Dictionary of Medical Acronyms & Abbreviations

[ L ]

• L  angular momentum; Avogadro constant; boundary [Lat. limes]; coefficient of induction; diffusion length; inductance; Lactobacillus; lambda; lambert; latent heat; latex; Latin; leader sequence; left; Legionella; Leishmania; length; lente insulin; lethal; leucine; levo-; lewisite; lidocaine; ligament; light; light sense; lingual; Listeria; liter; liver; low; lower; lumbar; luminance; lymph; lymphocyte; outer membrane layer of cell wall of gram-negative bacteria [layer]; pound [Lat. libra]; radiance; self-inductance; syphilis [Lat. lues]; threshold [Lat. limen]
• L0  no evidence of lymph node metastases [TNM (tumor node-metastasis) classification]
• L₀  limes zero [limes nul, the largest amount of toxin which will not produce a toxic reaction]
• L₊  limes tod [the smallest amount of toxin which will produce a toxic reaction]
• L1  acute lymphoblastic leukemia with lymphoblasts, scanty cytoplasm and inconspicuous nucleoli [FAB (Franco-American-British) classification]; lymph node metastases assessed [TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) classification]
• L1, L2, L3, L4, L5  first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lumbar vertebrae
• LI, LII, LIII  first, second, third stage of syphilis
• L2  acute lymphoblastic leukemia with large pleomorphic blasts, abundant cytoplasm, and prominent nucleoli [FAB (Franco-American-British) classification]
• L₂  area [length square]
• L3  acute lymphoblastic leukemia having blast with basophilic vacuolated cytoplasm [FAB (Franco-American-British) classification]
• L₃  volume [length cube]
• L/3  lower third
• l  azimuthal quantum number; left; length; lethal; levorotatory; liter; long; longitudinal; specific latent heat
• Λ  see lambda
• λ  see lambda
• LA  lactic acid; lactic acidemia; large amount; laser angioplasty; late abortion; late antigen; latex agglutination; left angle; left arm; left atrium; left auricle; leucine aminopeptidase; leukemia antigen; leukoagglutination; leuprolide acetate; levator ani; Lightwood-Albright [syndrome]; linear addition; linguo-axial; linoleic acid; lobuloalveolar; local anesthesia; local anesthetic; long-acting [drug]; long arm; long axis; low anxiety; Ludwig angina; lupus anticoagulant; lymphocyte antibody
• L&A  light and accommodation; living and active
• L/A  liver/aorta
• LA50  total body surface area of burn that will kill 50% of patients (lethal area)
• La  labial; lambda; lambert; lanthanum
• LAA  left atrial appendage; left atrial area; left auricular appendage; leukemia-associated antigen; leukocyte ascorbic acid
• LAAM  L-alpha acetyl methadol; levo-alpha-acetylmethadol
• LAAO  L-amino acid oxidase
• LA/Ao  left atrial/aortic [ratio]
• LAB, lab  laboratory
• LABA  long-acting beta agonist
• LabBase  laboratory database
• LABBB  left anterior bundle branch block
• LABC  locally advancing breast cancer
• LABE  labetalol
• LABP  laboratory procedure [UMLS]
• LA-BP  low affinity binding protein
• LABV  left atrial ball valve
• LabVISE  Laboratory Reporting Scheme in Virology and Serology [Australia]
• LAC  La Crosse [virus]; lactase; lansoprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin; large area coverage; left atrial circumflex [artery]; left atrial contraction; linear attenuation coefficient; linguoaxiocervical; long-arm cast; low-amplitude contraction; lung adenocarcinoma cells; lupus anticoagulant
• LaC  labiocervical
• Lac  laceration; lactation
• LACD  left apex cardiogram, calibrated displacement
• LACI  lacidipine; lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor
• LACN  local area communications network
• LacR  lactose repressor
• Lacr  lacrimal
• LACS  long chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetase
• Lact  lactate, lactating, lactation; lactic
• Lact hyd  lactalbumin hydrolysate
• LACV  La Crosse virus
• LAD  lactic acid dehydrogenase; left anterior descending [coronary artery]; left atrial defect; left axis deviation; leukocyte adhesion deficiency; ligament augmentation device; linoleic acid depression; lipoamide dehydrogenase; lymphocyte-activating determinant
• LADA  laboratory animal dander allergy; latent autoimmune diabetes in the adult, latent autoimmune diabetes of adults; left acromio-dorso-anterior [position]; left anterior descending artery
• LADB  left [coronary] descending branch
• LADCA  left anterior descending coronary artery
• LADD  lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital [syndrome]; left anterior descending diagonal [coronary artery]
