Medical Abbreviations

This page contains medical abbreviations that radiographers should be familiar with to enable interpretation of request forms.

Medical Abbreviations
Symbols 0 +/+ ++ +++ = Numbers 3 A A AAA AAL Ab ABG ACD ACE ACJ ACL ACTH A.d A&E Ankle Jerk/Reflex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Anterior Axillary Line Abortion Arterial Blood Gas "Sats" Acid Citrate Dextrose Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Acromio Clavicular Joint Anterior Clavicular Line or Anterior Cruciate Ligament Adrenocorticotropic Hormone As Directed Accident and Emergency OK or satisfactory Not Present OR No abnormality Uncertain/equivocal Present or Noted Present Significantly Present in Excess Equivalent to eg BMI +++ Also in superscript e.g. ..o

Hitting the ankle with a patella hammer to test reflexes Dilatation of abdominal aorta

Imaginary line drawn from the front arm p down the chest wall

Blood test to see how much oxygen there in the blood (percentage saturation with oxygen) Anticoagulant solution

An imaginary line down the front of the body from the inner end of the collarbone OR a ligament in the knee

AE A/E AF AFM AFP AIDS AIIS AI/R ALL ALP AM AML AMNIO ANC ANT AODM AP APH AoR ARDS ARF AS ASAP ASD ASIS ATB ATN AV AVF AVM AVR

After Evacuation Air Entry to Lungs OR Accident & Emergency Atrial Fibrillation After Fatty meal Alpha Feto Protein Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine Aortic Incompetence/regurgitation Acute Lymphatic Leukaemia Alkaline-Phosphatase After Micturation Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Amniocentesis Ante-Natal Clinic Anterior Adult Onset of Diabetes Mellitus Anterior Posterior Ante Partum Haemorrhage Aortic Valve Replacement Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome Acute Renal Failure Abdominal System OR Aortic Stenosis As Soon As Possible Atrial Septal Defect Anterior Superior Iliac Spine Antibiotic Acute Tubular Necrosis Avascular Necrosis Arterial Venous Fistula Arterial Venous Malformation Atrial Valve Replacement Aortic Stenosis is a narrowed heart valve AVR Leaking heart valve. Irregular heart beat

AXR B Ba BaE (BE) BA bd/bid B BB BBB BCC BCDH BE (BaE) BFR BIBA BMI B-mode BMT BNO BOR BOP BP BPd BPD BPH BPs BS BSO BTD Bx C C

Abdominal X-Ray Barium Barium Enema Bowel Action Twice a Day Biceps Jerk/Reflex Battered Baby Blood Brain Barrier Basal Cell Carcinoma Bilateral Congenital Dislocated Hips BariumEnema Bone Formation Rate Brought in by Ambulance Body Mass Index Brightness Modulation (ultrasound) Bone Marrow Transplant Bowels Not Opened Bowels Open Regularly Base of Penis Blood Pressure Diastolic Blood Pressure Bi-Parietal Diameter Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy Systolic Blood Pressure Bowel Sounds Bilateral Salpingo Oopherectomy Biliary Tract Disease Biopsy Celsius The lower blood pressure (heart relaxed) A measure of body size relating to height and weight Skin Cancer Very Low Malignancy Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to reflexes

The higher blood pressure (heart contracte

CA or Ca CABG/S or CAG/S Cal Cas CAT CBD CBE CBP CCF CCK CCU CDH CFS CHD CHI CLL Cm CN CNC CNS cnts c/o or C.o CO COAD COPD CPR Cr CRF CRL CRT CS

Carcinoma Coronary Artery (Bypass) Graft/Surgery Calorie Casualty Computed Axial Tomography Common Bile Duct Complete Blood Examination Complete Blood Picture Congestive Cardiac Failure Cholecystokinin Coronary Care Unit Congenital Dislocated Hip Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Congenital Heart Disease Closed Head Injury Colapsed Lower Lobe Chronic Lymphatic Leukaemia Centimetre Charge Nurse Clinical Nurse Consultant Central Nervous System Countss Complains of Cardiac Output Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Creatinine Chronic Renal Failure Crown Rump Length Cathode Ray Tube Caesarean Section

