Glossary of Medical Terms, Abbreviations & Symbols
Dutch-English, French-English, German-English

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NA = Nomina Anatomica (anatomical nomenclature first commissioned Basel 1895, revised every 5 years by IANC and approved by International Congress of Anatomists. Major versions include the 1955 "Paris Nomenclature"; last version was the 6th edition of 1989. Superseded in 1997 by the TA) /  spuit zonder naald = unarmed syringe / Nabelbruch = umbilical hernia / Nabelschnur = umbilical cord (obst.) / NAC = N-acetylcysteine / Nachblutung = secondary bleeding / Nachgeburt = afterbirth; placenta (obst.) / Nachgeburts- = postpartum (adj.) / nachgehende Untersuchung = post-employment examination (OSH: i.e. of former employees; cf. "Erstuntersuchung" = "pre-employment examination" and "Nachuntersuchung" = periodic examination; in-employment examination) / nachgeordnet = proximal (alveolar sacs e.g.) / Nachhirn see medulla oblongata / Nachladetechnik = afterloading (nucl. med.) / NAD = 1. no abnormality detected; 2. no actual disease / NAEL = no adverse effect level (synonym: NEL) (tox.) / naevus =  naevus (all types); birthmark (colloq.): either a vascular naevus (abnormal growth of blood vessels on or below the skin surface, see haemangioma; or a pigmented naevus (area of skin with abnormally high level of melanin), commonly called a "mole", "beauty spot"; also, in the elderly, a "liver spot" (senile lentigo) / naevus pigmentaire = pigmented naevus / naevus vasculaire see haemangioma / NAG = N-acetyl-b -D glucosaminidase / Nähapparat = stapler (surg.) / naïf; naïef; naiv = naïve (e.g. chemotherapy-naïve; treatment-naïve) (patient) / Naion = non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (stroke in the optic nerve) / NAIR = National Arrangements for Incidents Involving Radioactivity (UK) / naissance à terme = full-term birth / naissance après terme = postmature birth, post-term birth / naissance avant terme = premature birth; pre-term birth / Nalidixinsäure= nalidixic acid (antibiotic) / nanisme = dwarfism; nanism / NAP = Nervenaustrittspunkt / NAR = Normenausschuß für Radiologie (D) / ruhende Narbe = inactive scar / Narbenplatte = area of scar tissue (often just "scar") / narcosekabinett = anaesthesia machine / narcotiseur = anaesthetist / Narkosearzt = anaesthetist / Nasenflügeln = nasal flaring (in asthma e.g.) / Nasenhöhle, Nasenhohlraum = nasal cavity: vorderer Teil der Nasenhöhle = nasopharynx / Nasennebenhöhlen = paranasal sinuses / Nasenplastik = rhinoplasty / Nasenrachenraum = epipharynx / natalité; nataliteit = birth rate / National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (UK) / National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (USA) / nativ = plain; non-enhanced (of scan, without contrast) / natrémie = blood sodium (NB natraemia in English means hypernatraemia, or elevated (increased, high) blood sodium; contrast hyponatraemia or lowered (reduced) blood sodium) / natriurie = urinary sodium; natriuria / natropénie = sodium deficiency / natürliche Zuchtwahl = natural selection / navelbreuk see Nabelbruch / navelstreng see Nabelschnur / NBHD = non-heart-beating donor (donor has suffered a cardiac arrest but is not yet brain-dead, though he/she cannot survive; term now superseded by DCD) / NBI = non bas inséré = low-lying (placenta) / NCAPC = Non-Communicating Adult Pain Checklist / NCCPC = Non-Communicating Children's Pain Checklist / NCF = neutrophil chemotactic factor / NCI = National Cancer Institute (USA) / NCTR = National Center for Toxicological Research (USA) / NCvBZ = Nederlands Centrum voor Beroepsziekten = Netherlands Centre for Occupational Diseases (their suggested EN title) / Nd:YAG = neodymium ytter aluminium garnet (laser type) / NE = norepinephrine / Nebenbefund = accessory finding; accessory findings / nebeneinanderbestehend = paired (organs) / Nebeneierstock = epoöphoron / Nebenhoden = epididymis / Nebenniere = adrenal gland; epinephros / Nebennierenmark = adrenal medulla / Nebenschilddrüse = parathyroid gland / Nebenschluß = shunt (rmed.) / NEC = necrotising enterocolitis (acquired neonatal disorder; in older children & adults associated with Clostridium perfringens type C / nécrosé = necrotic (tissue) / Nederlandse Farmacopee = Dutch Pharmacopoeia / Nefyto = Nederlandse Stichting voor Fytofarmacie = (suggest) Netherlands Foundation for Phytopharmaceuticals / négatoscope = negatoscope / negenoog = carbuncle / NEL = no effect level (syn. NAEL) (tox.) / nématode = roundworm; nematode worm / néoangiogenèse = neoangiogenesis; neovascularization / néoformation = neoplasm / néoformé = neoplastic / néphélion = nebula (see also taie) / Nervenarzt: in Germany, a dual qualification in psychiatry and neurology, though in practice the term tends to mean a psychiatrist / Nervenaustrittspunkt = (nerve) exit site / Nervenkern = nucleus (grouping of nerve cells within the CNS; in the PNS these are called ganglia) / Nervenklinik = psychiatric unit / Nervenmark = myelin / Nervenwasser see CSF / tissu nerveux = nerve tissue / Nesselsucht = nettlerash; urticaria; hives / grote net = greater omentum; omentum majus / kleine net = lesser omentum; omentum minus / netelroos see Nesselsucht / netelroosschrijft = dermographism; dermatographism; dermatographia (allergies) / neten see Nissen / netvlies = retina (eye) / Netz see net / Netzbruch = epiplocele / netzförmig = reticular (lung opacity) (rad./rmed.) / Netzhaut = retina (eye) / Netzhautzentrum = central fovea of retina; fovea centralis retinae / Neubildung = neoplasm / Neugeborenenintensivstation see NICU and SCABU / neurinome acoustique = acoustic neuroma; vestibular schwannoma / neurite (obsol.) = axon / neuromédiateur = neurotransmitter / neusamandel = adenoid tonsil; pharyngeal tonsil / neusbijholten see Nasennebenhöhlen / neusschelp = nasal concha; turbinate bone / neustussenschot = nasal septum / neusvleugelen see Nasenflügeln / neuswatte = nasal swab / Neuverrentung = (newly) compensated cases (occupational disease) / nevr- (prefix) = neuro- / névraxe = central nervous system (CNS) / névraxite = encephalomyelitis / NFS; Nfs = numération formule sanguine = CBC; FBC, see blood count / NGF = nerve growth factor / NGS = next-generation sequencing (gen.) / NGT = normal glucose tolerance / NHC = 1. normal head circumference; neonatal head circumference (obst.) / NHPs = non-human primates / NHS = National Health Service (UK, established 1948) / NHSBT = National Health Service Blood and Transplant (UK, name as of 2005) / NHZ = nominal hazard zone (med. lasers) / NICE = National Institute for Clinical Excellence (UK) / nicht-kleinzelliges Bronchialkarzinom, see NSCLC / nicht-klingendes Rasselgeräusch see adventitious breath sounds / nicht näher bezeichnet = unspecified (ICD-10) / nichtspezifizierbar = unspeciable (microbiol.) / nicht zielgerichtet (Wirkung) = off-target (effect) / NICU = neonatal intensive care unit / nid = nidus (of cerebellum e.g.) / aspect pulmonaire en nid d'abeilles = honeycomb lung (rad./rmed.) / nidation = nidation; implantation (ovum in womb e.g.) / NIDDM = non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (modern usage prefers "type 2 diabetes mellitus") / niedergelassener Arzt see médecin de ville / Nie-Raucher = never-smoker; lifelong non-smoker / nierbekken = renal pelvis / nierbekkenontsteking = pyelitis / Nierenlager = kidney bed / Nierenbecken see nierbekken / Nierengrieß = renal gravel / Nierenkelch = renal calix (plural calices) / Nierenkörperchen = renal glomerulus; Malpighian tuft; Malpighian body / Nierenstiel = hilus of kidney; hilus renalis / chronische Niereninsuffizienz; chronische nierinsufficiënte see CKD / nierontsteking = nephritis / niersteen = kidney stone; renal calculus / niervaat see Nierenkörperchen / nieuwvorming = neoplasm / NIH Swiss mice (animal assays) / NIKS = near-diploid immortalised keratinocyte skin (cells) / NIOSH = National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (USA) / NIPD = non-invasive prenatal diagnosis / NIPG = Nederlands Instituut voor Preventieve Geneeskunde = (suggest) Netherlands Institute for Preventive Medicine / NIPPV = nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation / NIPT = non-invasive prenatal test(ing) / Nissen = nits (headlice) / nitrosylhémoglobine = nitric oxide haemoglobin / NK = natural killer (cells, syn. large granular lymphocytes) / NKI = Nederlands Kanker Instituut = Netherlands Cancer Institute / NLV = Norwalk-like virus / NMR = nuclear magnetic resonance, see MRI / NMR tomografie = nucleaire magnetische resonantietomografie, see MRI / NMSC = non-melanoma skin cancer / NNH = Nasennebenhöhlen / NNM see Nebennierenmark / NNR = Nebennierenrinde = adrenal cortex / NNRTI = non-nucleosidic reverse transcriptase inhibitor / NOAEL = no observed adverse effect level (tox.) / nocif = harmful; deleterious; noxious; adverse / NOD-SCID = non-obese, diabetic, severe combined immunodeficient (experimental mice) / NOEL = no observable effect level; no observed effect level (tox.) / noeud = node (lymph e.g.) / NOHb = nitrosyl haemoglobin / NOHD = nominal ocular hazard distance (med. lasers) / nomadisme médical = doctor-shopping (defined: recours consécutif à plusieurs médecins) / non résécable = inoperable / non sanglant = non-invasive / Norit® (NL firm: products include a diarrhoea remedy based on activated charcoal / normolipémiant = lipid-lowering (diet, drug, therapy) / Normalwert see Sollwert / Normwert see Sollwert / NOS = not otherwise specified (ICD-10) / Notarztwagen see ambulance de réanimation / nourisson = infant / "nouure" = nodular enlargement (of distal ends of bones in rickets and osteomalacia) / nouveau-né = neonate; newborn (noun); neonatal (adj.) / Noxe = noxious agent / noyau = nucleus (cell) / noyau caudé = nucleus caudalis (ophth.) / noyau gélatineux = nucleus pulposus (intervertebral disc) / noyau gris central = basal ganglion / noyau opto-strié = basal ganglion / noyau d'ostéocondensation see îlot osseux / NPAS = non-physician-assisted suicide, see notes under PAS / NPO = nil per os = nothing by mouth / NPV = negative predictive value (of test) / NRPB = National Radiologial Protection Board (UK) / NRT = nicotine replacement therapy / NSAID = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(s) (pharm.) / NSAR = nichtsteroidale Antirheumatika see NSAID / NSC = neural stem cell / NSchG = Nachtschwerarbeitsgesetz (AT) = Arduous Night Work Act (OSH) / NSCLC = non-small-cell lung cancer / NPS = neue psychoaktive Stoffe = new psychoactive substances; (deprecated) "legal highs" (drugs) / NPV = negative predictive value (tests) / NSLC = non-small-cell lung cancer (or carcinoma) / NSM = new smoking material / NSP = neurological shellfish poisoning; poison / NSTEMI = non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction / NT = nuchal translucency (prenatal test) / nuage = mist (nebulizer) / nuchtere darm = jejunum / op de nuchtere maag; nüchtern see à jeun / Nüchternwertof e.g. blood sugar) / nucléé = nucleated (cell) / numération = count (cell count e.g.) / nv = new variant (as in e.g. nvCJD) / NVPO = nausée et les vomissements postopératoires see PONV / nW (usually n.W.) = nach Westergren = Westergren method (standard method of measuring ESR) / NW = Normalwert = normal value / nyctalopia (English) = night blindness; poor night vision; poor vision in a dim light. NB nyctalopie (FR) means the exact opposite = day blindness; hemeralopia; poor vision in a bright light / nycturie; Nykturie = nocturia / NYD = not yet diagnosed / nymphes = labia minora (gyn.) /