Medical abbreviations and acronyms (N)

This article contains a list of commonly used medical abbreviations and acronyms that start with the letter N and may be encountered in medicine and radiology (please keep the main list and any sublists in alphabetic order).

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L -M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - misc

• N
  • asparagine
  • neutron number
  • newton (SI derived unit of force)
  • nitrogen
• n: nano (SI prefix for 10^-9)
• N0, N1, N2, N3: nodal stages (TNM)
• N₂: nitrogen gas (dinitrogen)
• N₂O: nitrous oxide
• NA
  • Nomina Anatomica
  • nucleic acid
• Na: sodium (Latin: natrium)
• NAA: N-acetylaspartic acid
• NACT: neoadjuvant chemotherapy
• NAD
  • no abnormality detected
  • nil abnormality detected
• NAI: non-accidental injury
• NAFLD: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• NAPH: non-aneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage
• NASCET: North American symptomatic carotid endarterectomy trial
• NASH: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
• NB
  • neuroblastoma
  • newborn
  • nota bene: take special note of "..." (L: note well)
• Nb: niobium
• NBCA: N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate (embolization glue)
• NBF: Neville Barnes forceps
• NBM: nil by mouth
• NBTE: non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis
• NC: non-contrast
• NCL: neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
• NCP: nursing care plan
• Nd: neodymium
• NDT: nasoduodenal tube
• Ne: neon
• NEDA: no evidence of disease activity (usually multiple sclerosis)
• NEC
  • necrotizing enterocolitis
  • not elsewhere classified
• NERD: non-erosive reflux disease
• NESB: non-English speaking background
• NEX: number of excitations
• NF1: neurofibromatosis type 1
• NF2: neurofibromatosis type 2
• NFA
  • no fixed address
  • no fixed abode
• NFR: not for resuscitation
• NFT: neurofibrillary tangle
• NG: new growth (old-fashioned euphemism for cancer)
• ng: nanogram/nanogramme
• NGT: nasogastric tube
• NH: nursing home
• NHL: non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• NHR: nursing home resident
• NHS: National Health Service (UK)
• Ni: nickel
• NICE: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK)
• NICU: neonatal intensive care unit
• NIDDM: non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
• NIH: National Institutes of Health (US)
• NIPPV
  • non-invasive positive pressure ventilation
  • nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation
• NIS: sodium-iodide symporter 
• NJT: nasojejunal tube
• NKA: no known allergies
• NKDA: no known drug allergies
• NLD: nasolacrimal duct
• NLP: natural language processing
• NMDA: N-methyl-D-aspartic acid
• NMO: neuromyelitis optica
• NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance
• NMV: net magnetisation vector
• NNH: number needed to harm
• NNT: number needed to treat
• NO: nitric oxide
• NOAC
  • novel oral anticoagulant agent
  • non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant agent
• NOE: naso-orbitoethmoid
• NOF
  • neck of femur
  • non-ossifying fibroma
• NOH: neck of humerus
• NOS: not otherwise specified
• Norad: norepinephrine
• NP
  • nasopharyngeal
  • necrotizing pancreatitis
• Np: neptunium
• NPC: nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• NPH: normal pressure hydrocephalus
• NPO: nil per os (Latin: nothing by mouth)
• NPRS: numeric pain rating scale
• NPPV: non-invasive positive pressure ventilation
• NPV: negative predictive value
• NPWT: negative pressure wound therapy
• NRI: nerve root injection
• NRS: numeric rating scale
• NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
• NSCLC: non-small cell lung cancer
• NSE: neuron specific enolase
• NSF: nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
• NSGCT: non-seminomatous germ cell tumor
• NSIP: non-specific interstitial pneumonia
• NSR: normal sinus rhythm
• NSTEMI: non-ST elevation myocardial infarct
• NT: nuchal translucency
• NUCOG: neuropsychiatry unit cognitive assessment tool 
• nullips: nullipara
• N&V: nausea and vomiting
• N/V: nausea, vomiting
• NVD
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • normal vaginal delivery
• NVvR: Nederlandse Vereniging voor Radiologie (Dutch Radiological Association)
• NWB: non-weight bearing
• Nx: nodes cannot be assessed (TNM)
• NYHA: New York Heart Association
• NZ: New Zealand