What does the suffix -itis indicate in medical terms?

• A. Infection
• B. Inflammation
• C. Condition
• D. Surgical removal

Answer: (B)

The main concept here is that the suffix -itis denotes inflammation of a body part. When -itis is added to a root that names an organ or tissue, it indicates an inflammatory condition affecting that area, such as gastritis (stomach inflammation), dermatitis (skin inflammation), or arthritis (joint inflammation). It’s important to note that inflammation can be caused by many factors, including infection, injury, or autoimmune processes, but the suffix itself specifically signals the inflammatory process rather than infection alone. The other ideas don’t fit the suffix’s meaning: infection is not defined by -itis, a general “condition” would more often be indicated by a different suffix like -osis, and surgical removal is shown by -ectomy.