Which suffix refers to an incision in medical terminology?

The suffix that designates an incision in medical terminology is -tomy. This suffix is derived from the Greek word "tomia," meaning cutting or incision. In medical contexts, it is commonly used to describe surgical procedures where incisions are made to access internal structures. For instance, “laparotomy” refers to an incision into the abdominal cavity, while "tracheotomy" refers to an incision into the trachea.

In contrast, -stomy indicates the creation of an opening or an artificial opening into a body part, such as in colostomy, which creates an opening in the colon. The suffix -scopy refers to the visual examination of internal structures with a scope, such as in endoscopy, where a camera is used to observe the interior of the body. Lastly, -metry pertains to the measurement of something, as seen in metrics for various diagnostic purposes. Recognizing the meanings of these suffixes is crucial in medical terminology and aids in understanding surgical approaches and diagnostic procedures.