combining form + suffix that begins with a vowel
drop the combining vowel
gastr/o + -itis = gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
combining form + suffix that begins with a consonant
keep the combining vowel
rhin/o + -plasty = rhinoplasty (surgical repair of the nose)
two or more combining forms + suffix
keep the combining vowel between the two combining forms
oste/o + myel/o + -itis = osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone
and bone marrow)
prefix + combining form + suffix
follow general suffix rules
hyper- + glyc/o + -emia = hypoglycemia (excessive sugar in the blood)
root word / combining form that ends with the same vowel as the start
of the suffix
drop the final vowel in the root word / combining form
cardi/o + -itis = carditis (inflammation of the heart)
eponym
a medical term named after a person or place
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) = Lou Gherig's Disease