Laboratory Test Abbreviations
135 abbreviations · part of Medical Abbreviations
Abbreviations for blood, urine and other laboratory tests as they appear on order sets, patient portals and lab reports, from routine panels such as the CBC and BMP to coagulation, liver, lipid, blood gas, microbiology and blood bank testing. Reference ranges quoted on these pages are typical adult values given for orientation only: they vary by laboratory, analytical method, age, sex and pregnancy, so results should always be read against the range printed on the report and interpreted by a clinician.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 25(OH)D | 25-hydroxyvitamin D | Main circulating form of vitamin D and the standard test of vitamin D status, reported in ng/mL in the US or nmol/L elsewhere. |
| A1C | A1C test (hemoglobin A1c) | Plain-language name of the hemoglobin A1c blood test, used by the American Diabetes Association, the CDC and most patient materials. |
| ABG | Arterial blood gas | Blood drawn from an artery, usually the radial artery at the wrist, to measure pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)… |
| ABO | ABO blood group system | Classifies blood into groups A, B, AB and O according to antigens on red cells and the matching antibodies in plasma. |
| ACT | Activated clotting time | Bedside whole-blood clotting test used to monitor high-dose heparin during cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiac catheterization, ECMO and vascular surgery, where heparin… |
| AFB | Acid-fast bacilli | Mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which resist decolorization by acid-alcohol after staining, and the smear and culture tests that look for them. |
| AG | Anion gap | Calculated value (sodium minus the sum of chloride and bicarbonate) that estimates unmeasured anions in the blood. |
| Alb | Albumin | Most abundant plasma protein, made by the liver, which maintains oncotic pressure and carries calcium, hormones, bilirubin and many drugs. |
| ALC | Absolute lymphocyte count | Number of lymphocytes per microliter, derived from the WBC and the lymphocyte percentage on the differential. |
| ALP | Alkaline phosphatase | Enzyme produced mainly by the liver's bile ducts and by bone-forming cells, with smaller amounts from placenta and intestine. |
| ALT | Alanine aminotransferase | The most liver-specific routine enzyme, released when liver cells are injured by viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, alcohol, medications or reduced blood flow. |
| ANA | Antinuclear antibody | Screening test for autoantibodies against components of the cell nucleus, used when lupus, Sjogren syndrome, scleroderma or other connective tissue diseases are… |
| ANC | Absolute neutrophil count | Number of neutrophils per microliter, calculated as the total WBC multiplied by the combined percentage of mature neutrophils and bands. |
| anti-CCP | Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody | Autoantibody test with high specificity, around 95 percent, for rheumatoid arthritis, used alongside rheumatoid factor in the workup of inflammatory arthritis. |
| Anti-Xa | Anti-factor Xa assay | Chromogenic test that measures how strongly a patient's plasma inhibits factor Xa, used to quantify heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin and, with drug-specific… |
| ApoB | Apolipoprotein B | Main structural protein of LDL, VLDL, intermediate-density lipoprotein and Lp(a) particles, with exactly one molecule per particle, so the level counts atherogenic… |
| aPTT | Activated partial thromboplastin time | The PTT performed with a contact activator such as silica, kaolin or ellagic acid, which shortens and standardizes clotting times to roughly 25 to 35 seconds. |
| ASO | Antistreptolysin O | Antibody titer against streptolysin O, a toxin made by group A streptococci, used as evidence of a recent strep infection when acute rheumatic fever or… |
| AST | Aspartate aminotransferase | Enzyme found in liver, heart, skeletal muscle, kidney and red blood cells, so a raised level is less specific for the liver than ALT. |
| BCx | Blood cultures | Bottles of blood incubated to detect bacteria or fungi in the bloodstream, drawn when sepsis, endocarditis or line infection is suspected. |
| BE | Base excess | Blood gas value expressing how much acid or base would be needed to return blood to pH 7.40 at a PCO2 of 40 mmHg and body temperature, isolating the metabolic part of… |
| BG | Blood glucose | General term for the sugar level in blood, used for laboratory results and especially for fingerstick meter or continuous glucose monitor readings. |
| BMP | Basic metabolic panel | Group of eight blood chemistry tests: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate (reported as CO2), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose and calcium. |
| BUN | Blood urea nitrogen | Measures the nitrogen in urea, the waste product the liver makes from protein breakdown and the kidneys excrete. |
| C&S | Culture and sensitivity | Laboratory process that grows microorganisms from a specimen such as urine, blood, sputum or wound fluid, identifies them and tests which antibiotics inhibit them. |
