Glossary of
Medical Terms, Abbreviations
&
Symbols
Dutch-English,
French-English,
German-English
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R
= 1. Recipe
= "nimm";
"take" (instruction at top of
medical prescription);
2. resistance ("R factors)
(pharm.);
3.
respiratory exchange ratio (rmed.)
/ RA =
1.
réserve
alcaline = alkaline reserve; 2.
rheumatoid arthritis /
RAA = rhumatisme articulaire
aïgu = rheumatic fever
/ rabique
= (of, pertaining to)
rabies; rabic (used in e.g.
"anti-rabic
vaccine", but "anti-rabies
vaccine" is more usual. NB
not rabid = enragé) / raccordement
pleural =
pleural tag (rmed.) /
racémeux
= racemose / Rachenmandel
= adenoid tonsil; pharyngeal tonsil / rachitisme
= rickets / RACS = respiration, activité
circulatoire
spontané, see ROSC / RADAR
= Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (UK)
/ (Frei-)Radikalfänger
= (free) radical scavenger / radio-(prefix)
often
= radiation-induced / radioexposition
= radiation
exposure; irradiation / radiographe
= radiographer; X-ray technician / radiographie
= radiograph;
X-ray; film / radiologiste
= radiologist (specialist
physician) / radioscopie
= fluoroscopy / radiothérapie guidée
par
l’image, see IGRT
/ poumon radiothérapique;
poumon radique
=
irradiation pneumonitis / déformation, aspect en
radis = sausage finger; sausage toe; sausage digit (if
both)
(dactylitis) / ragade
= crack (lip, nipple)
/ râle, rale
see
adventitious
breath
sounds
/ RALS = récepteur artificiel activé
par ligand
de synthèse, see DREADD
/ ramolissement
= softening; malacia / rampe
inspiratoire = ramp, slope (rmed.)
/ rançon
cicatricielle = (visible)
scarring (surg.)
/ Randspalt
=
marginal breakdown (dentistry)
/ randständig
= peripheral / rangée
distale = distal row (hand
bones)
/ Ranvier-Schnürringe
= Ranvier's constrictions; nodes of
Ranvier (nerve fibres)
/ RAO
= right anterior oblique
(view) (rad.)
/ RAPD
= Random Amplification of
Polymorphic DNA / dose de rappel;
injection de rappel
= booster
(dose);
revaccination / rapport
ventilation perfusion =
ventilation-perfusion relationship; ventilation-perfusion ratio (rmed.)
/ rapprocheur de
côtes = rib
approximator
(surg.)
/ en raquette = oval; oval-shaped (amputation,
incision)(surg.); area of skin over a trapped nerve (neurol.),
cancer cells; racket (disorder of finger- toenails)
/ Rari
= Rachenring = (Waldeyer's)
tonsillar ring /
RAS
= 1. rien à signaler,
see
NAD;
2.
radioallergosorbent (allergy
testing) / rasend
= splitting (headache)
/
Raspatorium
= periosteal elevator (surg.)
/ Rasselgeräusch
= rale, see
adventitious
breath
sounds
/ RAST
= radioallergosorbent
test / rate =
spleen (as in spleen
phosphodiesterase; could
also be a female rat!) / diagnostic de rattrapage
= "catch-up
diagnosis"; (almost always in quotes; can be paraphrased as
"diagnosis
to support a finding of..." / Räudemilbe
= mange mite (vet.)
/ Raumforderung =
mass (as of tumour extending
into a body
cavity) / Rausch
= (alcohol or drugs)
intoxication; (drugs)
"high"; "rush"; "trip" / Rauschbrand
= blackleg; symptomatic
anthrax (vet.)
/ Rauschdrogen; Rauschgifte;
Rauschmittel = (usually illegal) drugs;
narcotics;
psychoactive substances. If including e.g. alcohol (= a
Genussmittel),
or laughing gas (as anaesthetic), best to say "intoxicants".)
