Which term refers to inflammation of the liver?

Which term refers to inflammation of the liver?

• A. Hepatitis
• B. Hepatopathy
• C. Cirrhosis
• D. Cholangitis

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how medical terms are built from word parts. Inflammation is signaled by the suffix -itis, and the root hepat- refers to the liver. Put together, hepat- + -itis forms hepatitis, the term that specifically means inflammation of the liver. This differs from hepatopathy, which means liver disease in general (not necessarily inflammation); cirrhosis, which is advanced scarring of the liver; and cholangitis, which is inflammation of the bile ducts, not the liver tissue itself. So the term that accurately describes inflammation of the liver is hepatitis.

The main idea is how medical terms are built from word parts. Inflammation is signaled by the suffix -itis, and the root hepat- refers to the liver. Put together, hepat- + -itis forms hepatitis, the term that specifically means inflammation of the liver.

This differs from hepatopathy, which means liver disease in general (not necessarily inflammation); cirrhosis, which is advanced scarring of the liver; and cholangitis, which is inflammation of the bile ducts, not the liver tissue itself. So the term that accurately describes inflammation of the liver is hepatitis.