Cancer Heart surgery to bypass blocked blood supply

Also called ME

Chronic lung disease Chronic lung disease

CSF CT or CAT CVA CVD CVP CVS CX or Cx CXR D D dB D&C D/C DCG D/D D=E D>E D<E D+V D/H DIP, PIP DLE DNA DOA DOB DS DU DUB DUI DVT Dx

Cerebro Spinal Fluid Computerised Axial Tomography Cerebrovascular Accident Cerebrovascular Disease Central Venous Pressure Cardiovascular System Cervix OR Cervical Spine Chest X-ray Dates Decibel Dilatation and Cutettage Discharge Dacrocystogram Differential Diagnosis Dates=Exam Large For Dates Small for Dates Diarrhoea and Vomiting Drug History Distal/proximal interphalangeal joints Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Did Not Attend Dead on Arrival Date of Birth Disseminated (Multiple) Sclerosis Duodenal Ulcer Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Driving under the Influence Deep Vein Thrombosis Diagnosis Blood clot Finger joints A connective tissue disorder The heart and blood vessels Cervix is the neck of the womb For example, Cx smear = Cervical smear Body Scan Stroke

DXT E e EAM ECG ECT ED EF EFW EMLA EMU ENG ENT ERCP ES E/S ESR ETOH EUA EWS F F FA FAC FB FBC FBE FBG/S FBL FBP FD

Deep X-ray Treatment Electron External Auditory Meatus Electrocardiograph Electroconvulsive Therapy Emergency Department Ejection Fraction Estimated Fetal Weight Local anaesthetic cream used before injections Early Morning Specimen of Urine Head engaged (Baby) Ear, Nose & Throat Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatogrophy End Systole Emergency Service Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Ethanol Alcohol Evaluate under Anaesthetic Early Warning Score Fhrenheight Fetal Abnormality Family Advisory Clinic Foreign Body Full Blood Count Full Blood Examination Fasting Blood Glucose/Sugar Faecal Blood Loss Full Blood Picture Forceps Delivery

Radiotherapy

Ear canal opening Electrical heart trace

Head of baby low in pelvis (in Womb)

A blood test for inflammation

Fe FFD F/H or FH FHH/R FI FOOSH FOV FROM FSD FSH FT FTD FTND FTT FUO G G GA GB GCS GE GFR GI or GIT GOR GORD GSW GTT GU or GUT or GUS GU GUM Gyn

Iron Focal Film Distance Family History Fetal heart Foetal Heart Heard/Regular For Investigation Fall On Outstretched Hand Field of View Full Range of Movement Focal Source Distance Folilicle Stimulating Hormone Follow Through Formal Thought Disorder Full Term Normal Delivery Failure to Thrive Fever of Unknown origin Gravida General Anaesthetic Gallbladder Glasgow Coma Scale Gastric Emptying Glomerular Filtration Rate Gastro Intestinal / Tract Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease Gun Shot Wound Glucose Tolerance Test Genito Urinary / Tract / System Gastric Ulcer Genito-Urinary Medicine Gynaecology Relating to kidneys, bladder & genitals Back flow of stomach acid into the gullet To do with the intestines Consciousness state; score out of 15 Psychiatric disorder Babys heartbeat in the womb

For sexually transmitted diseases/infectio

H H2O H/A Hb HBP HC Hct HD HDU HF HH HI HIV HMD HNPU HO or H/O HOP HR HRT HS HSA HT Hx Hz I I IAM IBS IC ICP Iodine Internal Auditory Meatus Irritable Bowel Syndrome Iliac Crest Intra Cranial Pressure Water Head Ache Haemoglobin High Blood Pressure Head Circumference Haematocrit Hepatic Duct Hodgkins Disease High Dependency Unit High Frequency Hiatus Hernia Head Injury Human Immune Deficiency Virus Hyaline Membrane Disease Has Not Passed Urine History Of Head of Pancrease Heart Rate Hormone Replacement Therapy History of Radiotherapy Heart Sounds Human Serum Albumin Height Hypertensive History (of complaint) Hertz

A measure of blood count (eg in Anaemia

Part of stomach displaced above diaphrag

ICU IDDM IDK IF IGT or IGTN IH IHD II IM IMB Inf IOFB ISQ IUCD IUGR IUFD IUP IV IVC IVP IVU Ix J JODM JVP K K Kg K nail Km KUB

Intensive Care Unit Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Internal Derangement of the Knee Intrinsic Factors In Growing Toenail Infectious Hepatitis Ischaemic Heart Disease Image Intensifier Intra Muscular Intermenstrual Bleeding Infection Intra Occular Foreign Body "In Status Quo" - Nothing has Changed Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device Intrauterine Growth Restriction Intrauterine Fetal Demise Intrauterine Pregnancy Intra Venous Inferior Vena Cava Intra Venous Catheter Intravenous Pyelogram Intravenous Urogram Investigations Juvenile Onset diabetes mellitus Jugular Venous Pressure Knee Jerk / Reflex Potassium Kilogram Kintscher Nail Kilometre Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder X-ray or ultrasound of renal track (IVP) X-ray of kidneys using an injected dye Vaginal bleeding between periods

Neck Vein back pressure from the heart

KV KVp K wire L L LA LAO LAT LB LBD LBP LE LFT LH LIF LIH LK LKKS LL LLL LLQ LLZ LML LOC LMP LMZ LN LOC LP LPO L/R/ IH

Kilo Volts Kilovolts Peak Kirschner wire Left Local Anaesthetic Left Anterior Oblique Lateral Large Bowel Light Beam Diaphragm Lower back Pain Lower Extremeties Liver Function Test Luteinizing Hormone Left Iliac Fossa Left Inguinal Hernia Left Kidney Liver, kidney, kidney, spleen Lower Limb Left Lower Lobe Left Lower Quadrant Left Lower Zone Left Middle Lobe Loss of Consciousness Last Menstrual Period Left Middle Zone Lymph Node Loss of Consciousness Lumbar puncture Left Posterior Oblique Left or Right Inguinal Hernia Hernia of groins Result of examination Left groin Hernia of left groin Blood tests for liver function

Needle inserted into the spine for diagnos purposes

LRTI LS LSCS or LUSCS LSJ LSU Lt LUL LUQ LUZ LV LVEF LVSD LVF M m mA MA mAs Mane MBA MBC M&C (S) MC MCA

Lower Respiratory Tract Infection Lymph System Lower (Uterine) Segment Caesarean section Lumbo-Sacral Joint Left Side Up Left Left Upper Lobe Left Upper Quadrant Left Upper Zone Left Ventricle Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Left Ventricular Septal Defect Left Ventricular Failure Metre Milli Amps Mental Age Milli Ampere Seconds In the Morning Motor Bike Accident Maximum Breathing Capacity Microscopy & Culture Sensitivity of Bacteria Metacarpals Motor Cycle Accident Multiple Congenital Abnormalities Middle Cerebral Artery Mid Clavicular Line Metacarpophalangeal Joint Micturating Cysto Urethrogram Mean Corpuscular Volume Mentally Deficient A measure of the size of red blood cells Of a sample e.g. urine Left upper part of abdomen

MCL MCP MCU MCV MD

An imaginary line down the body from th middle of the collarbone to the described area

ME MET/S Mhz MI mitte or mite ML mm MMG MRI MS MSS MSE MSU or MSSU MTP MU MVA MVR N N Na NAD NAI NaI NBI NEC NGT NHL Nocte NOF NFR NNU

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Metastases Megahertz Myocardial Infarction Mitral Incompetence Dispense this number of tablets Midline millimetre Mammogram Magnetic Resonance Imaging Multiple Sclerosis Mitral Stenosis Musculo-Skeletal System Mental State Examination Mid-Stream Urine Sample Metatarso-phalangeal Joint Motor Unit Motor Vehicle Accident Mitral Valve Replacement Notch (Sternal) Sodium Nothing Abnormality Detected Non accidental Injury (Silvermans Disease) Sodium Iodide No Bone Injury Necrotising Enterocolitis Nasogastric Tube Non Hodgkins Lymphoma At Night Neck of Femur Not For Resuscitation Neonatal Unit

Also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cancer spread Heart attack OR leaking heart valve (sometimes MR)

