Medical Abbreviations (L-W)

Question 1

LP

Answer 1

(lumbar puncture) - AKA spinal tap. It is a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid. It is collected for analysis to diagnose meningitis, autoimmune or cancer, and can be therapeutic for increased intracranial pressure

Question 2

MRI

Answer 2

(magnetic resonance imaging) - tests that use magnetic fields and pulses radio waves to make pictures of organs and structures that cannot be seen using X-ray, ultrasound, or CT. It is used to find tumors, bleeding, injury, blood vessel disease, or infection

Question 3

NAD

Answer 3

(no apparent distress) - describes the general appearance of a patient when they present to the clinic of hospital; also sometimes “no acute distress”

Question 4

NKA

Answer 4

(no known allergies) - no documented allergies. may also be seen as NKDA (no known drug allergies)

Question 5

NPO

Answer 5

(nothing by mouth) - order given for a patient to stop them from eating or drinking by mouth. it may be used if the patient is going to have a procedure in which the cannot have anything in their bowel, if they have a bowel obstruction or other reason that nothing can be eaten or taken orally.

Question 6

PERRLA

Answer 6

(pupils equal round and reactive to light and accommodation) - documents normal function of the eye on eye exam. also used to determine if a patient may have neurological damage like a stroke

Question 7

PFT

Answer 7

(pulmonary function tests) - used to identify or quantify the degree of pulmonary impairment. it involves the complete evaluation of the respiratory system including patient history, physical examinations, chest x-ray examinations, arterial blood gas analysis and tests of pulmonary function

Question 8

PMH

Answer 8

(past medical history) - obtained from patient and patient records and includes diagnoses, chronic diseases, and in some cases surgical history

Question 9

RLQ

Answer 9

(right lower quadrant) - area of the abdomen when the abdomen is divided into 4 quadrants. Pain here my indicate appendicitis

Question 10

RRR

Answer 10

(regular rate and rhythm) - used to describe the normal heart rhythm on the cardiovascular exam

Question 11

RTC

Answer 11

(return to clinic) term used to describe when a patient should have their next follow up visit in clinic

Question 12

SH

Answer 12

(social history) - history obtained from the patient about tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use. May also include marital status, occupation, insurance status and other pertinent social information

Question 13

SOB

Answer 13

(shortness of breath) - description used by healthcare providers to describe when a patient appears out of breath. May be used in assessing level of pulmonary congestion in heart failure or reparatory difficulty in COPD patients.

Question 14

TSH

Answer 14

(thyroid stimulating hormone) - hormone produced b the anterior pituitary gland which stimulates the thyroid gland to release T4 which is a hormone required in most metabolism of all the tissues of the body.

Question 15

UA

Answer 15

(urinalysis) - Analysis of urine sample used to assess renal function status, determine if there may be a urinary tract infection or other medical concerns.

Question 16

URI

Answer 16

(upper respiratory infection) - infection of the sinuses or upper airways

Question 17

WDWN

Answer 17

(well developed, well nourished) - a description of a patient, sometimes used in the general section of the physical exam

Question 18

WNL

Answer 18

(within normal limits) - used to describe laboratory values or provider exam results when there are no abnormalities