/ Rautenhirn
see rhombencephalon
/ "rauwe
keel" = "sore throat" / RAV
= Rous associated virus / RAW
= airway resistance (rmed.)
/ rayon
= ray (heat or
light); ray (all
the bones making up one digital unit)
/
médécine des rayonnements
= radiology / RBC
= red blood
cells; red blood cell count / RBE
= relative biological effectiveness (rad.)
/ RBK
= rechter bovenkwab = upper
right lobe (lung)
/ rBST =
recombined bovine somatropin / RBW
= relative biologische
Wirksamkeit see
RBE / RC
= 1. rebord costal
=
costal margin;
RC haut = upper costal margin; RC bas
= lower costal margin (anat.); 2. rythme
cardiaque,
see FC;
3. renal colic; 4. residual
capacity, see
FRC
(rmed.)
/ RCE
= relative cloning efficiency (cells)
/ RCIU = retard de croissance
intrautérin see IUGR
/ RCMI = radiothérapie conformationnelle avec
modulation
d'intensité, see IMRT
/ RCR = réanimation cardiorespiratoire see
CPR
/ RCT =
randomised controlled trial / RCUH
=
recto-colite ulcéro-hémorragique
=
ulcerative colitis / RDW
= red cell
distribution width / réaction
immunautaire = immunoreaction / réadaptation
= rehabilitation / Syndrom
reaktionsloser Wachheit
= unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (suggested
as perferable term for PVS)
/ réanimateur = critical care physician;
intensivist / réanimation
= resuscitation (as a hospital
unit, often combined with soins intensifs - intensive care)
/ ambulance
de
réanimation
= resuscitation ambulance (crewed
by
trained
paramedics) / rebord
= border (anat.)
/ récepteur
d'étirement pulmonaire =
pulmonary stretch receptor (PSR) / Recht
auf Wissen; Recht auf
Nicht-Wissen = right to know;
right not to know (bioethics)
/ rechte darm
= rectum / rechterharthelf
= the right
heart / Rechtsmediziner
= forensic pathologist / rechute
= relapse (return of symptoms
during cure)
/ récidive
= recurrence (new and separate
occurrence of
symptoms after a remission) / RCJ = ration
calorique
journalière see DCI
/
réclinaison =
retraction (surg.)
/
Recofixansatz = spring-loaded
plunger assembly (syringe)
/ patient reconduit = roll-over patient, see
de
novo / reconnaissance du soi = self and
non-self
discrimination (immunol.) / recoupes
saines
= margins clear (i.e.
margins of surgical incision
are tumour-free) (oncology)
/ recrudescence
= recrudescence (return of
symptoms after
temporary abatement (of
days or weeks):
differs from
relapse where the interval is weeks or months)
/ recto-colite
ulcéro-hémorragique
= ulcerative colitis / Rektusblatt, Rectusblatt =
lamina (anterior or
posterior) of rectus sheath (anat.) /
Rektusscheide, Rectusscheide =
rectus sheath (anat.) / Recueil
international
de la législation en matière de santé =
International Digest of
Health Legislation (WHO)
/ red
flag
(defined):
early warning signs and indicators of a
medical
condition / Redondrainage
= Redon drain (surg./wounds)
/ redresser
= reset;
realign (fractured bone)
/ reductiedeling
= meiosis (cells)
/ réduction
= reduction (of fracture)
/ REE =
resting energy expenditure (nutrition) / rééducation
= rehabilitation; occupational therapy / reentry
tachycardia (card.)
/ réfection
= (surgical) repair; reconstruction / références
médicales opposables
= mandatory practice guidelines (BMJ
article on French system)
/ référent
=
specialist / Referenzwert
see
Sollwert /
refractory period
(nervous system)
/ Regenbogenhaut
= iris (eye)
/ regenboogvlies
=
iris (eye)
/ régime
= regimen (diet and/or exercise);
diet / registre
= registry / réglages
= settings (ventilator
e.g.) / femme
réglée
= woman of childbearing age / Règlement
Sanitaire International = International
Health Regulations / règles
= menstrual period; menstruation (gyn.)
