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I put this list together as a student, so you will see some things in here that are quite simple. You will also see some words with *s/l* beside them. These are sound-alikes. I put them in the list, the way it sounded to me, then in the right column I entered the word the way it should be, or entered a possible alternative. There are prefixes, suffixes, drugs, abbreviations,etc. Some words have definitions, some do not. Please let me know if you run across any errors and I will correct them.
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| Word or Root | Definition |
| R | respiration |
| R | right *R is circled* |
| R/O | rule out |
| R2S *s/l* | in an EKG = R to S progression |
| RA latex test | can be used to confirm rheumatoid arthritis |
| rabeprazole sodium | brand=Aciphex *for GERD* |
| rachitis *s/l* | orchitis |
| rachitis hepatidamidus *s/l* | orchitis or epididymitis |
| racemic epinephrine | |
| RAD | reactive airway disease |
| radi- | radius |
| radial | |
| radial artery | used by MOST healthcare workers to measure pulse |
| radial keratotomy | technique designed to decreased myopia by making multiple symmetrical, spoke-like incisions in the cornea, allowing it to flatten centrally |
| radiation therapy | treatment of neoplastic disease by using ionizing radiation to deter proliferation of malignant cells |
| radical neck dissection | en bloc removal of lymphatic chains and all nonvital structures in the neck |
| radiculopathy | |
| radioallergosorbent test | RAST |
| radiography | an imaging modality using x-rays to diagnose a condition or impairment somewhere in the body |
| radioiodine therapy | use of radioactive iodine to treat disease, such as to eradicate thyroid tumor cells |
| radiology | x-ray imaging |
| radionuclide organ imaging | a diagnostic imaging technique using injected or ingested radioactive isotopes and a gamma-camera for determining size, shpe, location, and function of various body parts |
| radiopaque | |
| radioulnar joint | the joint between the wrist and forearms |
| rale | crackle |
| rales | popping sounds heard on auscultation of the lung when air enters diseased airways and alveoli-occurs in disorders such as bronchiectasis or atelectasis |
| rami | |
| range of motion *ROM* | total amount of motion in a joint, described by the terms related to body movements *e.g., the elbow extends 80 degrees* |
| Rankin study *s/l* | roentgen study *relating to x-rays* |
| Ranson criterion | from GI/GU book |
| rapacuronium bromide | Brand=Raplon *neuromuscular blocking agent* |
| Raplon | gen=rapacuronium bromide *neuromuscular blocking agent* |
| rash | a general term for skin eruption |
| RAST | radioallergosorbent test |
| rating of perceived exertion *RPE* | a self-assessment scale to rate breathlessness and fatigue during exercise |
| Ray cage | used in spinal fusion |
| Raynaud phenomenon | pallor and numbness in fingers and toes due to arteriolar constriction |
| rays of the foot | |
| RDA | Recommended Daily Allowance |
| RDS | respiratory distress syndrome |
| re- | again or back |
| reactivate | to make active again |
| reactive airway disease *RAD* | condition caused by reaction to a trigger *ie allergen, odor or hypersensitivity* or event *such as exercise-induced asthma*. Asthma and Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis are examples of RAD. |
| Rebetol** for hepatitis C | Rebetron |
| rebound tenderness | a sign of inflammation of the peritoneum in which pain is elicited by the sudden release of a hand pressing on the abdomen |
| receptor | organ that receives nerve stimulations |
| recombinant | |
| rect- | rectum |
| rectal ampulla | dilated portion of the rectum just above the anal canal |
| rectocele | also cystocele, enterocele |
| rectocele | pouching of the rectum into the vagina |
| rectovaginal fistula | abnormal opening between the vagina and rectum |
| rectovaginal septum | |
| rectum | distal *end* portion of the large intestine |
| recumbent position | lying down |
