Action Verbs

Action verbs should be written in noun form within SNOMED CT descriptions. This most often means the root form of the verb will end with a suffix of –tion, -sion, -ment, -al, -ence, or -ance.

• For example,

  • Destruction instead of destroy

  • Incision instead of incise

  • Replacement instead of replace

  • Removal instead of remove

  • Maintenance instead of maintain

However, the root form of the verb may be used when it does not make a word when ending in noun suffixes.

• For example,

  • Control

  • Release

Lastly, the verb with a suffix of –ing may be used when the root form of the verb may cause ambiguity in the meaning, i.e., the root form of the verb could also be a physical object.

• For example,

  • Wiring instead of wire

  • Suturing instead of suture

Exceptions,

Common usage may dictate some exceptions.

• For example,

  • Repair instead of repairment

Although ‘repairment’ may be considered a valid word, its use has fallen out of common usage in comparison to ‘repair’.

A past tense verbal phrase should not be used to name a procedure, since it indicates that the procedure was done in the past.

• Unacceptable example,

  • Hand tendon ganglion excised indicates the procedure was done, as a past tense declarative statement.

• However, the following is an acceptable example using a noun phrase.