CPB Certified Professional Biller Certification Practice Exam

The suffix "-sis" is typically used in medical terminology to denote a state or condition. This usage signifies a process that involves a particular state of being or condition that is often associated with some form of change or abnormality. For example, in terms like "neurosis," it refers to a condition affecting the nervous system; in "hypnosis," it concerns the state of being in a trance.

In contrast, while disease also relates to health issues, it is generally denoted by other specific suffixes or terms, such as "-pathy" for disease, which distinctly categorizes illnesses. The term "process" refers to broader actions or events rather than a specific state or condition, which is more accurately captured by "-sis." Inflammation is specifically indicated by the suffixes "-itis," making it distinct from the meaning of "-sis." Therefore, the most accurate understanding of "-sis" in the context of medical terminology is that it signifies a condition.