| recurrent | to occur again, a return of symptoms |
| red clover tops | herbal medicine |
| red raspberry leaf | herbal medicine |
| red sage | herbal medicine |
| redical retrobute prostatectomy | |
| redicular | pain of a radicular nature |
| rediculopathy | |
| redroot pigweed | allergen |
| redtop grass | allergen |
| reductase inhibitor, HMG-CoA | |
| reefing | infolding or tuck of a tissue, as in a tuck made in plication |
| reflux | backward flow |
| refractive errors | defects in the bending of light as it enters the eye, causing an improper focus on the retina |
| refractory | unyeilding |
| refracture | |
| regemin therapy *s/l* | adjuvant therapy |
| reinjury | |
| remission | a period of time in which symptoms and signs stop or abate |
| Renee test *s/l* | Rinne test |
| ren*renal* | kidney |
| Renagel | drug |
| renal angiogram | x-ray of the renal artery made after injecting contrast material into a catheter in the artery |
| renal biopsy | removal of kidney tissue for pathological examination |
| renal calculi | crystal formed from calcium and grow in the kidneys |
| renal cortex | outer region of the kidney |
| renal pelvis | basin-like portion of the ureter within the kidney |
| renal tubule | stem portion of the nephron |
| renal vein | function: to carry blood away from the kidneys |
| renin | hormone that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the kidneys, and which raises blood pressure by indirectly narrowing blood vessels |
| renin, plasma | enzyme that affects blood pressure. Normal readings for adult plasma renin upright are 2.9 to 10.8 ng/ml/hr. |
| repair of rectal *s/l* | perirectal |
| repolarization | recharging of the myocardial cell from a contracted state back to a resting state |
| rescue medication | Rescue Medication - short-acting medication designed to relieve symptoms quickly |
| resect | cut and remove |
| resectoscope | urology endoscope sent through the urethra to resect *cut and remove* lesions of the bladder, urethra and prostate |
| residual volume | RV - Residual Volume - the amount of air left behind after a maximum expiratory effort |
| Resource | a nonfat, high-protein diet formula |
| Respbid | |
| respiration | Respiration - Respiration has two meanings in physiology. Along with breathing, respiration includes all chemical processes that occur in the body converting oxygen and food to water, energy and carbon dioxide. |
| respiratory distress syndrome *RDS* | breathing complications experienced by newborns when immature lungs lack enough surfactant to keep air spaces open. Also called hyaline membrane disease. |
| respiratory system | entire system of organs and tissues involved in breathing; these include the nose, throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs |
| respiratory volume to total lung capacity ratio | RV:TLC |
| responsivity | |
| Restoril | drug (Sounds also like Zestril) |
| restrictive airway disease | restrictive airway disease |
| restrictive lung disorder | condition limiting the intake of air into the lungs |
| reticular opacities | |
| retigenous *s/l* | vertigenous (vertigo) |
| retina | innermost layer that perceives and transmits light to the opric nerve |
| retinacular | |
| retinacular release | as in: lateral retinacular release |
| retinaculum | |
| retinal detachment | separation of the retina from underlying epithelium, disrupting vision and resulting in blindness if not repaired surgically |
| retinitis | inflammation of the retina |
| retinopathy | |
| retraction | pulling tissue back or away to expose a structure or another tissue |
| retro- | backward or behind |
| retroflexion of the uterus | abnormal backward bending of the uterus |
| retrograde | going back |
| retrograde pyelogram | *RP* x-ray of the ureter, bladder, and kidney taken after contrast medium is sent up through a small catheter passed through a cyctoscope to detect the presence of stones, obstruction, etc. |
| retroversion of the uterus | backward turn of the whole uterus *tipped uterus* |
| Retrovir *zidovudine* | |
