Medical abbreviations and acronyms (A) | Radiology Reference Article | Radiopaedia.org (2024)

A

• adenine (DNA nucleotide)

• adenosine

• alanine (single letter amino acid code)

• ampere/amp (SI unit of current)

• artery

• blood type (ABO system)

• vitamin A (retinol)

A1-A5: annular pulleys

AA

• alcoholics anonymous

• alleged assault

• amino acid

• amyloid A

• anaplastic astrocytoma

• aplastic anaemia

• arachidonic acid

AAA

• abdominal aortic aneurysm

• achalasia-addisonianism-alacrima syndrome

• acute anxiety attack

• American Association of Anatomists

• anti-actin antibodies

AAC

• adenocystic carcinoma

• Advisory Appointment Committee (UK)

AACG: acute angle-closure glaucoma

AAL: anterior axillary line

AAOCA: anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery

AARF:atlantoaxial rotatory fixation

AAS

• acute aortic syndrome

• atlantoaxial subluxation

AAST:American Association for the Surgery of Trauma

AAU: acute anterior uveitis

AB

• abortion

• antibiotics

• antibody

• blood type (ABO system)

ABC

• airway, breathing, circulation

• aneurysmal bone cyst

• antigen-binding capacity

• atomic, biological, chemical (warfare)

ABER:abduction and external rotationposition

ABG: arterial blood gas

ABI

• acquired brain injury

• ankle-brachial index

ABO: a blood type system

ABPA:allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

ABPI: ankle-brachial pressure index

ABR

• American Board of Radiology

• auditory brainstem response

abs

• absent

• absolute

• muscles of the abdomen

• rectus abdominis muscle

ABx: antibiotics

AC

• abdominal circumference

• acromioclavicular (joint)

• amniocentesis

• anterior chamber

• anterior commissure

• anticoagulant

• arachnoid cyst

• ascending colon

• axillary clearance

• before meals (L: ante cibum)

Ac: actinium

ACA

• anterior cerebral artery

• anticardiolipin antibody

ACDA: anterior cervical disc arthroplasty

ACDF: anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

ACE

• acetylcholine esterase

• angiotensin-converting enzyme

  See Also

  Medical Abbreviations | Taber's Medical DictionaryA-Z List of Common Medical Abbreviations, Acronyms & DefinitionsTom Segura Net Worth: Wiki, Nationality, Family, Age (2024) - Net Worth Analysis

ACE-i:angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

ACGME: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

ACh: acetylcholine

AChE: acetylcholinesterase

ACJ:acromioclavicular joint

ACL:anterior cruciate ligament

ACLS: advanced cardiac life support

ACOAS: anomalous origin of the coronary artery arising from the opposite sinus

ACOM:anterior communicating artery

AC-PC line:anterior commissure - posterior commissure line

ACP: Amplatzer cardiac plug

ACR: American College of Radiology

ACS

• abdominal compartment syndrome

• acute coronary syndrome

• altered conscious state

ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone

ACVS: acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome

AD

• addict

• alcohol dehydrogenase

• Alzheimer disease

• antidepressant

• atopic dermatitis

• autosomal dominant

• axillary dissection

ADC

• apparent diffusion coefficient

• analogue-to-digital converter

ADDS : adult deterioration detection system

ADD-RS: aortic dissection detection risk score

ADE: antibody-dependent enhancement

ADEM:acute disseminating encephalomyelitis

ADH: antidiuretic hormone

ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ADHF: acute decompensated heart failure

ADI: atlantodental interval

ADL: activities of daily living

ADP: adenosine diphosphate

ADR: adverse drug reaction

ADRC:automatic dose rate control

ADT: androgen deprivation therapy

A&E:accident and emergency (department)

A/E: accident and emergency (department)

AE: air entry

AEC: automatic exposure control

AF

• amniotic fluid

• atrial fibrillation

AFB: acid-fast bacillus

AFCU:accessory flexor carpi ulnaris muscle

AFE: amniotic fluid embolism

AFF: atypical femoral fracture

AFH: angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma

AFI: amniotic fluid index

AFL: air flow limitation

AFP:alpha fetoprotein

AFS:allergic fungal sinusitis

AFUS: atypical follicular cells of undetermined significance

AG

• anion gap

• antiglobulin (test)

Ag

• silver (Latin: argentum)

• antigen

AGUS: atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance

A/G: albumin-globulin ratio

AI

• artificial insemination

• assisted insemination

• artificial intelligence

• autoimmune

AICA:anterior inferior cerebellar artery

AICD:automated implantable cardiac defibrillator

AIDS:acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AIHA: autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

AIIS:anterior inferior iliac spine

AIN: acute interstitial nephritis

AION: anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy

AIP:acute interstitial pneumonitis

AIP: average intensity projection

AIS:American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale

AJL: anterior junctional line

AJNR: American Journal of Neuroradiology

AJR: American Journal of Roentgenology

AKA: above knee amputation

AKOA: accelerated knee osteoarthritis

AKI:acute kidney injury

AKU: alkaptonuria

Al: aluminium

Ala: alanine

ALARA:as low as reasonably achievable

ALARP:as low as reasonably practicable

ALCAPA:anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery

ALD

• adrenoleukodystrophy

• alcoholic liver disease

ALHE:angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia

ALI

• acute limb ischaemia

• acute lung injury

ALIF: anterior lumbar interbody fusion

ALK: anaplastic lymphoma kinase

ALL

• acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

• anterior longitudinal ligament

ALND: axillary lymph node dissection

ALOC: altered level of consciousness

ALP: alkaline phosphatase

ALPSA:anterior labroligamentous periosteal sleeve avulsion

ALS

• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• advanced life support

ALT

• alanine transaminase

• anterolateral thigh free flap

• argon laser trabeculoplasty

• atypical lipomatous tumour

ALTE: acute life-threatening event

ALVAL: aseptic lymphocyte-dominant vasculitis-associated lesion

AM

• abdominal migraine

• acute marginal artery

Am: americium

AMA:

• American Medical Association

• Australian Medical Association

• advanced maternal age (obstetrics)

• antimitochondrial antibody

AmE: American English

AMI

• acute myocardial infarct

• acute mitral insufficiency

A-mode:amplitude mode (ultrasound)

AML: acute myeloid leukaemia

AMP: adenosine monophosphate or adenylic acid

AMPA:α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid

AMS: altered mental status

AMV: anterior medullary vein

AN

• acoustic neuroma

• anorexia nervosa

• aneurysm

ANA: antinuclear antibodies

anat: anatomy

ANC: acute necrotic collection

ANED: alive, no evidence of disease

ANOH: anatomic neck of humerus

Ao:aorta

AOD: atlanto-occipital dissociation injury

AOM:acute otomastoiditis

AOSD: adult-onset Still disease

AP: anterior-posterior or anteroposterior

APC: argon plasma coagulation

APHE: arterial phase hyperenhancement

APLA: antiphospholipid antibodies

APLS:antiphospholipid syndrome

APML:acute promyelocytic leukaemia

APMV:anterior pontomesencephalic vein

APO:acute pulmonary oedema

APR: abdominoperineal resection

APRV:airway pressure release ventilation

APS

• anterior perforated substance

• antiphospholipid syndrome

APSD: aortopulmonary septal defect

APT: antiplatelet therapy

APTT: activated partial thromboplastin time

APUD: amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation

APW:aortopulmonary window

AR

• anterior resection

• aortic regurgitation

• augmented reality

• autosomal recessive

Ar: argon

ARBD: alcohol-related birth defects

ARCAPA:anomalous right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery

ARDS:acute respiratory distress syndrome

ARF: acute renal failure

Arg: arginine

ARLD: alcohol-related liver disease

ARND: alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders

ARRS: American Roentgen Ray Society

ARS: American Radium Society

ART:

• antiretroviral therapy

• assisted reproductive technology

AS

• active surveillance

• ankylosing spondylitis

• aortic sclerosis

• aortic stenosis

• associate specialist (UK)

As: arsenic

ASA: acetylsalicylic acid

ASAD: arthroscopic subacromial decompression

ASAP

• as soon as possible

• atypical small acinar proliferation

ASB:anatomical snuff box

ASCVD:atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

ASD

• atrial septal defect

• autism spectrum disorder

aSDH:acute subdural haemorrhage

ASIA:American Spinal Injury Association

ASIS:anterior superior iliac spine

Asn: asparagine

ASNR: American Society of Neuroradiology

ASP triad:anorectal malformation or congenital anorectal stenosis, sacrococcygeal osseous defect, presacral mass

Asp: aspartic acid

ASPECTS:Alberta stroke program early CT score

ASR: atraumatic splenic rupture

AST: aspartate transaminase

ASUC: acute severe ulcerative colitis

AT: atrial tachycardia

At: astatine

ATA:anterior tibial artery

ATECO: auto-triggered elliptic centric-ordered (MRV)

ATG: antithymocyte globulin

ATFL:anterior talofibular ligament

ATI: attenuation imaging

ATL: anterior temporal lobectomy

ATLS: advanced trauma life support

ATOR: at time of review

ATP: adenosine triphosphate

ATRA:all-trans retinoic acid

ATRT:atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour

ATTL:anterior tibiotalar ligament

Au: gold (Latin: aurum)

AUB: abnormal uterine bleeding

AUR: acute urinary retention

AUS: atypia of undetermined significance

AV

• aortic valve

• atrioventricular

AVB: abnormal vagin*l bleeding

AVF:arteriovenous fistula

AVM:arteriovenous malformation

AVNRT: AV nodal re-entry tachycardia

AVR: aortic valve replacement

AVS: adrenal venous sampling

AVSD:atrioventricular septal defect

AWS: alcohol withdrawal scale

Axe

• axial

• axilla

AXR:abdominal X-ray

AZ: apical zone

AZT: azidothymidine (HIV drug) (a.k.a. zidovudine)