Pocket book of medical abbreviations

taken from

www.cambridge.org/elt/pro

All content is taken from Professional English in Use Medicine

Abbreviation Meaning

# fracture increased/raised decreased/reduced/ male/female

μmol/L micromolsperlitreμg microgram1/12 1month1/52 1week109/L timestentothepowernineperlitrea&w aliveandwellAB apexbeatABC airways,breathing,circulationabd/abdo. abdomenACTH adrenocorticotrophichormoneAF atrialfibrillationAFP alphafetoproteinAI aorticincompetence

AIDS acquiredimmunodeficiencydiseaseAJ anklejerkalk.phos. alkalinephosphataseALT alanineaminotransferaseAN antenatalAP antero-posteriorAPH antepartumhaemorrhageARM artificialruptureofmembranesASD atrialseptaldefectASO antistreptolysinOATS antitetanicserum;

antitetanusserumAVF augmentedvoltagefootAVL augmentedvoltageleftarmAVR augmentedvoltagerightarmb.d./b.i.d. twiceaday(Latin)BB bedbath;blanketbathBBB bundlebranchblockBCG bacilleCalmette-GuérinBID broughtindeadBMR basalmetabolicrateBNO bowelsnotopened

BO bowelsopenedBP bloodpressureBPD bi-parietaldiameterBS breathsounds;bowelsoundsBWt birthweightc.c. withmeals/food(Latin)c/o complainsofCA/Ca cancer;carcinoma;calciumCABG coronaryarterybypassgraftCAD coronaryarterydiseaseCAT coaxialor

computerisedaxialtomographyCBT cognitivebehaviouraltherapyCCF congestivecardiacfailureCFT complementfixationtestCHF chronicheartfailureChr.CF chroniccardiacfailureCNS centralnervoussystemCOAD chronicobstructiveairwaysdiseaseCOP changeofplastercreps crepitations

CSF cerebrospinalfluidCSSD CentralSterileSupplyDepotCSU catheterspecimenofurineCT cerebraltumour;

coronarythrombosis;computerizedtomography

CV cardiovascularCVA cardiovascularaccident;

cerebrovascularaccidentCVS cardiovascularsystem;

cerebrovascularsystemCx cervixCXR chestX-rayD&C dilatationandcurettageD&V diarrhoeaandvomitingDD dangerousdrugsdecub. lyingdown(Latin)dl decilitreDNA didnotattendDNA deoxyribonucleicacidDOA deadonarrival

DOB dateofbirthDS disseminatedsclerosisDTs deliriumtremens(Latin)DU duodenalulcerDVT deepvenousthrombosisDx diagnosisE electrolytesEBV Epstein–BarrvirusECF extracellularfluidECG electrocardiogramECT electroconvulsivetherapyEDC expecteddateofconfinementEDD expecteddateofdeliveryEDM earlydiastolicmurmurEEG electroencephalogramENT ear,noseandthroatESN educationallysub-normalESR erythrocytesedimentationrateETT exercisetolerancetestEUA examinationunderanaesthesiafb fingerbreadth

FB foreignbodyFBC fullbloodcountFH fetalheartFH familyhistoryFHH fetalheartheardFHNH fetalheartnotheardfl/fL femtolitreFMFF fetalmovementfirstfeltFOB faecaloccultbloodFSH folliclestimulatinghormoneFTND fulltermnormaldeliveryFUO feverofunknownoriginG gravidityg/L gramsperlitreGA generalanaestheticGB gallbladderGC generalconditionGCFT gonococcalcomplement

fixationtestGCS GlasgowComaScaleGIS gastro-intestinalsystem

GnRH gonadotrophin-releasinghormoneGP GeneralPractitionerGPI generalparalysisoftheinsaneGPT glutamicpyruvictransaminaseGTN glyceryltrinitrateGTT glucosetolerancetestGU gastriculcerGUS genito-urinarysystemGyn. gynaecologyHb/Hgb haemoglobinHCT/Hct haematocritHDU highdependencyunitHHV-8 (human)herpesvirus8HIB HaemophilusinfluenzaeBHIV humanimmunodeficiencyvirusHPV humanpapillomavirusHR heartrateHS heartsoundsHVS highvaginalswabIBS irritablebowelsyndromeICF intracellularfluid

ICS intercostalspaceICU intensivecareunitID infectiousdiseaseIg immuneglobulini.m./IM intramuscularinfusn infusionIOFB intra-ocularforeignbodyIP in-patient;interphalangealIQ intelligencequotientISQ conditionunchanged/

instatuquo(Latin)IU internationaluniti.v./IV intravenousIVC inferiorvenacavaIVF invitrofertilizationIVP intravenouspyelogramIVU intravenousurogramIx investigationJVP jugularvenouspressureK potassiumKUB kidney,ureterandbladder

L leftL/L litresperlitreLA leftatrium;localanaestheticLAD leftaxisdeviation;

leftanteriordescendingLBP lowbackpain;lowbloodpressureLDH lacticdehydrogenaseLE lupuserythematosusLFT liverfunctiontestLH luteinizinghormoneLIF leftiliacfossaLIH leftinguinalherniaLKS liver,kidneyandspleenLLL leftlowerlobeLLQ leftlowerquadrantLMP lastmenstrualperiod;

leftmento-posteriorpositionoffetusLOA leftoccipito-anteriorpositionoffetusLOP leftoccipito-posteriorpositionoffetusLP lumbarpunctureLSCS lowersegmentcaesareansection