| Ca | Calcium | The most abundant metal in the human body, calcium (atomic number 20) stiffens bones and teeth as calcium phosphate and triggers muscle contraction and nerve signaling. |
| CAP | College of American Pathologists | Professional organization of board-certified pathologists whose Laboratory Accreditation Program inspects and accredits thousands of laboratories worldwide. |
| CBC | Complete blood count | The most frequently ordered blood test, a CBC counts and sizes the three cell lines in a tube of blood: white cells, red cells (with hemoglobin, hematocrit and red cell… |
| CBC w/ diff | Complete blood count with differential | Extends the basic CBC by breaking the white cell count into its five normal types (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils) and flagging immature… |
| Chem 7 | Seven-test chemistry panel | Hospital shorthand for the seven core chemistries: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, BUN, creatinine and glucose. |
| CK | Creatine kinase | Enzyme concentrated in skeletal muscle, heart muscle and brain that leaks into the blood when muscle is damaged. |
| CK-MB | Creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme | Heart-predominant form of creatine kinase that rises 3 to 6 hours after a heart attack, peaks around 24 hours and returns to normal within about two to three days. |
| Cl | Chloride | Major anion in the fluid outside cells, normally about 96 to 106 mEq/L, that tends to move with sodium. |
| CLIA | Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments | US federal law of 1988 setting quality standards for every laboratory that tests human specimens for diagnosis, prevention or treatment, from hospital labs to physician… |
| CMP | Comprehensive metabolic panel | Fourteen-test chemistry panel combining the eight BMP tests with albumin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST and total bilirubin. |
| CO2 | Total carbon dioxide (serum bicarbonate) | On a BMP or CMP, the line labeled CO2 measures the total carbon dioxide content of serum, roughly 95 percent of which is bicarbonate, so it effectively reports… |
| CPK | Creatine phosphokinase | Traditional name for creatine kinase, still used on many US order sets and in conversation, especially when discussing rhabdomyolysis or statin muscle side effects. |
| Cr | Creatinine | Waste product of creatine phosphate metabolism in muscle that is filtered by the kidneys at a fairly steady rate, making serum creatinine the standard blood marker of… |
| CrCl | Creatinine clearance | Rate at which creatinine is removed from the blood, either measured with a timed 24-hour urine collection or estimated with the Cockcroft-Gault equation (1976) from… |
| CRP | C-reactive protein | Acute-phase protein made by the liver in response to interleukin-6 during infection, inflammation or tissue injury. |
| CSF | Cerebrospinal fluid | Clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, sampled by lumbar puncture and analyzed for cell count, glucose, protein, Gram stain, culture and molecular tests. |
| DAT | Direct antiglobulin test | Detects antibodies or complement already attached to a patient's red blood cells by adding antihuman globulin reagent and looking for agglutination. |
| DBili | Direct bilirubin | Water-soluble, conjugated form of bilirubin processed by the liver, normally no more than about 0.3 mg/dL. |
| dsDNA | Anti-double-stranded DNA antibody | Autoantibody highly specific for systemic lupus erythematosus, positive in roughly 60 to 70 percent of people with the disease. |
| EDTA | Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid | Chelating agent that wraps around metal ions such as calcium, magnesium, iron and lead, holding them tightly in solution. |
| eGFR | Estimated glomerular filtration rate | Calculated estimate of how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, derived from serum creatinine (and sometimes cystatin C) plus age and sex and reported in… |
| ELISA | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay | Plate-based test that detects and measures a protein, antibody or hormone by capturing it with antibodies and adding an enzyme that turns a substrate colored in… |
| ESR | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate | Distance in millimeters that red cells fall through a vertical column of anticoagulated blood in one hour. |
| FBC | Full blood count | British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand name for the complete blood count, the routine test of red cells, white cells, hemoglobin and platelets. |
| FBS | Fasting blood sugar | Blood glucose measured after at least eight hours without calories, used to screen for and diagnose diabetes. |
| FDP | Fibrin degradation products | Fragments released when plasmin breaks down fibrin and fibrinogen, measured in the workup of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and other states of… |
| FLP | Fasting lipid panel | Lipid profile drawn after a 9- to 12-hour fast, reporting total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides and calculated LDL (with VLDL and non-HDL on many reports). |
| FT4 | Free thyroxine | Unbound, active portion of thyroxine (T4), the main hormone secreted by the thyroid, with typical values around 0.8 to 1.8 ng/dL. |
