PHYSIOTHERAPY ABBREVIATIONS FOR MEDICAL RECORDS

Reference: New South Wales Medical Record Association Coding Guidelines for NSW Hospitals
(1993) Sydney: Author Revised by Ruth Bridger
Please note Not all symbols can be reproduced on this web copy
For medical records used by all disciplines - some examples:
AAA Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Ab Antibody
AB 6LICS Apex beat in 6th left intercostal space
Abd/Abdo Abdomen, abdominal
ABG's Arterial Blood Gases
ABND Apex beat not displaced
ABP Arterial blood pressure
ADL Activities of daily living
AE Air entry
A/E amp Above-elbow amputation
AHD Arteriosclerotic heart disease
AIDS (HIV+) Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AJ Ankle jerk
A/K amp Above-knee amputation
AKA Above-knee amputation
AMI Acute/anterior myocardial infarction
AMP Austin-Moore Prosthesis
ANS Autonomic nervous system
AO Admitting Officer
A-P Antero-posterior
ARDS Adult respiratory distress syndrome or acute respiratory distress syndrome
ASD Atrial septal defect
AVM Arteriovenous malformation
AVR Aortic value replacement
A&W Alive and well
AXR Abdominal X-ray

Bab Babinski's response (downgoing)
Ba En Barium enema
Ba Meal Barium meal
BBB bundle branch block
BBBB bilateral bundle branch block
BBS Bronchial breath sounds
B & C breathing and coughing
bd (bid) bis in die = twice daily
BEA (B/E Amp) Below-elbow amputation
BJ Biceps jerk
B/K amp or BKA Below-knee amputation
BMR Basal metabolic rate
BO Bowels opened
BP Blood pressure
Bron bronchoscopy
BS Breath sounds or bilateral salpingectomy or bowel sounds
BSCO Bilateral subcapsular orchidectomy
BSR Blood sedimentation rate
B Wt Birth weight
Bx Biopsy

C or CAL Calorie or centigrade or carbon or celsius or cervical (vertebra) or central or cholesterol
Ca Carcinoma
CABG(s) coronary artery bypass graft(s)
CAG(s) coronary artery graft (s)
CB chronic bronchitis
C&C collar and cuff
CAL chronic airway (airflow) limitation
CCF Congestive cardiac failure
CCU Coronary care unit
CDH Congenital dislocation of hip
CE or C/E Chest expansion
C&E heels Crooked and elongated heels
CNS Central nervous system
C/o, c/o Complaining of
CO Cardiac output
CO2 Carbon dioxide
COAD Chronic obstructive airways disease
COLD Chronic obstructive lung disease
COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPAP Continuous positive airways pressure
CPB Cardiopulmonary bypass
CPK Creatinine phosphokinase test
CRF Chronic renal failure or chronic respiratory failure or corticotrophin - releasing factor
C&S Culture and sensitivity (of organism)
CSF Cerebrospinal fluid
CT or CAT Computerised tomography
CTEV Congenital talipes equino-varus
CV Cardiovascular
CVA Cerebro-vascular accident
CVP Cardio venous pressure or central venous pressure
CXR Chest x-ray
D&C (D/C) Dilatation and curettage
D/C discharge
DIC Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy or coagulation
DD Differential diagnosis or disc diameter (ophthalmology)
DF dorsiflexion
DNA Did not attend/Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DOA Dead on arrival or direct occipito-anterior
DS Disseminated sclerosis
DT Delirium tremens or drain tube
D&V diarrhoea and vomiting
DVT Deep venous thrombosis
Dx Diagnosis or diathermy
DXRT Deep x-ray therapy

ECCRTLA Equal, circular, concentric, reacting to light and accommodation
ECG Electrocardiogram
EDC Estimated date of confinement
EEG Electroencephelogram
EIA Exercise induced asthma
EMG Electromyelogram also Electromyography
E/O or EO Excision of
ER external rotation
ERV Expiratory reserve volume
ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESWL External shock-wave lithotripsy
Etoh Ethanol (alcohol)
EUA Examination under anaesthetic