LUQ leftupperquadrantLV leftventricle;lumbarvertebraLVD leftventriculardysfunctionLVE leftventricularenlargementLVF leftventricularfailureLVH leftventricularhypertrophyM/F male/femalem/r modifiedreleaseM/W/S married/widow(er)/singlemane inthemorning(Latin)mcg microgramMCH meancorpuscularhaemoglobinMCHC meancorpuscular

haemoglobinconcentrationMCL mid-clavicularlineMCV meancorpuscularvolumeMDM mid-diastolicmurmurmg milligramMI mitralincompetence/insufficiency;

myocardialinfarctionml millilitre

mmol/L millimolsperlitreMMR massminiatureradiography;

measles,mumps&rubellaMOP medicalout-patientMRI magneticresonanceimagingMS mitralstenosis;multiplesclerosis;

musculoskeletalMSSU mid-streamspecimenofurineMSU mid-streamurineNA notapplicableNa sodiumNAD noabnormalitydetectedNBI noboneinjuryND normaldeliveryNE notengagedNND neo-nataldeathnocte atnight(Latin)NP notpalpable;nasalpassageNPO nothingbymouth(Latin)NPU notpassedurineNS nervoussystem

NSA nosignificantabnormalityNYD notyetdiagnosedo.d. daily(Latin)O/E onexaminationOA onadmission;osteo-arthritisOAP oldagepensionerObs. obstetricsOBS organicbrainsyndromeoed. oedemaOM otitismediaOOH outofhoursOPD outpatientdepartmentOT occupationaltherapistP pulse;protein;parityp.o. bymouth(Latin)p.r. byrectum(Latin)p.r.n. asrequiredp.v. byvagina(Latin)PA perniciousanaemiaPara.2+1 fulltermpregnancies2,

abortions1

PAT paroxysmalatrialtachycardiaPBI proteinboundiodinePDA patentductusarteriosusPERLA pupilsequalandreactivetolight andaccommodationPET pre-eclamptictoxaemiaPH pasthistoryPID prolapsedintervertebraldisc;

pelvicinflammatorydiseasePl. plasmaPM postmortemPMB postmenopausalbleedingPMH pastmedicalhistoryPN postnatalPND postnataldepression;

paroxysmalnocturnaldyspnoeaPO2 pressureofoxygenPOP plasterofParisPPH postpartumhaemorrhagePROM prematureruptureofmembranesPU passedurine;pepticulcer

PUO pyrexiaofunknownoruncertainorigin

PVT paroxysmalventriculartachycardiaq.d.s./q.i.d.fourtimesaday(Latin)R right;respirationRA rheumatoidarthritis;rightatriumRAD rightaxisdeviationRBC redbloodcell(count);

redbloodcorpusclesRBS randombloodsugarRCA rightcoronaryarteryref. referreg. regularRh. Rhesusfactor;rheumatismRI respiratoryinfectionRIF rightiliacfossaRIH rightinguinalherniaRLL rightlowerlobeRLQ rightlowerquadrantROA rightoccipitalanteriorROM rangeofmotion

ROP rightoccipitalposteriorRS respiratorysystemRTA roadtrafficaccidentRTC returntoclinicRTI respiratorytractinfectionRUA rightupperarmRUQ rightupperquadrantRVE rightventricularenlargementRVH rightventricularhypertrophyRx take(inprescriptions);

treatment(incasenotes)(Latin)s.c. subcutaneouss.l. sublingualSAH subarachnoidalhaemorrhageSB still-bornSBE sub-acutebacterialendocarditissep. separatedSG specificgravitySH socialhistorySI sacro-iliacsl. slight

SM systolicmurmurSMR sub-mucousresectionSOB shortofbreathSOBOE shortofbreathonexertionSOP surgicalout-patientsSROM spontaneousruptureofmembranesstat. immediately(Latin)SVC superiorvenacavaSVD spontaneousvertexdelivery;

spontaneousvaginaldeliverysw/sw. swabSWD shortwavediathermyT temperatureT&A tonsilsandadenoidst.d.s./t.i.d. threetimesaday(Latin)T3 tri-iodothyronineT4 tetra-iothyroninetabs tabletsTB tuberculosisTI tricuspidincompetenceTIA transientischaemicattack

TMJ temporo-mandibularjointTNS transcutaneousnervestimulatorTOP terminationofpregnancyTPHA treponemapallidum

haemagglutinationTPR temperature,pulse,respirationTR temporaryresidentTRH thyrotrophin-releasinghormoneTS tricuspidstenosisTSH thyroid-stimulatinghormoneTT tetanustoxoid;tuberculintestedTURP transurethralprostateresectionTV trichomonasvaginalisU urea;unitU&E ureaandelectrolytesU/L unitsperlitreUGS urogenitalsystemUMN uppermotorneuroneURTI upperrespiratorytractinfectionUSS ultrasoundscanUVL ultra-violetlight

VD venerealdiseaseVDRL venerealdisease

researchlaboratoryVE vaginalexaminationVI virgointactaVP venouspressureVSD ventricularseptaldefectVV varicosevein(s)Vx vertexWBC whitebloodcellcount;

whitebloodcorpusclesWCC whitecellcountWNL withinnormallimitsWR WassermannreactionXR X-rayYOB yearofbirth

PrintedintheUnitedKingdom.2008.ISBN:978-0-521-97706-7

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