/ reguliere geneeskunde
= conventional medicine; "allopathy" (as
opposed e.g. to homeopathic medicine)
/ "Rehabilitation vor
Rente" = "rehabilitation before
pension" (accident insurance,
principle enshrined in German law)
/
Reibtest mit Stripping = abrasion and
tape-stripping (allergies)
/ reincultuur
=
pure
culture (microbiol.)
/ rein de choc
= crush kidney / rein
en fer à cheval =
horsehoe kidney / rein flottant
=
floating kidney; hypermobile kidney; wandering kidney / rein
en
galette = pancake kidney / rein
ptosé see
rein flottant
/ reitend = saddle (pulmonary embolism)
/ reitende Aorte
= overriding aorta / Reiterbein
=
bowleg; genu varum / REITOX =
Réseau européen d'information sur les
Toxicomanies = European
Information Network on Drugs
and Drug
Addiction (EU,
use FR acronym)
/ Reiz
= 1. stimulus; 2. irritant / kortikale Reizantworten
= cortical evoked potentials,
responses (ECG)
/ Reize und Stimuli = triggers and stimuli /
Reizepilepsie
= reflect epilepsy; startle epilepsy (triggered
by strobe
lights, sudden noise etc) / Reizleitung
= conduction (nerves) / reizlos
= clean (e.g.
"the wound
healed cleanly") / rekanalisatie
= recanalization (blood
vessels) / Rekurrenzfieber
see Rückfallfieber
/ relative
Sekundenkapazität =
(relative) FEV1
(FEV1/FVC
x 100, see FEV1
/ releveur
= levator (muscle)
/ vision des reliefs = contour vision / rem
=
roentgen equivalent, man (radiation
dose unit, superseded by the
Sievert. 1 Sv = 100 rem) / REM
= 1. rapid eye movement
(sleep); 2. return electrode monitoring (electrosurg.;
TM name of
firm Valleylab) / remgeld
see
ticket
modérateur
/
remnographie
see
MRI
/
remodelage osseux
= bone turnover; bone remodelling / renflé
= enlarged (organ, conduit)
/ renforcer; renfort
= buttress (sutures)
/ renine;
rénine =
renin / rennine =
chymosin; rennin; (culinary)
rennet (NB
not to
be confused with renin) / Rentenneurose
= compensation
neurosis / reo
= respiratory orphan (reovirus)
/ rep
= roentgen equivalent, physical (radiation
dose unit, superseded by
the rad, obsolete) / chirurgie réparatrice
= reconstructive
surgery / point de répère
= landmark; measure point (craniometry
e.g.)
/ repiquages
successifs = serial
passages
(culture; microbiol.)
/ repli
= fold (skin)
/ reponeren =
reduce (hernia, fracture)
/ reponibel
= reducible (hernia,
fracture) / reproduktionstoxische
Wirkung = reproductive
toxicity / reprotoxique;
reprotoxisch = toxic to
reproduction,
reprotoxic (defined: may impair
fertility or harm the unborn
child;
more modern and broader definition than "teratogenic", which covered
only the developing foetus) / RES
= reticuloendothelial system; reticulo-endotheliale
systeem; Retikulo-endotheliales System
/ en réseau
=
reticular (lung opacity)
(rad./rmed.)
/ résécabilité
=
operability;
resectability / réséquer
= resect (surg.)
/ réserve alcaline
= alkaline reserve
/ Residualvolumen
= residual volume,
see
RV (rmed.)
/ résistance
à l'écoulement
= flow resistance (rmed.)
