
Immuno: Immune
Lipo: Fat
Litho: Stone
Neuro: Nerve
Onco: Tumor
Osteo: Bone
Patho: Disease
Pneumo: Lung
Psycho: Mind
Pulmo: Lung
Rhino: Nose
Sclero: Hardening
Septo: Infection
Somato: Body
Spleno: Spleen
Thrombo: Clot
Thyro: Thyroid
Toxo: Poison
Tricho: Hair
Uro: Urine
Ventro: Belly
Viscero: Internal organs
Angio: Vessel
PROCEDURE RELATED SUFFIXES
-centesis: Surgical puncture to remove fluid
-desis: Surgical binding or fixation
-ectomy: Surgical removal
-ostomy: Creating an opening
-otomy: Incision or cutting into
-pexy: Surgical fixation
-plasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction
-rrhaphy: Suturing or stitching
-scopy: Visual examination using a scope
-tripsy: Crushing, often of stones
-lysis: Separation or breakdown
-graphy: Process of recording
-gram: Record or picture
-graph: Instrument used to record
-metry: Process of measuring
-therapy: Treatment
-cautery: Burning
-cryotherapy: Treatment using cold
-dialysis: Separation of particles
-endoscopy: Examination within
-fluoroscopy: Imaging technique using X-rays
-biopsy: Examination of tissue
-manometry: Measurement of pressure
-audiometry: Measurement of hearing
-catheterization: Insertion of a catheter
-curettage: Scraping of a body cavity
-defibrillation: Restoration of normal heart rhythm
-intubation: Insertion of a tube
lavage: Washing out of a body cavity
-resection: Removal of part of an organ
-stent: Insertion of a stent
-transplantation: Transfer of tissue or organs
-venipuncture: Puncture of a vein
-ablation: Removal or destruction of tissue
-amputation: Removal of a limb or appendage
-anastomosis: Surgical connection between two structures
-aspiration: Removal of fluid or air
-augmentation: Enlargement or enhancement
-bypass: Creating an alternate pathway
-cauterization: Burning tissue for removal or closure
-clipping: Surgical closure using clips
-coagulation: Process of clotting
-decompression: Relief of pressure
-enucleation: Removal of an organ or tumor
-excision: Cutting out or removal
-fusion: Joining of two parts
-ligation: Tying off a blood vessel
-mobilization: Making movable
-reconstruction: Rebuilding or restoring
-suction: Removal of fluid or tissue using suction
-cryosurgery: Surgery using extreme cold
-electrocardiography: Recording the electrical activity of the heart
-gastrectomy: Surgical removal of part or all of the stomach
-hysterectomy: Surgical removal of the uterus
-laparoscopy: Visual examination of the abdominal cavity
-mastectomy: Surgical removal of a breast
-nephrectomy: Surgical removal of a kidney
-orchiectomy: Surgical removal of one or both testicles
-prostatectomy: Surgical removal of the prostate gland
-splenectomy: Surgical removal of the spleen
-thoracotomy: Incision into the chest cavity
-tonsillectomy: Surgical removal of the tonsils
-tracheostomy: Creating an opening in the trachea
-urography: Imaging of the urinary tract
-vasectomy: Surgical cutting and sealing of part of each vas deferens
-arthroscopy: Visual examination of a joint
-bronchoscopy: Visual examination of the bronchi
-colonoscopy: Visual examination of the colon
-cystoscopy: Visual examination of the bladder
-dermabrasion: Removal of skin layers using a rotating instrument
-electroencephalography: Recording the electrical activity of the brain
-gastroscopy: Visual examination of the stomach
-hysteroscopy: Visual examination of the uterus
-laparotomy: Incision into the abdominal cavity
-mammography: Imaging of the breast
-myomectomy: Surgical removal of fibroids from the uterus
-neurotomy: Incision into a nerve
-ophthalmoscopy: Visual examination of the eyes
-otoplasty: Surgical repair of the ear
-pancreatectomy: Surgical removal of the pancreas
-phlebectomy: Surgical removal of a vein
-pneumonectomy: Surgical removal of a lung
-proctoscopy: Visual examination of the rectum
-rhinoplasty: Surgical repair of the nose
-sigmoidoscopy: Visual examination of the sigmoid colon
-thoracoscopy: Visual examination of the chest cavity
-thyroidectomy: Surgical removal of the thyroid gland
-tonsillotomy: Incision into the tonsils
-urethrotomy: Incision into the urethra
-vasotomy**: Incision into the vas deferens
-venography: Imaging of veins
-xenograft: Transplantation of tissue from a different species
-angioplasty: Surgical repair of a blood vessel
-bariatric surgery: Surgery for weight loss
-cardioversion: Restoration of normal heart rhythm
-cholecystectomy: Surgical removal of the gallbladder
-coronary artery bypass grafting: Surgery to improve blood flow to the heart
-endarterectomy: Surgical removal of plaque from an artery
-hemorrhoidectomy: Surgical removal of hemorrhoids
-inguinal hernia repair: Surgery to correct an inguinal hernia