| GFR | Glomerular filtration rate | Volume of plasma filtered by the glomeruli of both kidneys per minute, the best overall measure of kidney function. |
| GGT | Gamma-glutamyl transferase | Liver and biliary enzyme that rises with bile duct obstruction, cholestasis, alcohol use and enzyme-inducing drugs such as phenytoin and carbamazepine. |
| H&H | Hemoglobin and hematocrit | Shorthand for ordering or reporting hemoglobin and hematocrit together, often repeatedly to watch for bleeding after surgery, trauma or a gastrointestinal bleed. |
| Hb | Hemoglobin | Standard scientific symbol for hemoglobin, used in research writing and in the names of hemoglobin variants: HbA (normal adult), HbA2, HbF (fetal), HbS (sickle) and HbC. |
| HbA1c | Hemoglobin A1c (glycated hemoglobin) | Percentage of hemoglobin with glucose permanently attached, reflecting average blood sugar over the previous two to three months, the lifespan of red cells. |
| hCG | Human chorionic gonadotropin | Hormone produced by the placenta's trophoblast cells soon after implantation and detected by all pregnancy tests. |
| HCO3 | Bicarbonate | Main buffer of the blood, keeping pH in range by absorbing excess acid; normal serum levels are about 22 to 28 mEq/L. |
| Hct | Hematocrit | Percentage of blood volume made up of red cells, about 41 to 50 percent in adult men and 36 to 44 percent in adult women. |
| HDL | High-density lipoprotein (cholesterol) | Cholesterol carried in HDL particles, called "good cholesterol" because HDL transports cholesterol from tissues back to the liver. |
| HFP | Hepatic function panel | Standard US liver panel billed under CPT 80076, containing albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, ALT and AST. |
| Hgb | Hemoglobin | Oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells, reported in grams per deciliter and used as the main measure of anemia. |
| hs-CRP | High-sensitivity C-reactive protein | Assay that measures very low CRP concentrations to estimate cardiovascular risk in people without obvious inflammation. |
| iCa | Ionized calcium | Free, biologically active calcium in blood, about half of the total, measured directly by ion-selective electrode on blood gas and critical care analyzers. |
| INR | International normalized ratio | Standardized form of the prothrombin time, calculated so results are comparable between laboratories regardless of reagent. |
| K | Potassium | Potassium is element 19, a soft alkali metal that reacts with water vigorously enough to ignite the released hydrogen with a lilac flame. |
| LDH | Lactate dehydrogenase | Enzyme present in nearly every tissue that converts pyruvate to lactate; high blood levels signal cell damage or rapid cell turnover. |
| LDL | Low-density lipoprotein (cholesterol) | Cholesterol carried in LDL particles, often called "bad cholesterol" because it builds up in artery walls and drives atherosclerosis. |
| LE | Leukocyte esterase | Enzyme released by neutrophils that the urine dipstick detects as a sign of white cells in the urine (pyuria). |
| LFT | Liver function tests | Group of blood tests used to screen for and monitor liver disease, typically ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, GGT, bilirubin and albumin, sometimes with the PT/INR. |
| LIS | Laboratory information system | Software that manages laboratory orders, specimen labeling and tracking, instrument interfaces, quality control, result validation and reporting. |
| Lytes | Electrolytes | Informal clinical clipping of "electrolytes", meaning sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate and often magnesium and phosphorus as well. |
| MCH | Mean corpuscular hemoglobin | Average mass of hemoglobin inside each red cell, about 27 to 33 picograms in adults. |
| MCHC | Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration | Concentration of hemoglobin within a given volume of packed red cells, normally about 32 to 36 g/dL. |
| MCV | Mean corpuscular volume | Average size of red blood cells, reported in femtoliters with a typical range of about 80 to 100 fL. |
| Mg | Magnesium | Essential mineral for nerve conduction, muscle contraction and heart rhythm, with a typical serum range of about 1.7 to 2.2 mg/dL. |
| MPV | Mean platelet volume | Average size of circulating platelets, reported in femtoliters alongside the platelet count. |
| Na | Sodium | Sodium is the soft alkali metal with atomic number 11 that reacts violently with water. |
| NAAT | Nucleic acid amplification test | Umbrella term for molecular tests that amplify DNA or RNA to detect pathogens, including PCR, transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) and loop-mediated isothermal… |
| NH3 | Ammonia | Blood ammonia, a nitrogen waste product normally converted to urea by the liver, is measured when hepatic encephalopathy, a urea cycle disorder, Reye syndrome or… |
| non-HDL-C | Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol | Total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol, capturing all cholesterol in atherogenic particles (LDL, VLDL, intermediate-density lipoprotein and Lp(a)). |
| O&P | Ova and parasites | Microscopic examination of stool for helminth eggs (ova), larvae and protozoa such as Giardia and Entamoeba. |
