This article contains a list of commonly used medical abbreviations and acronyms that start with the letter P 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
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P
P wave on ECG
peta (SI prefix for 1015)
phosphorus
progesterone
proline (single letter amino acid code)
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p
pico (SI prefix for 10-12)
short arm of a chromosome
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PA
periapical (dental)
posterior-anterior or posteroanterior
Pa: protactinium
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PAC
premature atrial contraction
PaCO2: partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood
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PACS
post-acute COVID-19 syndrome
primary angle-closure syndrome
PACVS: post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome
PADMAL: pontine autosomal dominant microangiopathy with leukoencephalopathy
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PAE
prostatic artery embolization
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PAF
pregnancy after infertility
PAL: posterior axillary line
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PAM
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PAN
periodic alternating nystagmus
PANDAS: pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with a streptococci
PANS: pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome
PaO2: partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
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PAP
Papanicolaou stain/test
positive airway pressure
PAPA syndrome: pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne
PaS: parasubiculum
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PASTA
PAT: paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
Path: pathology
PB: petabyte
Pb: lead (Latin: plumbum)
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PBA
payment by activity
push bike accident
PBMCs: peripheral blood mononuclear cells
PBR: payment by results
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PC
packed (red blood) cells
personal computer
political correctness, politically correct
presenting complaint
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PCA
patient-controlled analgesia
PCCP: percutaneous compression plate
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PCD
post-concussional disorder
posterior ciliary dyskinesia
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PCI
percutaneous coronary intervention
PCM: plasmacytoma
PCNSL: primary CNS lymphoma
PCO: polycystic ovaries
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PCP
phencyclidine
primary care physician (US)
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PCR
polymerase chain reaction
protein:creatinine ratio
PCS: post-concussional syndrome
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PCV
packed cell volume
PCVS: post-COVIDvac syndrome
PCWP: pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
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PD
personality disorder
program director
Pd: palladium
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PDA
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PDD
pervasive developmental disorder
PDF: portable document format
PDx: provisional diagnosis
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PE
phase encoding
physical exam
premature ejaculation
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PEA
percutaneous ethanol ablation
pulmonary endarterectomy
PEARL: pupils equal and reactive to light
PEEK: polyetheretherketone
PEEP: positive end-expiratory pressure
PEF: peak expiratory flow
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PEG
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PEI
pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
penetrating eye injury
PEP: post-exposure prophylaxis
PEPSI: post-exposure prophylaxis (after) sexual intercourse
PERCIST: positron emission tomography response criteria in solid tumors
PERLA: pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation
PERM: progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus
PEST analysis: political, economic, social and technological
PESTLE analysis: political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental
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PET
PFAPA syndrome - periodic fever, aphthous pharyngitis and cervical adenopathy syndrome
PFAS: partial fetal alcohol syndrome
PFH: past family history
PFHx: past family history
PJI: prosthetic joint infection
PFJ: patellofemoral joint
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PFO
pissed (UK slang for inebriated), fell over
PFTs: pulmonary function tests
PG: postgraduate
pg: picogram
PGCS: pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale
PGY: postgraduate year (US/Canada)
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PH
past (medical) history
pH: potential of hydrogen
Phe: phenylalanine
PHTN: pulmonary hypertension
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PI
present illness
principal investigator
product information
protease inhibitor
PIC: pain in chest
PICO: patient, problem or population; intervention; comparison, control or comparator; outcome (EBM process)
PICU: pediatric intensive care unit
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PID
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PIE
PIH: pregnancy-induced hypertension
PIIS: posterior inferior iliac spine
PIM: potentially inappropriate medication
PIMS-TS: pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2
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PIN
PIOPED: prospective investigation of pulmonary embolism diagnosis
PIPJ: proximal interphalangeal joint
PISAPED: prospective investigative study of acute pulmonary embolism diagnosis
