Medical Terminology: Abbreviations Q-S

Medical abbreviations that begin with Q-S are listed here.

Medical Abbreviations
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• Abbreviation: Q
  Meaning: perfusion
• Abbreviation: q
  Meaning: each, every (from Latin quaque)
• Abbreviation: q.a.d.
  Meaning: every other day (from Latin quaque altera die)
• Abbreviation: QALY
  Meaning: quality-adjusted life year
• Abbreviation: q.AM
  Meaning: every day before noon (from Latin quaque die ante meridiem)
• Abbreviation: q.d.s.
  Meaning: four times each day (from Latin quater die sumendus)
• Abbreviation: q.h.
  Meaning: each hour (from Latin quaque hora)
• Abbreviation: q.h.s.
  Meaning: every bedtime (from Latin quaque hora somni)
• Abbreviation: q.i.d.
  Meaning: four times each day (from Latin quarter in die)
  (not deprecated, but consider using "four times a day" instead. See the do-not-use list)
• Abbreviation: q.l.
  Meaning: as much as you like (from Latin quantum libet)
• Abbreviation: q.m.t.
  Meaning: every month
• Abbreviation: q.n.
  Meaning: every night
• Abbreviation: QNS; q.n.s.
  Meaning: quantity not sufficient
• Abbreviation: QOF
  Meaning: Quality and Outcomes Framework (system for payment of GPs in the UK National Health Service)
• Abbreviation: q.o.h.
  Meaning: every other hour
• Abbreviation: q.s.
  Meaning: as much as suffices (from Latin quantum satis or quantum sufficit)
• Abbreviation: qt
  Meaning: quart
• Abbreviation: q.v.
  Meaning: which see (from Latin quod vide); as much as you please (from Latin quantum vis)
• Abbreviation: q.wk.
  Meaning: weekly

• Abbreviation: RA
  Meaning: refractory anemia; rheumatoid arthritis; right atrium
• Abbreviation: RAD
  Meaning: reflex anal dilatation; right axis deviation; reactive airway disease; radiation absorbed dose
• Abbreviation: Rad hys
  Meaning: radical hysterectomy
• Abbreviation: RAE
  Meaning: right atrial enlargement

• Abbreviation: RAI
  Meaning: radioactive iodine
• Abbreviation: RAIU
  Meaning: thyroid reactive iodine uptake
• Abbreviation: RAPD
  Meaning: relative afferent pupillary defect
• Abbreviation: RAS
  Meaning: renal artery stenosis
• Abbreviation: RBBB
  Meaning: right bundle branch block
• Abbreviation: RBC
  Meaning: red blood cells, red blood count
• Abbreviation: RBE
  Meaning: relative biologic equivalent
• Abbreviation: RBLM
  Meaning: recurrent benign lymphocytic meningitis
• Abbreviation: RCA
  Meaning: right coronary artery
• Abbreviation: RCC
  Meaning: renal cell carcinoma
• Abbreviation: RCM
  Meaning: restrictive cardiomyopathy; right costal margin
• Abbreviation: RCR
  Meaning: rotator cuff repair
• Abbreviation: RCT
  Meaning: randomized controlled trial
• Abbreviation: RD
  Meaning: retinal detachment
• Abbreviation: RDS
  Meaning: respiratory distress syndrome (see also infant respiratory distress syndrome)
• Abbreviation: RDW
  Meaning: red cell distribution width
• Abbreviation: REM
  Meaning: rapid eye movement; roentgen equivalent man
• Abbreviation: RF
  Meaning: rheumatoid factor; rheumatic fever
• Abbreviation: RFLP
  Meaning: restriction fragment length polymorphism
• Abbreviation: RFT
  Meaning: renal function test
• Abbreviation: r/g/m
  Meaning: rubs/gallops/murmurs (see heart sounds)
• Abbreviation: Rh
  Meaning: rhesus factor
• Abbreviation: RHD
  Meaning: rheumatoid heart disease
• Abbreviation: RhF
  Meaning: rheumatoid factor
• Abbreviation: RIA
  Meaning: radioimmunoassay
• Abbreviation: RIBA
  Meaning: radioimmunoblotting assay
• Abbreviation: RICE
  Meaning: rest, ice, compression, and elevation (treatment for a soft tissue injury)
• Abbreviation: RIF
  Meaning: rifampin
• Abbreviation: RIMA
  Meaning: reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A
• Abbreviation: RIND
  Meaning: reversible ischemic neurologic deficit
• Abbreviation: RL
  Meaning: Ringer's lactate (that is, lactated Ringer's solution)
• Abbreviation: RLE
  Meaning: right lower extremity
• Abbreviation: RLL
  Meaning: right lower lobe (of lung)
• Abbreviation: RLN
  Meaning: recurrent laryngeal nerve; regional lymph node
• Abbreviation: RLQ
  Meaning: right lower quadrant (of abdomen)
• Abbreviation: R&M
  Meaning: Routine + microscopic (General analysis of urine)
• Abbreviation: RML
  Meaning: right middle lobe (of lung)
• Abbreviation: RN
  Meaning: registered nurse
• Abbreviation: RNA
  Meaning: ribonucleic acid
• Abbreviation: RNP
  Meaning: ribonucleoprotein
• Abbreviation: RNV
  Meaning: radionuclear ventriculography
• Abbreviation: ROM
  Meaning: range of motion
• Abbreviation: rupture of membranes
• Abbreviation: R/O
  Meaning: rule out
• Abbreviation: ROA
  Meaning: right occipital anterior (see childbirth)
• Abbreviation: ROM
  Meaning: range of motion
• Abbreviation: ROP
  Meaning: right occipital posterior (see childbirth); retinopathy of prematurity
• Abbreviation: ROS
  Meaning: review of systems
• Abbreviation: ROSC
  Meaning: return of spontaneous circulation
• Abbreviation: RPGN
  Meaning: rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis
• Abbreviation: RPR
  Meaning: rapid plasma reagin test
• Abbreviation: RR
  Meaning: respiratory rate; blood pressure measured with a specific sphygmomanometer; relative risk
• Abbreviation: RRR
  Meaning: regular rate and rhythm (see pulse)
• Abbreviation: RS cell
  Meaning: Reed-Sternberg cell
• Abbreviation: RSI
  Meaning: rapid sequence induction
• Abbreviation: RSV
  Meaning: respiratory syncytial virus
• Abbreviation: RT
  Meaning: respiratory therapy; reverse transcriptase
• Abbreviation: RT-PCR
  Meaning: reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
• Abbreviation: RTA
  Meaning: renal tubal acidosis
• Abbreviation: RTC
  Meaning: return to clinic (appointment for outpatient for next medical examination)
• Abbreviation: RTS
  Meaning: Revised Trauma Score
• Abbreviation: RUE
  Meaning: right upper extremity
• Abbreviation: RUL
  Meaning: right upper lobe (of lung)
• Abbreviation: RUQ
  Meaning: right upper quadrant (see also regions of the abdomen)
• Abbreviation: RV
  Meaning: residual volume; right ventricle
• Abbreviation: RVAD
  Meaning: right ventricular assist device
• Abbreviation: RVF
  Meaning: right ventricular failure
• Abbreviation: RVH
  Meaning: right ventricular hypertrophy
• Abbreviation: RVR
  Meaning: rapid ventricular rate (tachycardia)
• Abbreviation: RVSP
  Meaning: right ventricular systolic pressure
• Abbreviation: RVT
  Meaning: renal vein thrombosis
• Abbreviation: Rx or ℞ or Rx
  Meaning: (R with crossed tail) medical prescription or prescription drug
• Abbreviation: RXN
  Meaning: reaction

• Abbreviation: s
  Meaning: without (s with a bar over it) (from Middle English sans, borrowed from Old French sans, Latin sine)
• Abbreviation: S
  Meaning: sacrum
• Abbreviation: Sx
  Meaning: symptoms
• Abbreviation: S1
  Meaning: first heart sound
• Abbreviation: S2
  Meaning: second heart sound
• Abbreviation: S3
  Meaning: third heart sound
• Abbreviation: S4
  Meaning: fourth heart sound
• Abbreviation: S&O
  Meaning: salpingo-oophorectomy
• Abbreviation: SA
  Meaning: sinoatrial node
• Abbreviation: SAAG
  Meaning: serum-ascites albumin gradient
• Abbreviation: SAB
  Meaning: staphylococcal bacteremia; spontaneous abortion (that is, miscarriage)
• Abbreviation: SAH
  Meaning: subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Abbreviation: SAM
  Meaning: systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve
• Abbreviation: SAN
  Meaning: sinoatrial node
• Abbreviation: SAPS II
  Meaning: simplified acute physiology score
• Abbreviation: SAPS III
  Meaning: simplified acute physiology score
• Abbreviation: SARS
  Meaning: severe acute respiratory syndrome
• Abbreviation: SB
  Meaning: small bowel (see small intestine)
• Abbreviation: SBE
  Meaning: subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Abbreviation: SBFT
  Meaning: small bowel follow through
• Abbreviation: SBMA
  Meaning: Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy
• Abbreviation: SBO
  Meaning: small bowel obstruction
• Abbreviation: SBP
  Meaning: systolic blood pressure; spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
• Abbreviation: s.c.
