Corso di Laurea in Medicina

Golgi 1° anno

Acronyms Practice
Task: Translate the following text into English and then complete the box below with the
full wordings of the acronyms in the text. Refer to pages 9-10 of The Medical Alphabet, Vol 1.

Il paziente, M, fu ricoverato in ospedale, dopo essere stato in ER con BP di 100/60, HR 100 e RR 16. Pallido,
sudato, con un dolore toracico epigastrico che si irradiava lungo il braccio sinistro e la mandibola. Gli venne
misurata la T. Venne effettuato un esame obiettivo del CNS, ENT, CVS, RS, UGS, GIS e MSK. Subito venne
eseguito un FBC, ECG, C-XR e ABG. Sebbene si potesse pensare ad un AAA, in un paziente con CHF, affetto
da T2DM e da DU, il quadro era compatibile con una ACS, in particolare STEMI. Venne considerato
opportuno rimandare un esame come la CT o MRI, ma procedere, piuttosto, ad una rapida valutazione delle
coronarie con una PCI, per una eventuale PTCA. Questo era quanto prevedeva il protocollo elaborato dalla
ACC e dalla WHO, secondo le più recenti direttive dell’EBM.

Table of Acronyms

M: ER: BP:

HR: RR: T:

CNS: ENT: CVS:

RS: UGS: GIS:

MSK: FBC: ECG:

C-XR: ABG: AAA:

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 Corso di Laurea in Medicina
Golgi 1° anno

CHF: T2DM: DU:

ACS: STEMI: CT:

MRI: PCI: PTCA:

ACC: WHO: EBM:

CT and MRI scan the differences: Questions

1. What difference is there between the images obtained with a traditional X-ray machine and a CT scan?
2. Which way do people usually enter a scanner: feet first or head first?
3. What is the exception?
4. What is a contrast medium?
5. How is it given to the patient?
6. How many times does a patient go through the CT scanner for each scan?
7. Why is a second time necessary?
8. How long does the CT scanning/a CT scan last?
9. What does the radiographer ask the patient DURING the CT scan?
10. What’s the difference between a CT scan and an MRI scan?
11. What similarities exist between an MRI scan and a CT scan?
12. Is the MRI cylinder wider or narrower than that of a CT scanner?
13. Regarding the distinctive features of an MRI scanner ...
a) First, why are patients given a button on the end of a wire?
b) Why are you sometimes offered headphones?
c) Why must metallic objects removed?
d) What must patients do if they have a pacemaker or surgical clips in their body?
14. How long does an MRI scan last?
15. Are there any new types of MRI?
16. What does PET stand for?
17. Is this an old or new type of scanner?
18. What substance is injected?
19. Is a PET scan as good as CT or MRI scans?
20. What advantages does a PET scan have/offer?
21. Is a PET scan useful in the case of treatment for cancer?
22. Is a PET scanner wider or narrower than a CT scanner?
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 Corso di Laurea in Medicina
Golgi 1° anno

23. Is a PET scanner wider or narrower than an MRI scanner?

24. How long does it take for the radioactive substance to function?
25. How many times does a patient go through a PET scanner in a CT-PET scan?
26. Is the time taken the same for both scans?
27. Are these scans ever complementary?
28. How is the type of scan chosen by doctors?
29. What sounds do you hear in the video?
30. Did the video provide some information you did not know?