Medical Alphabet Soup

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 As I was trying to fall back asleep early this morning, I reflected on how much "x" is used in medical jargon. It doesn't represent a sound or a particular suffix, so I can't think how it got into so many abbreviations. Ultimately, this thought prompted me to go through the entire alphabet looking for all the ways "x" is used. And, no, it wasn't as soporific as counting sheep. But now I can share what I've come up with.

A--[nothing that I'm familiar with. Actually, I'm going to skip all of the vowels because I don't think they are mainstream medical words]

Bx--biopsy

Cx--culture (as in microbial growth, not referring to the common beliefs and values of a group)

Dx--diagnosis

Fx; fxn--fracture; function

Gx--[apparently used in pharmacology; I've never used it. or seen it.]

Hx--history (e.g., social history, medical history, family history)

Jx--joint [maybe. according to Google, anyway]

Kx--[umm, nada.]

Lx--maybe laxatives. maybe nothing

Mx--could be used for "medication". or it could mean "unknown metastasis status" for TNM staging of cancers

Nx--unknown lymph node involvement in TNM staging of cancers

Px--could be used for "prognosis"

Qx--[nope, not yet claimed in the medical field]

Rx--prescription

Sx; sxn--surgery; suction

Tx; txn--treatment/therapy (also, transfer. also, unknown tumor stage in TNM cancer staging); transfusion

Vx--Google says it refers to a toxic nerve gas. sure, why not

Wx--possibly "wound."

Xx--well, chromosomally, "a female"

Nothing for Yx or Zx

The End! Not bad mileage for an oft-overlooked letter.

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