  Meaning: subcutaneous (from Latin subcutis)
• Abbreviation: SCA
  Meaning: Spinocerebellar ataxia
• Abbreviation: SCC
  Meaning: squamous cell carcinoma
• Abbreviation: SCD
  Meaning: Sudden Cardiac Death; Sequential Compression Devices; Sickle Cell Disease
• Abbreviation: SCLC
  Meaning: small cell lung cancer
• Abbreviation: SCID
  Meaning: severe combined immunodeficiency
• Abbreviation: SCIWORA
  Meaning: spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality
• Abbreviation: scope
  Meaning: microscope or endoscope
• Abbreviation: S.D.
  Meaning: subdermal
• Abbreviation: SD; σ
  Meaning: standard deviation
• Abbreviation: SDH
  Meaning: subdural hematoma
• Abbreviation: SDTI
  Meaning: suspected deep tissue injury
• Abbreviation: Sed
  Meaning: sedimentation (rate) (see erythrocyte sedimentation rate)
• Abbreviation: SEE
  Meaning: syphilis elimination effort
• Abbreviation: Segs
  Meaning: segmented cells
• Abbreviation: SEM
  Meaning: systolic ejection murmur (see heart murmur)
• Abbreviation: SERM
  Meaning: selective estrogen receptor modulator
• Abbreviation: SERT
  Meaning: serotonin transporter
• Abbreviation: SFA
  Meaning: superficial femoral artery; serum folic acid
• Abbreviation: SGA
  Meaning: small for gestational age
• Abbreviation: SG cath
  Meaning: Swan-Ganz catheter (see pulmonary artery catheter)
• Abbreviation: SGOT
  Meaning: serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
• Abbreviation: SGPT
  Meaning: serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase
• Abbreviation: SH
• Abbreviation: SH_x
  Meaning: social history (personal habits, living situation, job)
• Abbreviation: SHBG
  Meaning: sex hormone-binding globulin
• Abbreviation: shob
  Meaning: shortness of breath (see dyspnea)
• Abbreviation: SHx
  Meaning: surgical history
• Abbreviation: SI
  Meaning: International System of Units; suicidal ideation; seriously ill; sacroiliac (joint)
• Abbreviation: SIADH
  Meaning: syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone
• Abbreviation: SICU
  Meaning: surgical intensive care unit
• Abbreviation: SIBO
  Meaning: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
• Abbreviation: SIDS
  Meaning: sudden infant death syndrome
• Abbreviation: SIL
  Meaning: squamous intraepithelial lesion
• Abbreviation: SIMV
  Meaning: synchronized intermittent mechanical ventilation
• Abbreviation: si op. sit
  Meaning: if needed (from Latin si opus sit)
• Abbreviation: SIT
  Meaning: stress inoculation training (see posttraumatic stress disorder)
• Abbreviation: SJS
  Meaning: Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• Abbreviation: SK
  Meaning: streptokinase
• Abbreviation: sl
  Meaning: sublingual
• Abbreviation: SLE
  Meaning: systemic lupus erythematosus
• Abbreviation: SLEV
  Meaning: St. Louis virus
• Abbreviation: SLN
  Meaning: sentinel node biopsy
• Abbreviation: SLR
  Meaning: straight leg raise (see Lasègue's sign)
• Abbreviation: SLL
  Meaning: small lymphocytic lymphoma
• Abbreviation: SLP
  Meaning: Speech-Language Pathologist
• Abbreviation: SM
  Meaning: multiple sclerosis (from Latin sclerosis multiplex); submucosal
• Abbreviation: SMA
  Meaning: sequential multiple analysis; superior mesenteric artery; spinal muscle atrophy
• Abbreviation: SMA-6
  Meaning: six-channel serum multiple analysis
• Abbreviation: SMA-7
  Meaning: serum metabolic assay
• Abbreviation: SMS
  Meaning: senior medical student
• Abbreviation: SMT
  Meaning: spinal manipulative therapy
• Abbreviation: SMV
  Meaning: superior mesenteric vein
• Abbreviation: SN
  Meaning: student nurse
• Abbreviation: SNB
  Meaning: sentinel node biopsy (ductal carcinoma)
• Abbreviation: SNP
  Meaning: sodium nitroprusside; single nucleotide polymorphism
• Abbreviation: SNRI
  Meaning: serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor
• Abbreviation: SNV
  Meaning: sin nombre virus (the most common type of hantavirus)
• Abbreviation: SO
  Meaning: salpingo-oophoritis
• Abbreviation: SOAP
  Meaning: subjective, objective, assessment, plan (how physicians’ notes may be organized)
• Abbreviation: SOB
  Meaning: shortness of breath (see dyspnea)
• Abbreviation: SOBOE
  Meaning: shortness of breath on exertion
• Abbreviation: SOL
  Meaning: space occupying lesion
• Abbreviation: Sol
  Meaning: solution
• Abbreviation: SOOB
  Meaning: send out of bed
• Abbreviation: SOS
  Meaning: if needed (from Latin si opus sit)
• Abbreviation: SP; s/p
  Meaning: status post
• Abbreviation: SPE
  Meaning: streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin
• Abbreviation: Spec
  Meaning: specimen
• Abbreviation: SPECT
  Meaning: single photon emission computed tomography
• Abbreviation: SPEP
  Meaning: serum protein electrophoresis
• Abbreviation: SPET
  Meaning: single photon emission tomography
• Abbreviation: Sp. fl.