| Osm | Osmolality | Concentration of dissolved particles per kilogram of water in serum or urine, measured by freezing-point depression. |
| PaCO2 | Partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide | Pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood, normally 35 to 45 mmHg, and the direct measure of how well alveolar ventilation clears CO2. |
| PaO2 | Partial pressure of arterial oxygen | Pressure exerted by oxygen dissolved in arterial blood, measured on an arterial blood gas and normally about 80 to 100 mmHg in healthy adults breathing room air at sea… |
| PBS | Peripheral blood smear | A drop of blood spread thinly on a glass slide, stained (commonly with Wright-Giemsa) and examined under the microscope by a technologist, hematologist or pathologist. |
| PCR | Polymerase chain reaction | Laboratory method that copies a chosen stretch of DNA millions to billions of times by repeatedly heating and cooling a sample with primers, nucleotides and a… |
| PCT | Procalcitonin | Precursor of the hormone calcitonin that rises sharply in the blood during bacterial infection and much less with viral illness. |
| Phos | Phosphorus (serum phosphate) | Serum inorganic phosphate, reported as phosphorus, with an adult range of about 2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL and higher normal values in growing children. |
| Plt | Platelet count | Number of platelets (thrombocytes) per microliter of blood, normally about 150,000 to 450,000. |
| POCT | Point-of-care testing | Laboratory tests performed at or near the patient rather than in a central lab, such as fingerstick glucose, urine dipsticks, pregnancy tests, INR meters, rapid strep… |
| PSA | Prostate-specific antigen | Protein made by the prostate gland and measured in blood to screen for and monitor prostate cancer. |
| PT | Prothrombin time | Clotting test measuring how many seconds plasma takes to clot after tissue factor and calcium are added, typically about 11 to 13.5 seconds. |
| PT/INR | Prothrombin time with international normalized ratio | Standard order and report pairing in which the laboratory returns the clotting time in seconds alongside its normalized ratio. |
| PTT | Partial thromboplastin time | Clotting test of the intrinsic and common pathways (factors XII, XI, IX, VIII, X, V, II and fibrinogen), measured in seconds. |
| QNS | Quantity not sufficient | Laboratory comment indicating that a specimen did not contain enough volume to perform the requested test, so a new sample must be collected. |
| RADT | Rapid antigen detection test | Point-of-care test that detects pathogen proteins in a swab within about 10 to 15 minutes, used for group A streptococcal pharyngitis, influenza, RSV and COVID-19. |
| RBC | Red blood cell count | Counts erythrocytes per microliter of blood, typically about 4.7 to 6.1 million in adult men and 4.2 to 5.4 million in adult women. |
| RDW | Red cell distribution width | Measures variation in red blood cell size (anisocytosis), usually reported as a coefficient of variation with a reference range around 11.5 to 14.5 percent. |
| Retic | Reticulocyte count | Measures immature red blood cells newly released from the bone marrow, usually 0.5 to 2.5 percent of red cells in adults. |
| RF | Rheumatoid factor | Autoantibody, usually IgM, directed against the Fc portion of IgG and found in about 70 to 80 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis. |
| RFP | Renal function panel | Chemistry panel billed under CPT 80069 that bundles albumin, calcium, bicarbonate, chloride, creatinine, glucose, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and BUN. |
| Rh | Rhesus (D antigen) | Blood bank shorthand for the RhD antigen on red cells; people who carry it are Rh positive and those who lack it are Rh negative. |
| RI | Reference interval | Range of results expected in healthy people, conventionally the central 95 percent of values (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) from a reference population. |
| RPR | Rapid plasma reagin | Nontreponemal syphilis test that detects antibodies to cardiolipin released during infection, reported as reactive or nonreactive with a titer such as 1:32. |
| SG | Specific gravity | Urine density compared with water, estimating how concentrated the urine is; typical values range from about 1.005 to 1.030. |
| SGOT | Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase | Older name for the enzyme now called AST, still printed on lab reports in parts of South Asia, the Middle East and Latin America and in older medical literature. |
| SGPT | Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase | Older name for ALT, the liver-specific enzyme, still common on laboratory printouts in India, Pakistan and other countries and in many patient discussions online. |
| SPEP | Serum protein electrophoresis | Separates serum proteins by electrical charge into albumin and alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and gamma globulin bands. |
| SST | Serum separator tube | Blood collection tube, typically with a gold or red-and-gray "tiger" top, containing a clot activator and a gel that forms a barrier between serum and cells after… |
