Medical Terminology

A&E: accident & emergency

Ab :antibody

ABGs : arterial blood gases

ACD: anaemia of chronic disease

ACE : angiotensin converting enzyme

ACh : acetylcholine

ACL :anticardiolipin antibody

ACR :acetylcholine receptor

ACS :acute coronary syndrome

ADA: American Diabetes Association

ADH: antidiuretic hormone

ADP : adenosine 5-diphosphate

AECG: ambulatory ECG

AF ::atrial fibrillation

Ag : antigen

AIDS : acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AIHA :: autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

AKA : alcoholic ketoacidosis

ALL :: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ALP :: alkaline phosphatase

ALT:: alanine aminotransferase

AMI ::acute myocardial infarction

AML : acute myeloid leukaemia

ANA: antinuclear antibodies

ANAE :: alpha naphthyl acetate esterase

ANCA : antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody

ANF : antinuclear factor

APCR : activated protein C resistance

APL : antiphospholipid antibody

APML : acute promyelocytic leukaemia

APS antiphospholipid syndrome

APTR : activated partial thromboplastin time ratio

APTT :: activated partial thromboplastin time

ARF : acute renal failure

AT (ATIII) :: antithrombin III

ATLL : adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma

ATP : adenosine triphosphate

AXR: abdominal x-ray

BBB : blood–brain barrier

B-CLL: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

BJP: Bence-Jones protein

BM: bone marrow

BMJ: British Medical Journal

BMT: bone marrow transplant

BP: blood pressure

C1 INH : C1 esterase inhibitor

C3Nef : complement C3 nephritic factor

Ca :: carcinoma

Ca2+: calcium

CABG: coronary artery bypass graft

CAH: congenital adrenal hyperplasia

cALL: common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

CBC: complete blood count)

CCF: congestive cardiac failure

CCK: cholecystokinin

cDNA: complementary DNA

CEA: carcinoembryonic antigen

CF: cystic fibrosis or complement fixation

CHD: coronary heart disease

CJD: Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease)

CK: creatine kinase

CL: – chloride

CLL: chronic lymphocytic (‘lymphatic’) leukaemia

CML: chronic myeloid leukaemia

CMML: chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

CMV: cytomegalovirus

CNS: central nervous system

CO2: carbon dioxide

COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CPAP: continuous positive airways pressure

CREST: calcinosis, Raynaud’s syndrome, (o)esophageal motility

dysfunction, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia

CRF: chronic renal failure

CRP: C-reactive protein

CSF: cerebrospinal fluid

CT: computed tomography

CVA: cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

CVD: cardiovascular disease

CXR: chest x-ray

DAT: direct antiglobulin test

dATP: deoxy ATP

DCT: direct Coombs’ test

DDAVP: desamino D-arginyl vasopressin

DIC: disseminated intravascular coagulation

DIDMOAD: diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and

deafness

DKA: diabetic ketoacidosis

DTT: dilute thromboplastin time

DU: duodenal ulcer

DVT: deep vein thrombosis

EBV: Epstein-Barr virus

ECG: electrocardiograph

EDH: extradural haemorrhage

EDTA: ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid

EEG: electroencephalogram

ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

EMG : electromyogram

ERCP: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate

ESRD: end-stage renal disease

ET: essential thrombocythaemia

FAB: French–American–British

FACS: fluorescence-activated cell sorter

Fe: iron

FeSO4 ferrous sulphate

FIX: factor IX

fL: femtolitres

FMRI: functional MRI

FOB: faecal occult blood

FPG: fasting plasma glucose

FUO: fever of unknown origin (like PUO)

G : gram

GAD: glutamic acid decarboxylase

GT : -glutamyl transpeptidase

GBM: glomerular basement membrane

GIT: gastrointestinal tract

GPC: gastric parietal cell

G6PD: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

GPI: general paralysis of the insane

GTN: glyceryl trinitrate

GU: gastric ulcer

GvHD: graft versus host disease

H: hour

HAV: hepatitis A virus

Hb: haemoglobin

HbA: haemoglobin A )

HbA1: haemoglobin A1

HbA2: haemoglobin A2 )

HbF: haemoglobin F (fetal Hb,

HBsAg: hepatitis B surface antigen

HBV: hepatitis B virus

Hcg: human chorionic gonadotrophin

Hct: haematocrit

HCV hepatitis: C virus

HDN: haemolytic disease of the newborn

HE: hereditary elliptocytosis

HELLP: haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet

count

HIV: human immunodeficiency virus

HLA: human leucocyte antigen

HNA: heparin neutralising activity

HONK: hyperosmolar non-ketotic syndrome

HPA: human platelet antigen

HPFH: hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin

HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography

HPOA : hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy

HPP: hereditary pyropoikilocytosis

HTLV: human T-lymphotropic virus

IAGT or IAT : indirect antiglobulin test

IBS: irritable bowel syndrome

ICA: islet cell antibodies

ICH: intracranial haemorrhage

IDA: iron deficiency anaemia

IDDM: insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus

IEF: isoelectric focusing

IFG: impaired fasting glucose

IGT : impaired glucose tolerance

IHD: ischaemic heart disease

Ig: immunoglobulin

IgA: immunoglobulin A

IgD : immunoglobulin D

IgE: immunoglobulin E

IgG: immunoglobulin G

IgM: immunoglobulin M

IIF: indirect immunofluorescence

IM: intramuscular

INR: international normalized ratio

ITP: idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

ITU: intensive therapy unit

IV: intravenous

IVU: intravenous urogram

JCA: juvenile chronic arthritis

JVP: jugular venous pressure

K+: potassium

KCCT: kaolin cephalin clotting time

kDa: kiloDaltons

kg: kilogram

KUB: kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)