• LADH  lactic acid dehydrogenase; liver alcohol dehydrogenase
• LAD-MIN  left axis deviation, minimal
• LADP  left acromio-dorso-posterior [position]; left anterior descending arterial pressure
• LADS  Lors American Data System
• LAE  left atrial enlargement
• LAEDV  left atrial volume in end diastole
• LAEI  left atrial emptying index
• LAESV  left atrial volume in end systole
• LAF  laminar air flow; Latin American female; left anterior fascicle; leukocyte-activating factor; lymphocyte-activating factor
• LAFB  left anterior fascicular block
• LAFR  laminar air flow room
• LAFU  laminar air flow unit
• LAG  labiogingival; leukocyte antigen group; linguo-axiogingival; lymphangiogram; lymphocyte activation gene
• LaG  labiogingival
• LAH  lactalbumin hydrolysate; left anterior hemiblock; left atrial hypertrophy; Licentiate of Apothecaries Hall; lithium, aluminum, hydroxide
• LAHB  left anterior hemiblock
• LAHC  low affinity-high capacity
• LAHF  low amplitude high frequency
• LAHT  laser-assisted hair transplantation
• LAHV  leukocyte-associated herpesvirus
• LAI  latex particle agglutination inhibition; leukocyte adherence inhibition
• LaI  labioincisal
• LAID  left anterior internal diameter
• LAIF  leukocyte adherence inhibition factor
• LAIT  latex agglutination inhibition test
• LAK  lymphokine-activated killer [cells]
• LAL  left axillary line; limulus amebocyte lysate; low air loss; lysosomal acid lipase
• LaL  labiolingual
• LALB  low air-loss bed
• LALI  lymphocyte antibody-lymphocytolytic interaction
• LALL  lymphomatous acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• LALR  lexically assign, logically refine [computer strategy]
• LALV  Lucerne Australian latent virus
• LAM  laminectomy; laminin; lamivudine; late ambulatory monitoring; Latin American male; left anterior measurement; left atrial myxoma; linear associative memory; lipoarabinomannan; lymphangioleiomyomatosis; lymphocyte adhesion molecule
• Lam  laminectomy
• LAMA  laminin A
• LAMB  laminin B; lentigines, atrial myxoma, mucocutaneous myxomas, blue nevi [syndrome]
• L-AmB  liposomal AmBisome [amphotericin]
• Λ  Greek capital letter lambda
• λ  Greek lowercase letter lambda; craniometric point; decay constant; an immunoglobulin light chain; mean free path; microliter; thermal conductivity; wavelength
• LAMBR  laminin B receptor
• LAMC  laminin C
• LAMMA  laser microprobe mass analyzer
• LAMP  limbic system-associated membrane protein; lysosome-associated membrane protein
• LAN  local area network; long-acting neuroleptic [agent]
• LANC  long-arm navicular cast
• LANE  lidocaine, atropine, naloxone, epinephrine [drugs that may be administered via endotracheal tube]
• LANV  Laguna Negra virus; left atrial neovascularization
• LAO  left anterior oblique; left atrial overload; Licentiate of the Art of Obstetrics
• LAP  laboratory accreditation program; laparoscopy; laparotomy; latency-active promoter; latency-associated protein; left arterial pressure; left atrial pressure; leucine aminopeptidase; leukemia-associated phenotype; leukemia-associated phosphoprotein; leukocyte alkaline phosphatase; liver-enriched transcriptional activator protein; low atmospheric pressure; lyophilized anterior pituitary
• Lap  laparoscopy; laparotomy
• Lap & dye  laparoscopy and injection of dye
• LAPIS  Late Potentials in Myocardial Infarction Study
• LAPSE  long-term ambulatory physiologic surveillance
• LAPSS  Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen
• LAPW  left atrial posterior wall
• LAR  laryngology; late asthmatic response; late reaction; left arm recumbent; legally authorized representative; leukocyte antigen-related; low anterior resection
• Lar  larynx; left arm reclining
• LARA  Low-Dose Aspirin Trial on Restenosis after Angioplasty
• LARab  laryngeal abductor
• LARad  laryngeal adductor
• LARC  leukocyte automatic recognition computer
• LARD  lacrimoauriculoradiodental [syndrome]
• L-Arg  L-arginine
• LARIS  laser atomization resonance ionization spectroscopy
• LARS  laparoscopic antireflux surgery; laser angioplasty in the treatment of restenosis developing within coronary stents; leucyl-tRNA synthetase
• Laryngol  laryngology
• LAS  laboratory automation system; lateral amyotrophic sclerosis; laxative abuse syndrome; left anterior-superior; leucine acetylsalicylate; linear alkylsulfonate; local adaptation syndrome; long arm splint; lower abdominal surgery; lymphadenopathy syndrome; lymphangioscintigraphy
• LASA  linear-analogue self assessment; lipid-associated phenotype
• LASAF  low quantities of acetylsalicylic acid in atrial fibrillation