  Meaning: spinal fluid (see cerebrospinal fluid)
• Abbreviation: Sp. gr.
  Meaning: specific gravity
• Abbreviation: SQ; sq
  Meaning: subcutaneous
• Abbreviation: SR
  Meaning: slow release (see also Time Release Technology (medicine))
• Abbreviation: SROM
  Meaning: spontaneous rupture of membranes
• Abbreviation: SRS
  Meaning: stereotactic radiotherapy
• Abbreviation: SS
  Meaning: Hemoglobin SS (HbSS) (see in sickle-cell disease = SS disease); subserosal
• Abbreviation: S/S
  Meaning: signs & symptoms
• Abbreviation: SSC
  Meaning: secondary sex characteristics
• Abbreviation: SSKI
  Meaning: potassium iodide solution
• Abbreviation: SSPE
  Meaning: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
• Abbreviation: ssRNA
  Meaning: single-stranded RNA
• Abbreviation: SSRI
  Meaning: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
• Abbreviation: SSSS
  Meaning: staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
• Abbreviation: SSS
  Meaning: sick sinus syndrome
• Abbreviation: ST
  Meaning: heat stable; speech therapy
• Abbreviation: Staph.
  Meaning: Staphylococcus
• Abbreviation: STD
  Meaning: sexually transmitted disease
• Abbreviation: stat
  Meaning: immediately (from Latin statim)
• Abbreviation: STEC
  Meaning: Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (another name for enterohemorrhagic E. coli)
• Abbreviation: STEMI
  Meaning: ST elevation myocardial infarction
• Abbreviation: STH
  Meaning: somatotropic hormone
• Abbreviation: STI
  Meaning: sexually transmitted infection; soft tissue injury
• Abbreviation: STNR
  Meaning: symmetrical tonic neck reflex
• Abbreviation: STOP
  Meaning: Surgical termination of pregnancy (sometimes suction termination of pregnancy)
• Abbreviation: Strep.; Strepto.
  Meaning: Streptococcus
• Abbreviation: STS
  Meaning: serological test for syphilis
• Abbreviation: Subq
  Meaning: subcutaneous
• Abbreviation: Supp
  Meaning: suppository
• Abbreviation: SUV
  Meaning: Standardized Uptake Value—when used in positron emission tomography (PET) cancer scans—any lesion seen on a scan with a SUV of more than 3 indicates metabolic activity
• Abbreviation: SV
  Meaning: seminal vesicle; stroke volume
• Abbreviation: SVC
  Meaning: superior vena cava
• Abbreviation: SVD
  Meaning: spontaneous vaginal delivery; simple vertex delivery
• Abbreviation: SVI
  Meaning: systemic viral infection
• Abbreviation: SVN
  Meaning: small volume nebulizer
• Abbreviation: SVR
  Meaning: systemic vascular resistance
• Abbreviation: SVT
  Meaning: supraventricular tachycardia
• Abbreviation: SW
  Meaning: Sturge-Weber syndrome
• Abbreviation: Sx
  Meaning: surgery; symptoms
• Abbreviation: SXA
  Meaning: single energy X-ray absorptiometer
• Abbreviation: SXR
  Meaning: skull x-ray
• Abbreviation: Sz
  Meaning: seizure

Medical Abbreviations
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