The four steps involved in the CARD method of using Greek and Latin word components to break down the meanings of medical terms are:

1. Check – Examine the medical term and identify the word parts you recognize, such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
2. Assign – Assign meanings to each of the identified word parts based on their definitions (e.g., root words, combining vowels, suffixes).
3. Reverse – Reverse the order of the meaning of the suffix to the front of the term’s definition, starting from the suffix and moving backward through the word parts.
4. Define – Combine the meanings in this reversed order to clearly define the entire medical term.

For example, in the term gastroscopy :

• Check the parts: gastr/o (stomach), scopy (process of viewing).
• Assign meanings: gastr = stomach, scopy = viewing process.
• Reverse the suffix meaning to the front: viewing process of the stomach.
• Define the term accordingly: the process of viewing the stomach

This method helps systematically decode complex medical terminology by focusing on the structure of Greek and Latin components.