• LASA-P  linear-analogue self-assessment-Pristman
• LASAR  Local Alcohol and Stent Against Restenosis [trial]
• LASA-S  linear-analogue self-assessment-Selby
• LASE  laser-assisted spinal endoscopy
• LASER  light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
• LASH  left anterior superior hemiblock
• LA SI  linearly additive spatially invariant [image]
• LASIK  laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis
• L-ASP  L-asparaginase
• LASS  labile aggregation stimulating substance
• LAST  Left Anterior Small Thoracotomy [study]
• LASTAC  laser transluminal angioplasty catheter
• LASTLHY  Latin American Study of Lacidipine in Hypertension
• LASV  Lassa virus
• LAT  lactic acidosis threshold; latency-associated transcript; lateral; lateral atrial tunnel; latex agglutination test; latissimus dorsi [muscle]; left anterior trigone; left atrial thrombus; less acute mode of transportation; limbal autograft transplantation; L-type amino acid transporter; lysolecithin acyltransferase
• Lat  Latin
• Lat  latent; lateral
• Lat bend  lateral bending
• LATC  lateral talocalcaneal
• LATCH  literature attached to charts
• LATE  Late Assessment of Thrombolytic Efficacy [trial]
• L · atm  liter atmosphere
• LATP  left atrial transmural pressure
• LATPT  left atrial transesophageal pacing test
• LATS  long-acting thyroid stimulator
• LATS-P  long-acting thyroid stimulator-protector
• LATu  lobulo-alveolar tumor
• LAUP  laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty
• LAV  liquid-assisted ventilation; lymphadenopathy-associated virus
• Lav  lavoratory
• LAVA  laser angioplasty vs. angioplasty; Leiden Artificial Valves and Anticoagulation [study]
• LAVH  laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy
• LAW  left atrial wall
• LAX, LAx  long axis
• Lax  laxative; laxity
• LAX-DSS  long axis-discrete subaortic stenosis
• Lax oc  laxative of choice
• LB  lamellar body; large bowel; left breast; left bronchus; left bundle; left buttock; leiomyoblastoma; lipid body; live birth; liver biopsy; loose body; low back [pain]; lung biopsy; Luria-Bertani [medium]
• L&B  left and below
• Lb  Leishmania brasiliensis; pound [Lat. libra]; pound force
• LBA  laser balloon angioplasty; left basal artery
• LBB  left bundle branch; low back bending
• LBBB  left bundle branch block
• LBBsB  left bundle branch system block
• LBC  lidocaine blood concentration; liquid-based cytology; lymphadenosis benigna cutis
• LBCD  left border of cardiac dullness
• LBCF  Laboratory Branch complement fixation [test]
• LBD  lamellar body density; large bile duct; left border of dullness; Lewy body dementia; ligand-binding domain; lower back disorder; lumbar body density
• LBF  Lactobacillus bulgaricus factor; limb blood flow; liver blood flow
• Lbf  pound force
• Lbf-ft  pound force foot
• LBH  length, breadth, height
• LBI  low back injury; low serum-bound iron
• Lb/in²  pounds per square inch
• LBL  labeled lymphoblast; lymphoblastic lymphoma
• LbL  layer-by-layer
• LBM  last bowel movement; lean body mass; loose bowel movement; lung basement membrane
• L-BMAA  L-beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine
• LBMT  lansoprazole, bismuth, metronidazole, tetracycline
• LBNP  lower body negative pressure
• LBO  large bowel obstruction
• LBP  lipopolysaccharide-binding protein; local binary pattern; low back pain; low blood pressure; lumbar back pain
• LBPF  long bone or pelvic fracture
• LBPP  lower body positive pressure
• LBPQ  Low Back Pain Questionnaire
• LBRF  louse-borne relapsing fever
• LBS  low back syndrome; Lübeck Blood [Pressure] Study; lumbar back strain; Lutheran Brotherhood Study; lysine-binding site
• LBSA  lipid-bound sialic acid
• LBT  low back tenderness or trouble
• LBTI  lima bean trypsin inhibitor
• Lb tr  pound troy
• LBV  Lagos bat virus; left brachial vein; lung blood volume
• LB-V  left bundle-ventricle
• LBW  lean body weight; low birth weight
• LBWI  low-birth-weight infant
• LBWR  lung-body weight ratio
• LC  Laënnec cirrhosis; Langerhans cell; laparoscopic cholecystectomy; large chromophobe; late clamped; lateral canthotomy; lateral cortex; lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase; left circumflex [coronary artery]; lethal concentration; Library of Congress; life care; light chain; linguocervical; lipid cytosomes; liquid chromatography; liquid crystal; liver cirrhosis; living children; location component; locus ceruleus; long chain; low calorie; low contrast; lower calyceal; lung cancer; lung cell; lymphocyte count