FBC Full blood count
FEV1 Forced Expiratory Volume (in 1 sec)
FF Flat feet
FFFT's fits, faints and funny turns
FH Family history
FHS Foetal heart sounds
FI (F/I) for investigation
FI O2 Fractional inspiration oxygen
5LICS MCL 5th left intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line
FRC Functional Residual Capacity
FS (F/S) frozen section
FTT Failure to thrive
FWB Full weight bearing

GA General anaesthetic
GB Gall Bladder
GI gastrointestinal
GIT Gastrointestinal tract
GP General practitioner
GTT Glucose tolerance test
GU Gastric ulcer
GUT Genitourinary tract
Gynae or Gyn Gynaecology

H1H2 first heart sound, second heart sound
Haem Haematology
Hb Haemoglobin
HCO
3
- Bicarbonate
HF Heart failure
HMO Honorary Medical Officer
H/o history of
HPI history of present illness
HR Hamilton-Russell traction, or heart rate
Hrly Hourly
HS Heart sounds
H/T Hypertension
Hx History

IABP (assist) Intraaortic balloon pump (assist)
ICP Intracranial pressure
ICU Intensive Care Unit
id idem = the same
IDC indwelling cathether or interupted direct current
IDDM Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
IDK Internal derangement of the knee
IHD Ischaemic Heart Disease
IMI Intramuscular injection
IP Inpatient
IPPB Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing
ISQ In status quo = the same as previously
ITU Intensive Therapy Unit
IV Intravenous
IVC Inferior vena cava
IVI Intravenous injection
IVP Intravenous pyelogram

JVP Jugular venous pressure not raised
JVP nr jugular venous pressure not raised

KCL potassium chloride
KJ Knee jerk
KK Knock knees
LAD Left axis deviation or left anterior descending (coronary artery) or lactic acid dehydrogenase
lat, Lat Lateral
LBP Low back pain
LDH Lactic acid dehydrogenase
LHF Left heart failure
LICS Left intercostal space
LIF Left iliac fossa
LL Lower limbs
LLL Left lower lobe
LLPOP Long leg plaster of Paris
LML Left middle lobe
LMND Lower motor neurone disease
LMO Local medical Officer
LOC Loss of consciousness
LP Lumbar punction or light perception (ophthalmology)
LRTI Lower respiratory tract infection
LV Left ventricle
LVF Left ventricular failure (most common) or left ventricular fibrillation
LS Liver normal, spleen normal

mane morning
MAL Midaxillary line
MAP Mean arterial pressure
MBA Motor bike accident
M-CL Midclavicular line
MCL Mid costal line or mixed leucocyte culture
MC&S Microscopy, culture and sensitivity
METCa metastatic carcinoma
MI Mitral Incompetence, Myocardial Infarct
MRI Magnetic resonance imaging
MS Mitral Stenosis, Multiple Sclerosis (neurology)
MSS Musculoskeletal system
MUA Manipulation under anaesthetic
MVA Motor vehicle accident
Mx management/medication

Na Sodium
NaCI Sodium chloride (salt)
NAD No abnormality detected, no absolute diagnosis
NBM Nil by mouth
NFO No further orders
NFR Not for resuscitation
NG Nasogastric
NIDDM Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NOAD No other abnormality detected
nocte night (at night)
NOF Neck of femur
NOK Next of kin
NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSurg Neurosurgery
NT Nasotracheal
N&T Nose and throat
n/v Nausea and vomiting
NWB Non weight bearing
NYD Not yet diagnosed

O
2
sat Oxygen saturation
OA Osteo-arthritis or occipital anterior
O/A, O/a On arrival or on admission
OE or O/E On examination, otitis externa
O&G Obstetrics and Gynaecology
OPD Outpatients Department
Op or Opn operation
ORIF open reduction and internal fixation
OT Operating theatre or old tuberculin or occupational therapy

