Sound Alike Words for Medical Transcriptionists – Part 3 (M – V)

One of the challenges in medical transcription is that the audio quality is not always of optimal quality.  There are many words that sound alike, and some can be difficult to understand, even in context.  Below is Part 3 (M – V) listing sound alike words that are encountered by medical professionals, along with a brief definition.  It’s helpful for both health care professionals and transcriptionists to review them to make sure they are deliberate in their pronunciation as well as to understanding the context in which they are used.

 

mammoplasty plastic surgery of the breast; mammaplasty

manoplasty plastic surgery of the hand

 

meiosis method of cell division

miosis contraction of the pupil of the eye

mitosis method of indirect cell division

mycosis presence of parasitic fungi in the body

myiasis infection due to invasion of body tissues or cavities by larvae of dipterous insects

 

meiotic pertaining to special cell division

miotic causing contraction of the pupil of the eye

mitotic pertaining to indirect division of a cell

myopic nearsighted

 

menorrhagia excessive uterine bleeding

menorrhalgia painful menstruation; dysmenorrhea

metrorrhagia uterine bleeding of abnormal amount, occurring at abnormal times

 

mnemonic something intended to assist memory

pneumonic related to or affecting the lungs

 

modeling learning by observation and imitation

mottling a condition of spotting with patches of color

 

mucous adjective form of mucus; pertaining to or resembling mucus

mucus free slime of the mucous membranes

 

myoclonic demonstrating one of a series of shock-like muscular contractions, as in a seizure

myotonic exhibiting delayed relaxation of a muscle after a strong contraction, or prolonged contraction after mechanical stimulation

 

nucleide a compound of nucleic acid with a metallic element

nuclide a species of atom

 

osteal bony

ostial pertaining to an ostium

 

pain discomfort, distress, or agony

pane a segment of window glass

 

pair two of something

pare to trim or remove skin

 

palate roof of the mouth

palette an oval board with a thumb-hole used by artists to mix their paints

pallet a portable platform; a temporary bed made of folded blankets

 

palpable may be felt with the hand

palpebral pertaining to the eyelid

palpation feeling with the fingers

palpitation an abnormal, rapid heartbeat

papillation a covering of small round protuberances

 

parotic near the ear

perotic characterized by perosis

porotic favoring growth of connective tissue

 

peal to ring, as a bell

peel to strip away a layer

 

perfusion the act of pouring over or through

profusion abundance

protrusion a jutting-out from the surrounding surface

 

perineal pertaining to the perineum

peritoneal pertaining to the peritoneum

peroneal pertaining to the outer or fibular side of the leg

 

perspective one’s ideas; a way of looking at something

prospective in the future, potential

 

phenol carbolic acid

phenyl derived from benzene

pheresis removal from a donor; separation and retransfusion

-phoresis word ending indicating transmission

 

plain not fancy; radiograph, as in plain abdomen

plane anatomic level, as in the sagittal plane

 

pleuritis inflammation of the pleura

pruritus itching

 

pleural pertaining to the pleura of the lung

plural more than one

 

precede to go before

proceed to continue on

 

precedent coming before; an example

president a governmental leader

 

prescribe to order; to advise

proscribe to banish or denounce; to forbid

 

principal a leader, as in high school principal; a main participant, as in principal diagnosis; the main body of an estate or financial holding

principle a basic truth; a rule or standard

 

Procan SR; an antiarrhythmic medication

procaine a local anesthetic

 

prostate a gland of the male urinary tract

prostrate stretched out with the face upon the ground

rostrate having a beak-like structure

 

prostatic relating to the prostate gland

prosthetic pertaining to an artificial device that replaces a body part

 

psoriasis a dermatosis

siriasis sunstroke

 

psychosis mental disorder

sycosis pustular inflammation of hair follicles

 

quiet without noise

quite completely

 

radical extreme, drastic, or innovative; elements or atoms in an uncombined state, as in free radicals

radicle smallest branch of a vessel

 

rectus straight structure

rhexis rupture of an organ

rictus fissure or cleft; a gaping expression

ructus a belching of wind

 

refection recovery

reflection bending back

refraction deviation of light

 

regard to look at or observe; to relate or refer to

regards good wishes

 

regime a form of government

regimen a system of treatment, medication, or diet designed to achieve certain ends

 

role the part one plays

roll to turn over (v); a list for attendance purposes (n)

 

saccadic simultaneous movements of both eyes that are involuntary in changing the point of fixation

psychotic pertaining to a severe mental disorder

 

scatoma a tumor-like mass in the rectum

scotoma an area of depressed vision in the visual field

 

scleredema unusual swelling of the facial area

scleroderma chronic thickening and hardening of the skin

xeroderma a mild form of ichthyosis

 

serial arranged in a series

sural pertaining to the calf of the leg

 

shoddy of poor workmanship or quality

shotty resembling buckshot, as in shotty nodes

 

statue a three-dimensional work of art

statute a law enacted by a legislative body

 

subtle so slight as to be difficult to detect or analyze

supple moving or bending with agility; limber

 

vary to change

very extreme; a high degree

 

venous relating to a vein

Venus second planet from the sun; the Roman goddess of love

 

vial a small bottle

vile despicable or abhorrent

 

2Ascribe Inc. is a medical transcription services agency located in Toronto, Ontario Canada, providing medical transcription services to physicians, clinics and other healthcare providers across Canada.  With WEBscribe, a client interface portal for document management, 2Ascribe continues to implement and develop technology to assist and improve the transcription process for physicians and other healthcare providers.  As a service to our clients and the healthcare industry, 2Ascribe offers articles of interest to physicians and other healthcare professionals, medical transcriptionists and office staff, as well as of general interest.  Additional articles may be found at http://www.2ascribe.com/category/articles/dictation-tips and http://www.2ascribe.com/category/articles

To receive notification of new articles and to subscribe to 2Ascribe’s newsletter, go to www.2Ascribe.com, scroll to the bottom of the home page and enter your name and email address.      

 

You might also enjoy

AI Bias

The results created by an AI model can be considered