| Retzius | surgical procedure in the pubic area are initiated by entry into structure known as the space of "Retzius" |
| reverse transcriptase | |
| reverse Trendelenburg position | position in which most head and neck procedures are carried out |
| Rh factor | presence, or lack of, of antigens of the surface of red blood cells that may cause a reaction between the blood of the mother and fetus, resulting in fetus anemia *which causes erythroblastosis fetalis* |
| Rh imune globlulin | immunizing agent given to an Rh negative mother within 72 hours after delivering an Rh positive baby to supress the Rh immune response |
| Rh negative | absence of antigens |
| Rh positive | presence of antigens |
| rhabd- | rod shaped or striated *skeletal* |
| rhabdo- | rod-shaped |
| rhabdomyoma | skeletal muscle tumor |
| rhabdomyosarcoma | malignant skeletal muscle tumor |
| rheumatic heart disease | damage to heart muscle and heart valves by rheumatic fever *a streptococcal infection* |
| rheumatoid arthritis | most crippling form of arthritis characterized by a chronic, systemic inflammation most often affecting joints and synovial membranes *especially in the hands and feet* causing ankylosis and deformity |
| rhin- | nose |
| rhinoplasty | surgical repair of the nose |
| rhinorrhea | thin, watery discharge from the nose |
| Rhizopus | allergen |
| rhizotomy | interruption of cranial or spinal nerve root |
| RhoGAM | |
| rhoncherous *s/l* | rhonchorous |
| rhonchi | high-pitched musical sounds heard on auscultation of the lung as air flows through a narrow airway-occdurs in disorders such as asthma or emphysema |
| rhubarb root | herbal medicine |
| rhytidectomy | face, plastic surgery procedure |
| rib detail | ex: throughout right rib detail |
| ribs | the average person has 12 pairs |
| ribs, false | ribs 8 through 12 |
| ribs, floating | ribs 11 and 12 specifically |
| rickets | caused by deficiency of calciferol |
| ricular *s/l* | auricular |
| riding the ventilator | |
| Riedel stuma | chronic fibrous thyroiditis |
| right heart catheterization | measurement of oxygen saturation and pressure readings of the right side of the heart |
| rigor or rigidity | stiffness; stiff muscle |
| Rinne test | test that utilizes tuning forks positioned near the pinna to test for air conduction and bone conduction |
| RLQ | right lower quandrant |
| RNA | RNA: ribonucleic acid |
| RNR *s/l* | INR |
| roberalikia *s/l* | rubra lochia (rubra=red) |
| rods | rod-shaped cells within the retina that respond to dim light |
| roentgen | relating to x-rays |
| rofecoxib *Vioxx* | drug for osteoarthritis; primary dysmenorrhea |
| Roferon-A *interferon, alfa-2a* | |
| Romberg test | assesses position sense in the trunk and legs by having the patient stand with feet together, opening & closing the eyes |
| rongeur | instrument used to bite off protruding bony spinous processes |
| ROS | review of systems |
| rose hips | herbal medicine |
| rosemary | herbal medicine |
| Rosenberg sign | |
| rosiglitazone maleate *Avandia* | drug for type 2 diabetes |
| rotation | circular movement around an axis |
| Roux-en-Y anastomosis | gastric bypass |
| RPE | rating of perceived exertion |
| rrhagia | to burst forth |
| rrhaphy | suture |
| rrhaphy-suture | |
| rrhea | discharge |
| rrhexis-rupture | |
| RRR | regular rate and rhythm |
| RT | Respiratory Therapy |
| RTC | return to clinic |
| RTO | return to office |
| RU-486 | drug that causes abortion |
| rub | the movement of one surface moving over another |
| rubella | reddish; German measles |
| rubra lochia | |
| rubeola | reddish; 14-day measles |
| rubs | |
| rugae | wrinkles |
| rugous, vagina | vagina rugous |
| ruptured membranes | rupture of the amniotic sac, usually at onset of labor |
| RUQ | right upper quandrant |
| Russian Thistle | allergen |
| rust ring | eye examination |
| RV | RV *respiratory volume, residual volume* |
| RV:TLC | RV:TLC *respiratory volume to total lung capacity ratio* |
| R wave | also R wave progression |
| Rx | translate to prescription when "Rx" is dictated |