P-A postero-anterior
PA Pressure area or pulmonary artery or pernicious anaemia
PCTA Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
PCWP Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
PD Provisional Diagnosis or Postural Drainage
PEEP Positive end respiratory pressure or pneumoencephalogram
PE (Px) Pulmonary embolus, or physical examination
PEFR Peak expiratory flow rate
PH Past history or pinhole or personal history
Physio Physiotherapy
PI Prothrombin Index, or present illness
PID Prolapsed intervertebral disc, or pelvic inflammatory disease or peripheral ischaemic disease
PMH Past Medical History
PN Percussion note
PND Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
pop Plaster of Paris
PO Post operative
pO
2
O
2
tension (mmHg) concentration in solution
P&P Pin and plate
PR Per rectum
Pre-op Pre-operative
prn Whenever necessary, pro re nata = as required
PR(RTA) Pulse rate (regular in time and amplitude)
Prog Prognosis
Pron pronation
pro tempore For the time being
PT Physiotherapy or posterior tibialis
PV Per Vaginum (or vagina)
PVD Peripheral Vascular Disease or Posterior vitreous detachment (ophthalmology)
PWB Partial weight-bearing

qh quaque hora = every hour
qid quarter in die = four times a day
qqr every 4 hours

RA Rheumatoid Arthritis or right atrium or retrograde amnesia
RBC Red Blood cell Count
Resp Respiratory, respiration
RHF Right heart failure
RLL Right lower lobe
R=L=N Right and left equal and normal
RML Right middle lobe
RMO Resident Medical Officer
R/O Removal of, or rule out
Rom Romberg sign
ROM Range of movement, restriction of movement, rotation of movement, or rupture of
membranes
RR Respiratory rate
RS Respiratory system
RTA Road traffic accident or Renal tubular acidosis
RUL Right upper lobe (respiratory) or right upper lid (ophthalmology)
Rx Treatment, prescription, recipe = take

S
1
S
2
etc First heart sound, second heart sound etc
SAH Subarachnoid haemorrhage
SAPOP Short arm plaster of Paris
SBE subacute bacterial endocarditis
SGOT Serum glutonic/glutamic oxyloacetic transaminase
SH Social History
SLPOP short leg plaster of Paris
SOB Shortness of breath
SOBOE Short of breath on exertion
SOF Shaft of femur
SOOB Sit out of bed
SPP(P) Smith-Petersen Pin/and plate
SPPS Stable plasma protein solution
SR Surgical removal (of teeth) or system review or sinus response or stimulus rhythm or
sedimentation rate or superior rectus
Staph Staphylococcus
Strep Streptococcus
SVC Superior vena cava
SVG Saphenous vein graft
SVR Sequential vascular response or systemic vascular resistance
SVT Supra ventricular tachycardia/superficial venous thrombosis
swd short wave diathermy
Sx Symptomatic, subjective data, surgery

TB or Tb tuberculosis (tubercle bacillus)
tds ter in die = three times daily
THR Total hip replacement
TIA Transient ischaemic attack
tid three times daily
TKR Total knee replacement
TJ Triceps jerk
TLC Tender loving care/Total Lung Capacity
TPN Total parenteral nutrition
TPR Temperature, pulse and respiration
TUR Trans-urethral resection (of the prostate and bladder)
TURP Trans-urethral resection of prostrate
Tx therapy, treatment

U/A Urinalysis
U & E Urea and electrolytes
UL Upper lobe
UMNL Upper motor neurone lesion
UO Urinary output
URTI Upper respiratory tract infection
US Ultra sound, ultrasonic
UTI Urinary tract infection

VEB Ventricular ectopic beats
VF Ventricular fibrillation (failure)/Vocal fremitus (Respiratory)
VFT Ventilatory Function Test
VMO Visiting Medical Officer
VP Ventriculo-peritoneal
VSD Ventricular septal defect

wbc/WBC White blood cell/count
wcc/WCC White cell count

XR X-Ray
X's Exercises


SYMBOLS
/ PER
or D disease or diagnosis
> greater than
< less than
# fracture or number
decreased (flexor-plantar response)
increased (extensor-plantar response)
F degrees Fahrenheit
C degrees Centigrade
alpha
beta
gamma
(cross) death
i (T) one tablet
ii (TT) two tablets
male
female
U microunits
g micrograms
+ve positive
-ve negative
~ approx
2/365 2 days
2/7 2 days
6/12 6 months
6/52 6 weeks
1 primary, first degree
2second degree (for example, haemorrhoids) or secondary (neoplasm)
3tertiary, third degree
= equals
Rx Treatment
therefore
because of
leading to/resulting in/revealed (check context)
10
6
one million
masses no masses
nausea no nausea