| T&C | Type and crossmatch | Blood bank order that performs a type and screen and then tests specific donor red cell units against the patient's plasma, reserving them for that patient. |
| T&S | Type and screen | Blood bank order that determines the patient's ABO group and Rh(D) type and screens the plasma for unexpected red cell antibodies. |
| TAT | Turnaround time | Time from a test order or specimen collection until the result is available, a key laboratory performance measure. |
| TBili | Total bilirubin | Sum of unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin, the yellow pigment produced when red cells break down hemoglobin. |
| TC | Total cholesterol | Sum of cholesterol carried in all lipoproteins (LDL, HDL and VLDL), reported first on a standard lipid panel. |
| TDM | Therapeutic drug monitoring | Measuring drug concentrations in blood to keep levels effective but safe, mainly for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows such as vancomycin, aminoglycosides, digoxin… |
| TFT | Thyroid function tests | Umbrella term for the blood tests that assess the thyroid: TSH, free T4 and sometimes free or total T3, with thyroid antibodies added when autoimmune disease is… |
| TG | Triglycerides | Main form of fat stored in the body and carried in the blood by VLDL and chylomicrons. |
| TIBC | Total iron-binding capacity | Measures how much iron the blood's transferrin could carry if fully saturated, giving an indirect estimate of transferrin level. |
| TP | Total protein | Combined concentration of albumin and globulins in serum, normally about 6.0 to 8.3 g/dL and reported on every comprehensive metabolic panel. |
| TSAT | Transferrin saturation | Percentage of transferrin's iron-binding sites occupied, calculated as serum iron divided by TIBC, multiplied by 100. |
| TSH | Thyroid-stimulating hormone | Pituitary hormone that drives thyroid hormone production, and the most sensitive single blood test for thyroid function. |
| TT | Thrombin time | Measures how long plasma takes to clot after thrombin is added, testing only the final step of coagulation: conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. |
| U&E | Urea and electrolytes | Routine British and Commonwealth blood panel measuring sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine, often with bicarbonate and an eGFR. |
| UA | Urinalysis | Examination of a urine sample in three parts: physical appearance (color, clarity), a chemical dipstick (pH, specific gravity, protein, glucose, ketones, blood… |
| UACR | Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio | Spot urine test comparing albumin with creatinine to detect kidney damage early, reported in mg/g. |
| UCx | Urine culture | Quantitative culture of urine that counts colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter, identifies the organism and tests antibiotic susceptibility. |
| UDS | Urine drug screen | Rapid immunoassay panel that checks urine for classes of drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, cannabinoids (THC), opiates and phencyclidine, with expanded panels adding… |
| UPT | Urine pregnancy test | Qualitative test detecting human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine, positive from about the time of a missed period. |
| VBG | Venous blood gas | Blood gas analysis on venous rather than arterial blood, avoiding a painful arterial puncture. |
| VDRL | Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test | Nontreponemal syphilis antibody test, similar to the RPR, named after the US Public Health Service laboratory that developed it. |
| VLDL | Very-low-density lipoprotein | Triglyceride-rich particles made by the liver that deliver fat to tissues and are gradually converted to LDL. |
| WBC | White blood cell count | Total number of leukocytes in a volume of blood, reported per microliter or as cells x 10^9 per liter, with a typical adult range of about 4,500 to 11,000 per microliter. |
More medical abbreviations
- Anatomy Abbreviations (70)
- Anesthesia Abbreviations (34)
- Cardiology Abbreviations (229)
- Dermatology Abbreviations (52)
- Drug Abbreviations (170)
- Drug Class Abbreviations (113)
- Emergency Medicine Abbreviations (97)
- Endocrinology & Diabetes Abbreviations (64)
- Gastroenterology Abbreviations (85)
- Health Insurance Abbreviations (107)
- Healthcare Credential Abbreviations (122)
- Hematology and Oncology Abbreviations (144)
- Hospital Abbreviations (89)
- Infectious Disease Abbreviations (92)
- Medical Documentation Abbreviations (79)
- Medical Imaging Abbreviations (58)
- Medical Research Abbreviations (94)
- Medical Specialty Abbreviations (47)
- Medication Route Abbreviations (41)
- Mental Health & Psychiatry Abbreviations (100)
- Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology Abbreviations (71)
- Nephrology & Urology Abbreviations (71)
- Neurology Abbreviations (131)
- Nursing Abbreviations (90)
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Abbreviations (89)
- Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations (74)
- Patient Assessment Abbreviations (65)
- Pediatric & Neonatal Abbreviations (51)
- Pharmacology Abbreviations (36)
- Pharmacy Abbreviations (134)
- Prescription Abbreviations (77)
- Rehabilitation Abbreviations (98)
- Respiratory Abbreviations (109)
- Surgical Abbreviations (51)