Medical abbreviations and acronyms (A)
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- updated 10 May 2022:
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This article contains a list of commonly used medical abbreviations and acronyms that start with the letter A and may be encountered in medicine and radiology (please keep both the main list and any sublists in alphabetic order).
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L -M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - misc
- 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
- alleged assault
- alcoholics anonymous
- 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
- 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 rotation position
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- AG
- anion gap
- antiglobulin (test)
- Ag
- silver (Latin: argentum)
- antigen
- 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
- ALIF: anterior lumbar interbody fusion
- ALK: anaplastic lymphoma kinase
- ALL
- ALND: axillary lymph node dissection
- ALOC: altered level of consciousness
- ALP: alkaline phosphatase
- ALPSA: anterior labroligamentous periosteal sleeve avulsion
- ALS
- 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
- Am: americium
- AMA:
- American Medical Association
- Australian Medical Association
- advanced maternal age (obstetrics)
- antimitochondrial antibody
- AmE: American English
- AMI
- A-mode: amplitude mode (ultrasound)
- 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
- ANA: antinuclear antibodies
- anat: anatomy
- 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
- 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
- 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
- autistic 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
- AV
- AVB: abnormal vaginal bleeding
- AVF: arteriovenous fistula
- AVM: arteriovenous malformation
- AVNRT: AV nodal re-entry tachycardia
- AVR: aortic valve replacement
- AVSD: atrioventricular septal defect
- AWS: alcohol withdrawal scale
- Axe
- AXR: abdominal X-ray
- AZ: apical zone
- AZT: azidothymidine (HIV drug) (a.k.a. zidovudine)
- +<li>APHE: <a title="arterial phase hyperenhancement" href="/articles/arterial-phase-hyperenhancement">arterial phase hyperenhancement</a>
- +</li>
-<li>AWS: <a title="alcohol withdrawal scale" href="/articles/alcohol-withdrawal-scale">alcohol withdrawal scale</a>- +<li>AWS: <a href="/articles/alcohol-withdrawal-scale">alcohol withdrawal scale</a>
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