Body/Brain Scan Mitral Stenosis is a narrowed heart valve

NPO NSS NSVD N&V O O2 OA Ob OBL OC/COC OCP OCT o.d. O/E or o.e OFD O&G OGD on om OM (R/L) OP OPG OR ORIF otc P P PA

Nil by Mouth Normal Shape and Size Normal Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery Nausea & Vomiting Oxygen Osteoarthritis Obstetrics Oblique (Combined) Oral Contraceptive Oral Contraceptive Pill Orthotopic Cardiac Transplant Once a Day On Examination Object Film Distance Obstetrics and Gynaecology Oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy At Night In the Morning Otitis Media Occipital Mental Out Patient Orthopantomogram Operating Room Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (of fracture) Over the counter (bought medication) Pulse Para Phosphorus Posterior Postero-Anterior Ear infection endoscopic examination of stomach and duodenum Heart Transplant Wear & Tear Arthritis

Popliteal Artery Popliteal Aneurysm PC PCB PCC PCV PD PDA PE PEG PERLA PET PFA PF(R) PH PHx PID PIIS PIP PKD PM PMH also PHx PND PNS PO POP Post Cibum Post Coital Bleeding Post Coital Contraception Pack Cell Volume Pancreatic Duct Peritoneal Dialysis Patent Ductus Arteriosis Pulmonary Embolism Post Evacuation Pleural Effusion Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Pupils equal and reacting to light and accommodation Positron Emission Tomography Plain Film Abdomen Peak Flow (Rate) Past History Previous Medical History Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc Posterior Inferior Iliac Spine Proximal Interphalangeal (Joint) Polycystic Kidney Disease Post Mortem Examination Post Micturation Post Meridian Previous Medical History Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnoea Paranasal Sinuses Per Orim Progesterone Only Pill Plaster of Paris Private Outpatient By Mouth Minipill Cast Short of breath at night Gynaecological infection Slipped vertebral Disc Abdominal X-ray Breathing test speed of expiration On examination of nervous system/eyes Blood clot on the lung After a meal Vaginal bleeding after intercourse "Morning after" pill

PORT PP PPH PPs PR PPROM PROM PSI PSIS PT PTA PTB PTCA PTH PTSD PTT PU PUD PUJ PUO PV PVD PYP Q QA QC

Portable X-Ray Private Patient Placenta Praevia Postpartum Postpartum Haemorrhage Peripheral pulses Per Rectum Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes Premature Rupture of Membrane Post Saline Injection Posterior Superior Iliac Spine Pregnancy Test Prior to Admission Pulmonary Tuberculosis Opening up the main arteries of the heart Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty using a balloon inserted usually near the groin Parathyroid Hormone Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Prothrombin Time Peptic Ulcer Passed urine Per urethra Peptic Ulcer Disease Pelviureteric Junction Pyrexia of Unknown Origin Per Vagina Portal Vein Peripheral Vascular Disease Pyrophosphate Quality Assurance Quality Control Vaginal examination Arterial disease of the limbs Pulses felt for example in the feet, ankles etc Rectal examination

Peptic Ulcer Stomach or Duodenal Ulce

qds (or) qid R R R (R) RA RAI RAO RAS RBC RCM RDS RF RFT RHD RIF RIH RK R/L RLL RLQ RLZ R/L HC R/LIF R/LOL or RLOP RN R/O ROI ROM RPO RS

Four times a day Right Respiration (Rate) Rheumatoid Arthritis Radioimmunoassay Right Anterior Oblique Renal Artery Stenosis Red Blood Cell Right Costal Margin Respiratory Distress Syndrome Renal Failure Renal (Kidney) Function tests OR Respiratory Function tests Rheumatic Heart Disease Right Iliac Fossa Right Inguinal Hernia Right Kidney Right/Left Right Lower Lobe Right Lower Quadrant Right Lower Zone Right/Left Hypochordrium Right/Left Iliacfossa Right/Left occipito lateral / posterior Registered Nurse Rule Out Region of Interest Range of Movement Rupture of Membranes Right Posterior Oblique Respiratory System Right/Left upper abdomen Right/Left groin Position of babys head in womb Right lower abdomen Hernia in right groin Difficulty in breathing usually in premature babies Rate of breathing in breaths per minute

