-itis vs -opathy

[Guest guest]

From:  Professor J Pinching

Associate Dean for Cornwall & Professor of Clinical Immunology Peninsula

Medical School Royal Cornwall Hospital TRURO,

Subject:  -itis vs -opathy

" These suffixes refer to the presumed or known mechanisms of illness

" -itis means: caused by inflammation (and there are different causes of

inflammation).

" -opathy means: something is wrong, but doesn't specify why.

" In the absence of firm evidence of inflammation, -opathy may be a

better term.

" Neither suffix is specifically neurological, or relating to any other

body tissue. The prefix does that: encephalo- is the brain, myelo- (in

this context) is the spinal cord. "