L: litre or left

LAP: leucocyte alkaline phosphatase (score)

LBBB: left bundle branch block

LCM: left costal margin

LDH: lactate dehydrogenase

LFTs: liver function tests

LIF: left iliac fossa

LUQ: left upper quadrant

LVF: left ventricular failure

LVH: left ventricular hypertrophy

MAG: myelin-associated glycoprotein

MAIPA: monoclonal antibody immobilisation of platelet antigens

MAOI : monoamine oxidase inhibitor

MC&S: microscopy, culture & sensitivity

MCH: mean cell haemoglobin

MCHC: mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration

MCV: mean cell volume

MDS: myelodysplastic syndrome

MELAS: myelopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and strokelike

episodes

MGUS : monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

MHC: major histocompatibility complex

MI: myocardial infarction

Min: minutes

MoAb: monoclonal antibody

MODY: maturity onset diabetes of the young

MPD: myeloproliferative disease

MPV: mean platelet volume

MRI : magnetic resonance imaging

mRNA: messenger ribonucleic acid

MS : multiple sclerosis or mass spectroscopy

MSU: mid-stream urine

MTP: metatarsophalangeal

Na+: sodium

NaCl: sodium chloride

NADP: nicotinamide adenine diphosphate

NADPH: nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (reduced)

NAP: neutrophil alkaline phosphatase

NH3: ammonia

NHL: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

NRBC: nucleated red blood cells

NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

NSTEMI : non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OA : osteoarthritis

OCP: oral contraceptive pill

OGD: oesophagogastroduodenoscopy

OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test

PACWP; pulmonary artery capillary wedge pressure

PAD: peripheral arterial disease

PAN: polyarteritis nodosa

PaO2: partial pressure of O2 in arterial blood

PAS: periodic acid-Schiff

PB: peripheral blood

PBC : primary biliary cirrhosis

PC: protein C or provocation concentration

PCH: paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria

PCI: percutaneous coronary intervention

PCL: plasma cell leukaemia

PCP: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

PCR: polymerase chain reaction

PCV: packed cell volume

PDA: patent ductus arteriosus

PE: pulmonary embolism

PEFR: peak expiratory flow rate

PET: positron emission tomography

Ph : Philadelphia chromosome

PIFT: platelet immunofluorescence test

PK: pyruvate kinase

PR: per rectum

PRL: prolactin

PRV: polycythaemia rubra vera

PS:: protein S or Parkinson’s syndrome

PSA: prostate-specific antigen

PT: prothrombin time

PV: plasma volume

RA: refractory anaemia or rheumatoid arthritis

RAS: renal angiotensin system or renal artery stenosis

RBBB: right bundle branch block

RBCs: red blood cells

RCC: red blood cell count

RDW: red cell distribution width

Rh: Rhesus

RhF: rheumatoid factor

RIA: radioimmunoassay

RiCoF: ristocetin cofactor

RIF: right iliac fossa

RIPA: ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation

RNP: ribonucleoprotein

RPGN: rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis

RT-PCR: reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

RUQ: right upper quadrant

s : seconds

SAECG: signal-averaged ECG

SAH: subarachnoid haemorrhage

SC: subcutaneous

SCA: sickle cell anaemia

SCD: sickle cell disease

SDH: subdural haemorrhage

SHBG: sex-hormone-binding globulin

SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus

SmIg: surface membrane immunoglobulin

SOB: short of breath

SOL: space-occupying lesion

SM: smooth muscle

SPECT: single photon emission computed tomography

SVC : superior vena cava

SVCO: superior vena caval obstruction

SXR: skull x-ray

T°: temperature

t1/2: half-life

T4: thyroxine

TA: temporal arteritis

TB: tuberculosis

TdT: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase

TENS: transcutaneous nerve stimulation

TFT: thyroid function test

TIAs: transient ischaemic attacks

TIBC: total iron binding capacity

TN: trigeminal neuralgia

TNF: tumour necrosis factor

TOE: transoesophageal echocardiogram

TPA: tissue plasminogen activator

TPO: thyroid peroxidase

TRAB: thyrotropin receptor antibodies

TRALI: transfusion-associated lung injury

TRAP: tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase

TSH : thyroid-stimulating hormone

TT: thrombin time

TTE: transthoracic echocardiography

TTP: thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

TXA: tranexamic acid

u/U: units

UC: ulcerative colitis

U&E: urea and electrolytes

UKPDS: United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study

URTI: upper respiratory tract infection

UTI: urinary tract infection

USS: ultrasound scan

VIII:C factor VIII clotting activity

VIP: vasoactive intestinal peptide

Vit K: vitamin K

VSD: ventricular septal defect

VTE: venous thromboembolism

vWD: von Willebrand’s disease

vWF: von Willebrand factor

vWFAg: von Willebrand factor antigen

WBC: white blood count or white blood cells

WHO: World Health Organisation

WM: Waldenstr.m’s macroglobulinaemia

XDPs: cross-linked fibrin degradation products