List of medical abbreviations: R

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Abbreviation Meaning
R respiration, (right)
RA refractory anemia
rheumatoid arthritis
right atrium
room air
RAD reflex anal dilatation
right axis deviation
reactive airway disease
radiation absorbed dose
reactive attachment disorder
Rad hys radical hysterectomy
RAE right atrial enlargement
RAI radioactive iodine
RAIU thyroid reactive iodine uptake
RAPD relative afferent pupillary defect
RAS renal artery stenosis
RATLH Robotic assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy
RATVH Radical Total Vaginal Hysterectomy
RBBB right bundle branch block
RBC red blood cells, red blood count
RBE relative biologic equivalent
RBLM recurrent benign lymphocytic meningitis
RCA right coronary artery
RCC renal cell carcinoma
RCM restrictive cardiomyopathy
right costal margin
RCR rotator cuff repair
RCT randomized controlled trial
RD retinal detachment
RDS respiratory distress syndrome (see also infant respiratory distress syndrome)
RDW red cell distribution width
REI Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
REM rapid eye movement
roentgen equivalent man
RF rheumatoid factor
rheumatic fever
RFA Radiofrequency ablation
RFLP restriction fragment length polymorphism
RFT renal function test
r/g/m rubs/gallops/murmurs (see heart sounds)
Rh rhesus factor
Rhabdo Rhabdomyolysis
RHC right heart catheterization
RHD rheumatoid heart disease
RhF rheumatoid factor
RIA radioimmunoassay
RIBA radioimmunoblotting assay
RICE rest, ice, compression, and elevation (treatment for a soft tissue injury)
RIF rifampin
RIMA reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A
RIND reversible ischemic neurologic deficit
RL Ringer's lactate (that is, lactated Ringer's solution)
RLE right lower extremity
RLL right lower lobe (of lung)
RLN recurrent laryngeal nerve;
regional lymph node
RLQ right lower quadrant (of abdomen)
R&M Routine + microscopic (General analysis of urine)
RML right middle lobe (of lung)
RMS rhabdomyosarcoma
RMSF rocky mountain spotted fever
RNA ribonucleic acid
RNP ribonucleoprotein
RNV radionuclide ventriculography
RNY Roux-en-Y anastomosis
R/O rule out
ROA right occipital anterior (see childbirth)
ROH removal of hardware
ROM range of motion
rupture of membranes
ROP right occipital posterior (see childbirth)
retinopathy of prematurity
ROS review of systems
ROSC return of spontaneous circulation
ROW Rest of the Week; as in, "Take 2 mg on Monday and 1 mg ROW"
RPGN rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis
RPLND retroperitoneal lymph node dissection
RPR rapid plasma reagin test
RR respiratory rate
blood pressure measured with a specific sphygmomanometer
relative risk
RRP Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis
RRR regular rate and rhythm (see pulse)
r/r/w rales, rhonchi, wheezes (lung sounds)
RS cell Reed–Sternberg cell
RSB Right sternal border
RSI rapid sequence induction
RSV respiratory syncytial virus
R/t related to
RT radiotherapy
respiratory therapy
reverse transcriptase
RT-PCR reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
RTA renal tubular acidosis
RTC return to clinic (appointment for outpatient for next medical examination)
RTS Revised Trauma Score
RTV ritonavir
RUE right upper extremity
RUL right upper lobe (of lung)
RUQ right upper quadrant (see also regions of the abdomen)
RUTI recurrent urinary tract infection
RV residual volume
right ventricle
RVAD right ventricular assist device
RVF right ventricular failure, or rectovaginal fistula
RVH right ventricular hypertrophy
RVR rapid ventricular rate (tachycardia)
RVSP right ventricular systolic pressure
RVT renal vein thrombosis
Rx or or Rx (R with crossed tail) medical prescription, prescription drug, or remedy
RXN reaction


Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD