This market-leading text helps readers understand and learn complex medical terms by dividing them into their component parts, clearly explaining the meanings of these terms in the context of how the body works in health and disease. Terminology and complex medical processes are described in an easy-to-understand manner that is readily accessible to learners of all levels. The Language of Medicine brings medical terms to life with a text/workbook format organized by body systems, offering additional chapters on specific key areas of health care, such as cancer and psychiatry. Anatomy and physiology sections are generously illustrated in full color and reinforced with exercises on combining forms and word parts.

• Spotlights focus on easily confused terms and concepts.
• Presents medical terms in the context of anatomy and physiology, following a logical body-system chapter organization.
• Clearly explains the material in simple, non-technical language, making the information accessible even to students with little or no previous medical or scientific background.
• Medical experts have extensively reviewed all chapters for accuracy.
• Practical applications keep students engaged and focused, such as Case Scenarios and Practical Applications that offer case reports, operative and diagnostic tests, and laboratory and x-ray reports.
• Text/workbook format uses a variety of exercises and activities to reinforce and build on the information students learn.
• Explanations of clinical procedures, laboratory tests, and abbreviations related to each body system or medical specialty show medical terminology in practice.
• Pronunciation of Terms list at the end of each chapter provides phonetic spellings and spaces to write the meanings of terms.
• A wealth of exercises within each chapter and at the end of each section challenge readers to test their understanding of material.

• New icons facilitate navigation within the chapters and add visual interest.
• Colorful new page layout is designed to hold students' interest.
• Line drawings have been newly rendered in a rich new color palette with a more three-dimensional look.
• New Medical Scramble activity presents scrambled terms for the student to decipher - a fun way to improve spelling accuracy and knowledge of terms.
• The latest medical advances are incorporated throughout, such as stem cell research, c-reactive protein, sentinel node biopsy, and molecular targeted drugs.
• Four new case studies have been added to the Practical Applications sections in the cardiovascular and blood system chapters.
• A controlled substances table is included in the chapter on pharmacology.
• Bones and their common names are presented in a new table.
• Expanded coverage of diagnostic tests and procedures, such as: virtual colonoscopy; urinalysis; breast ultrasound and MRI; photo-selective vaporization of the prostate; new methods for managing arrhythmias; PET of the lung; coverage of multiple myeloma; CD4 lymphocyte count; irradiation, photon therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery; abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS).
• A complementary and alternative medicine appendix provides information on popular therapies.
• Icons in the text direct students to extra information on procedures and terms on the companion CD.