PIT: pituitary
PITAND: pediatric infection-triggered autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders
PITI: post-intubation tracheal injury
pixel: picture element
PJK: proximal junctional kyphosis
PKU: phenylketonuria
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PLC
posterior ligamentous complex (of the spine)
PLE: panlobular emphysema
PLEX: plasma exchange
PLND: pelvic lymph node dissection
PLT: platelet
PLV: posterior left ventricular (artery)
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PM
partial mastectomy
postmortem
Pm: promethium
PMB: post menopausal bleeding
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PMC:
PubMed Central
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PMF
PMID: PubMed identifier
PMH: past medical history
PMHx: past medical history
PMitCEBO: prednisolone, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, bleomycin, Oncovin® (vincristine)
PMMA: polymethylmethacrylate
pmol: picomole
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PMR
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PND
PNG: portable network graphics
PNI: perineural invasion
PNIF: peak nasal inspiratory flow
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PNS
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PO
per oral
postoperative
POCT: point of care testing
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POD
postoperative day (number)
POEM: peroral endoscopic myotomy
POEMS syndrome: polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal plasma cell disorder, skin changes syndrome
polio: poliomyelitis
POMP: phase offset multiplanar (GE)
POMS: pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis
PONV: postoperative nausea and vomiting
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POP
postoperative pain
POPUMET: protection of persons undergoing medical examination or treatment (old UK regulations)
PORP: partial ossicular replacement prosthesis
PoS: postsubiculum
POSI: position of safe immobilization (plaster cast)
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PP
on behalf of (signing letters for someone else) (Latin: per procurationem)
parts per
private patient
proximal phalanx
PPB: parts per billion
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PPE
personal protective equipment
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PPI
proton pump inhibitor
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PPM
parts per million
PPN: pedunculopontine nucleus
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PPPD
PPPs: potential pandemic pathogens
PPS: parapharyngeal space
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PPT
parts per trillion
precipitant/precipitate/precipitated
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PPV
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PR
per rectum
pulse rate
P wave to R wave interval on an ECG
Pr: praseodymium
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PRC
packed red cells
PrCa: prostate cancer
PREP: pre-exposure prophylaxis
PRESS: Point-RESolved Spectroscopy
PRICE: protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation
Primips: primipara
PRL: prolactin
PRN: as required (drug prescriptions, Latin: pro re nata)
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Pro
professional
proline
Prof: professor
PROG: progesterone
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PROM
patient-reported outcome measure
PROPELLER: periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction
ProS: prosubiculum
PRP: platelet-rich plasma
PRRT: peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
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PRS:
plastics and reconstruction surgery
PrS: presubiculum
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PS
PsA: psoriatic arthritis
pSAE: proximal splenic artery embolization
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PSB
pansystolic spectral broadening
PSCC: posterior semicircular canal
PSD: peak skin dose
PSIS: posterior superior iliac spine
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PSP
PSR: prostate specific radiopharmaceutical
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PT
patient
physiotherapy (AmE: physical therapy)
prothrombin time
pubic tubercle
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Pt
patient
platinum
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PTA
post traumatic amnesia
pure tone audiogram
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PTB
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PTC
PTCA: percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
PTH: parathyroid hormone
PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder
PTU: propylthiouracil
PTV: planning target volume
PTX: pneumothorax
PU: per urethra
PUD: peptic ulcer disease
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PUV
pregnancy of unknown viability
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PV
pemphigus vulgaris
periventricular nucleus
per vagina
portal venous (phase)
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PVC
peripheral venous catheter
premature ventricular contraction
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PVD
PVI: pulmonary vein isolation
PVIA: pulmonary vein isolation ablation
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PVL
Panton-Valentine leukocidin
PVP: portal venous phase
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PVR
postvoid residual volume
pulmonary valve replacement
pulmonary vascular resistance
PVS: perivascular space
PWB: partial weight bearing
PWD: pulsed wave Doppler
PW Doppler: pulsed wave Doppler
PX: patient experience
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Px
prognosis
PXR: pelvis x-ray
PY: pack-year (smoking)
PYH: pack-year history (smoking)