RSI RT RTA RUL RUQ RUZ RV RVF Rx S S S SAH SB SBA SBG SBO SCJ SDH sec SEP SI SIJ Silvermans Disease SLAP Lesion SLR SM SMA SMR

Repetitive Strain Injury Real Time Radiation Therapy Road Traffic Accident Right Upper Lobe Right Upper Quadrant Right Upper Zone Right Ventricle Right Ventricular Failure Prescription or Treatment

Usually of wrist

Car smash Right upper abdomen

Usually prescription

Supinator (jerk /reflex) Size Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Spina Bifida Small Bowel Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis Serum Blood Glucose Small Bowel Obstruction Sterno Clavicular Joint Subdural Haematoma seconds Separation Supero Inferior Sacro Iliac Joint Non Accidental Injury (NAI) Superior Labrum Anteroposterior Tear Straight Leg Raise Systolic Mumur Superior Mesenteric Artery Submucosal Resection

Hitting the am with a patella hammer to te reflexes

Blood Sugar Level

Nasal operation

SMV SOA SOB SOL SOF SOM SOS SSD SR ST Stat STD STI SV SVC SVD SVT Sx SXR T T

Superior Mesenteric Vein Submento Vertical Swelling of Ankle Short of Breath Space Occupying Lesion Shaft of Femur Secretary Otitis Media In an Emergency Source Skin Distance Sinus rhythm Soft Tissue Immediately Sexually Transmitted Disease Sexually Transmitted Infection Stroke Volume Superior Vena Cava Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia Symptoms Skull X-ray Triceps Jerk/Reflex Temperature Term Normal delivery Normal heart beat Middle ear infection/glue ear Tumour, usually of head

Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to reflexes

T (usually with a circle with a dot in Trachea Central the centre) TAB TAH TATT TB TCI TD Therapeutic Abortion Total Abdominal Hysterectomy Tired all the Time Tuberculosis To come in-date or fact that a person is due to be admitted to hospital Tumour Dose

Breathing tube not displaced. If displaced direction of displacement usually indicate by an arrow

tds (or) tid TFTs TGC THR TIA TKR TLC TM or Tm TMJ TOA TOC TOP TPN Trauma Series Ts & As TSH TShR TTO/A TU(R)P TVH U U UA UBI UC UE U&Es UL UO UPJ

Three Times a Day Thyroid Function Test Time Gain Compensation Total Hip Replacement Transient Ischaemic Attack Total Knee Replacement Tender Loving Care Tympanic Membrane Tempero Mandibular Joint Tubo-Ovarian Abscess Tightness of Chest Termination of Pregnancy Total Parental Nutrtion Cervcal Spine, Chest and Pelvis Xray Tonsilectomy and Adenoidectomy Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Total Shoulder Replacement To take home/away (medication) Transurethral (resection) of Prostate Total Vaginal Hysterectomy Umbilicus Upper Abdomen Unknown Basal Insufficiency Ulcerative Colitis Upper Extremity Urea and Electrolytes Upper Limb Under Observation Ureteropelvic Junction Blood test for kidney function Frquently requested after major trauma

Small, short lived stroke often recurrent

Treat only with symptom relief and nursin care, usually meaning that this is all that i needed. Ear drum

Operation on the prostate gland carried ou through the penis

UR (No) URTI US or U/S UT UTI UVJ UWSD UTWB V VA VDH VF VP VQ VSD V/S/TOP VT VUJ VUR W WBBS WBC WCC WOB Wt X X Xe XR XS Y

Unit Record (Number) Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Ultrasound Urinary Tract Urinary Tract Infection Ureterovesical Junction Under Water Seal Drainage Unable to Weight Bear Vehicular Accident Valvular Disease of the Heart Ventricular Fibrillation Ventriculo-Peritoneal (shunt) Ventilation / Pefusion (Lung Scan) Ventricular Septal Defect Vaginal suction termination of pregnancy Ventricular Tachycardia Vesicoureteric Junction Vesicoureteric Reflux Whole Body Bone Scan White Blood Cell White Cell Count Work of Breath Weight Xiphoid Xenon X-Ray Excess Fast heart beat Rapid uncoordinated heart beat usually leading to collapse, and need for defibrillation

Yttrium