/
fil de suture résorbable
= absorbable (surgical) suture;
dissolving stitch / résorption;
Resorption:
in English, only substances and
tissues produced within the body
itself
are "resorbed"
(broken down and recycled);
substances
introduced into
the body are "absorbed"
(drugs, foods)
/ respiration
sifflante
= wheeze; wheezing, see
adventitious
breath
sounds
/ mode respiratoire
= breathing pattern; respiratory pattern / ressaut
= 1. palpable
click (Ortolani's sign, hip dysplasia test); 2.
rebound tenderness (pain when pressure on abdomen is released,
syn.
Blumberg's sign)
/ ressort
see
endoprothèse
/ restrictif; restriktiv
=
restrictive (lung disease)
/ résultat
= 1. result,
findings (of test);
2. outcome (of course of
treatment) / retard
= controlled-release; slow-release (pharm.)
/ Retention
= retention (dust
in lungs) / rétiniens
= retinal cones (ophth.)
/ Retinsäure
= retinoic acid; vitamin A acid / Retothel
= retothelium /
contrôle en retour;
rétrocontrôle
= feedback (endocrin.)
/ retour
veineux = venous return / rétraction
=pain when pressure on abdomen is released, syn. Blumberg's
sign
1. adhesions (scar);
2. recoil (rmed., of lung)
/ Retraktion
= recoil (rmed., of lung)
/ rétréci
= narrowed; stenosed
/ Rettungssanitär
= paramedic / reukzenuw
= olfactory
nerve / revalidatie =
rehabilitation / révolution
cardiaque
= cardiac cycle / rezeptpflichtig
= prescription-only; available only on prescription (cf.
"prescription medicines")
/ rezidiviert = recurrent (tumours)
/ RF
= 1. respiratory frequency, see RR; 2.
reumafactor; Rheumafaktor
= rheumatoid factor / RFLP
= Restriktionslängenpolymorphismus; polymorphisme de longueur
des
fragments de restriction =
restriction fragment length
polymorphism (test for TB e.g.)
/ Rh
= Rhesus factor
(blood):
NB
if (in some languages) a distinction is
made between Rh and rh, then Rh is positive, with D factor, and rh is
negative, without factor D / rhinopharynx
see nasopharynx /
rhombencéphale
= rhombencephalon;
hindbrain / rhonchopathie
chronique = (chronic) snoring / rhonchus;
rhonchi see
adventitious
breath
sounds
/ rhume de cerveau
see rhume
simple / rhume
des foins = hayfever; seasonal
allergic
rhinitis / rhume simple
= common cold; head cold /
rHWI = rezidivierende
Harnwegsinfektion = recurrent UTI
/ RIA
= radioimmunoassay / richtlaser
= aiming beam;
pilot laser / Richtwert
= guide value / Richtwertkurve
= boundary of the caution zone (OSH;
vibration) / ricinusolie
= castor oil (pharm.)
/ signe du rideau
(de Vernet) see
Kulissenphänomen
1. / Riechhirn
= rhinencephalon; olfactory brain;
smell brain / RIF
= right iliac fossa / rinçage
à l'azote = nitrogen
washout (test);
Fowler's test (rmed.)
/ Rinderbandwurm =
beef tapeworm; Taenia saginata /
Rinderwahn; Rinderwahnsinn, see
BSE
/ Ringknorpel
= cricoid cartilage; annular cartilage; cartilago cricoidea / Ringmesser
= adenotome (surg.)
/ Ringversuch
= cooperative
study, round robin study (samples
of same substance are sent round
to a number of laboratories for analysis)
/ rINN
= recommended
International Nonproprietary
Names (WHO) /
RIPH = recherches impliquent la personne humaine, see
HRS
/ Rippenbuckel
= rib hump (scoliosis)
/ Rippenfell
= parietal pleura (more
specifically
the costal pleura) / Rippenfellvereiterung
= pleural abscess /
RIPT = repeat insult patch test / Rist
=
arch (foot)
/ ritmestoornis
= arrhythmia (card.)
