What does the suffix '-emia' refer to?

The suffix '-emia' specifically refers to a condition related to the blood. It is derived from Greek, where 'haima' means blood. Medical terminology often uses this suffix to indicate an abnormal state of the blood or a disease process that affects the blood. For example, conditions like anemia (a deficiency of red cells or hemoglobin in the blood) and leukemia (a type of cancer that affects blood-forming tissues) both illustrate how '-emia' describes a specific blood condition. This understanding of '-emia' as a reference to blood conditions is essential for accurate medical coding and billing, as it aids in identifying the nature of diagnoses related to the blood.

The other options represent different medical concepts that do not align with the definition provided by '-emia.' While 'infection' pertains to the presence of pathogens, 'tumor' refers to a mass of tissue that can be benign or malignant, and 'inflammation' indicates a bodily response to injury or infection. Therefore, understanding '-emia' focuses specifically on conditions that involve changes or abnormalities in the blood.