/ RIVA
= ramus interventricularis anterior, see
LAD
/ RK
= Residualkapazität;
Residualluftkapazität =
residual capacity (RC), see
FRC (rmed.)
/ RM =
rétrécissement
mitral = mitral stenosis (card.)
/ RMN
=
résonance magnétique nucléaire,
see
MRI
/
RMSF
= Rocky Mountain spotted fever / RMV
= respiratory
minute
volume, see
MV
/
Rna
=
nasal airway resistance (rmed.)
/ RNA
= ribonucleic acid
/ RNP =
ribonucléoprotéide;
ribonucleoprotein / RNS =
Ribonucleinsäure see
RNA
/ R0 = basaal reproductiegetal = basic
reproduction number; "R number" (measure
of transmission) = average number of people who will catch a disease
from a single
infected person in a population never previously exposed; if
greater than 1, the infection will probably keep spreading, and if less
than 1, the outbreak will probably peter out) (epidem.)
/ rocher
see portion
pétreuse / RODA = rapid opiate
detoxification under general anaesthesia / rodehond
= rubelle; German measles / rode
vlag see
red flag
/ roes
see
Rausch
/ ROI
= region of interest / Rollhöcker =
tubercle (anat.) / Rollhügel
= trochanter / Rollkur;
rollkuur = alternative
medicine
therapy in which patient drinks e.g. herbal tea and then, lying down,
rolls over at intervals on to their other side..; concept appears
unknown in English-speaking world
/ Rollrandampulle
=
rolled edge ampoule / Röhrenknochen
= long bone; cylindrical
bone / ROM = range of motion (physical
therapy)
/ rond de
tête
= headring;
"doughnut" (operating/imaging
table
accessory) / Röntgen,
Wilhelm Konrad (1845-1923): inventor
of
X-rays / röntgenologie
= radiography / röntgenopak
= radio-opaque; X-ray-opaque (rad.)
/ Röntgensimulation
=
X-ray simulation (radiotherapy)
/ Röntgenzeichen
=
radiographic change / roodvonk
= scarlet fever; scarlatina / roofwants
= assassin bug (Reduviidae)
/ ROR
= (vaccin) antirougeoleux, antiourlien et
antirubéoleux;
rougeole, oreillons,
rubéole see
MMR
/ Ros
= oscillation resistance (rmed.)
/ ROS
= reactive oxygen species; free oxygen
radicals / ROSC
= return of spontaneous circulation (card.) /
"rose-thorn stricture" refers to deep penetrating
linear ulcers or
fissuring typically seen within stenosed terminal ileum with a
thickened wall; appear on barium studies as thorn-like extraluminal
projections / rosée
sanglante = pinpoint bleeding;
punctate bleeding (on debrided
or cut tissue surface, Auspitz's sign
in psoriasis) / Rotatorenmanschette
= rotator cuff (shoulder)
/ rote Flagge
see
red flag
/ Röteln
see
rodehond
/
Rotlauf
= swine
erysipelas; erysipeloid; diamond skin disease (Erysipelothrix
rhusiopathiae) (vet.)
/ rotsbeen
= petrous bone / rotule
= patella / Rotz =
glanders; malleus (disease of
horses,
caused by Pseudomonas mallei); (chronic
form) farcy (vet.)
/ rougeole
= measles / rouget du porc
see Rotlauf
/ tumeur
royale
= (in
neurofibromatosis) a "large
neurofibroma" (may be a
plexiform neurofibroma or collection of mollusca fibrosa)
/ rozenkrans
= rachitic beads; beading of the ribs; "rickety
rosary" / Rp
= "Recipe", see R /
RP =
respirable particulates (rmed.)
/ RPE
= 1. rating of
perceived exertion (OSH);
2. résonance
paramagnétique
électronique
(spectroscopy),
see
ESR;
3. respiratory protective equipment / RPL
= radiophotoluminescent (dosemeter)/
RPM
=
rupture prematurée des membranes
= premature rupture of the
membranes (obst.)
/ RPP
= rate-pressure product (blood
pressure) / RQ
= respiratoir
quotiënt; respiratory
quotient (ratio of O2
supplied
to tissues : CO2
produced, in aerobic and anaerobic
metabolism) / RR
= 1. relative risk, contrast
overall
risk (tox.);
2. rythme
respiratoire = respiratory rate (number of
respiratory cycles, or operations of
breathing in and out, per minute; ± 10-14 in a healthy
resting subject); 3.
Riva-Rocci (used in German to
mean "blood pressure", named
after inventor of the modern cuff-based sphygmomanometer)
/ R2R = recognition to reperfusion (time) (cardiol.)
/ RRO
see
ROR
/ RRR
= 1. regular rate and rhythm (card.);2.
relative risk
ratio / RSI
= repetitive strain injury / RSP
=
respirable particulates (rmed.)
/ RSV
= 1. respiratory
syncytial virus; 2. Rous sarcoma virus / RT
= residence time (tox.)
/ RTA
= road traffic accident (emed.)
/ Rtc
=
reticulocyte / RTL
= radiothermoluminescent (dosemeter)
/ RT-PCR
= reverse transcriptase polymerase chain
reaction (test)
/
RTUP = résection
endoscopique transurétale de la
prostate (other
variants in French are REUP, RUP and RTU)
= TURP
/ rubéole
= German measles; rubella /
rückbildbar =
reversible /
Rückbildung
= regression / Rückenmark
= spinal medulla / Rückfallfieber
= relapsing fever (Borrelia)
/ rückgängig
machen =
reverse (effect)
/ Rückgrat
see
Wirbelsäule /
Rückkoppelung
= feedback (hormonal control)
/
ruggengraat
see Rückgrat
/ ruggenmerg
see Rückenmark
/ ruggenmergskanaal
see
wervelkanaal /
ruggenmergstering =
tabes dorsalis
(syphilis)
/ ruggenmergsvocht
= cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
/ ruggenmergwortels
= spinal nerve roots / rugine
= periosteal elevator (surg.)
/ rugosité
=
roughened area (bone);
ruga; rugosity / Ruheatmung =
quiet breathing / Ruhestoffwechsel
= basal metabolism / Ruhr
= dysentery / Rumpf
= trunk (body minus head and
limbs)
/ Rundbuckel
= hump back; hunchback; abnormal kyphosis (spine)
/ runderlintworm see
Rinderbandwurm / Rundherd
=
(pulmonary) nodule (rad./rmed.)
/ Rundinfiltrat
=
nodular infiltrate (rad./rmed.)
/ rundlich
= rounded (lung
opacity)
(rad./rmed.)
/ Ruptur
= tear (muscle,
tendon) / Rus
= resistance of upstream airway
segment (rmed.)
/ rut
= oestrus; "heat" (vet.)
/ RV
= 1. reserve volume, see
ERV;
IRV
(rmed.);
2. residual volume; Residualvolumen
(volume
of gas left in lung at the end
of a maximal unhurried expiration; up
to age 30 = 20-25% of total lung capacity, or 1500-1800 ml)
(rmed.);
3. right ventricle / RVH
= right
ventricular hypertrophy (card.)
/ RVI
= right ventricular insufficiency / RVO
= Reichsversicherungs-Ordnungs(-Kasse) (D)
/ RVU = récessus
vésico-utérin =
vesicouterine pouch, uterovesical pouch, excavatio vesicouterina (gyn.)
/ Rx
= (doctor's) prescription / Rx rebond =
(medication) rebound effect,
defined "production of increased negative symptoms when the
effect of a
drug has passed or the patient no longer responds to the drug"
/ RxP
(FR)
see
CXR
"DocBag"
graphic courtesy of IconBazaar
Created
by Alison Gaunt
Last updated: 23 September 2023
