Symbols and abbreviations

• 
  cross-reference
• ↓
  decreased
• ↑
  increased
• 
  important
• 
  very important
• ↔
  normal
• 
  websites
• ♀
  female
• ♂
  male
• 1°
  primary
• 2°
  secondary
• 2,3 DPG
  2,3 diphosphoglycerate
• 2-CDA
  2-chlorodeoxyadenosine
• A2-M
  alpha₂ microglobulin
• 6-MP
  6-mercaptopurine
• 99mTc-MIBI
  ^99mTc methoxyisobutyl-isonitride or ^99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy
• AA
  aplastic anaemia or reactive amyloidosis
• Ab
  antibody
• ABVD
  adriamycin (doxorubicin), bleomycin, vinblastine,
• ACD
  acid-citrate-dextrose or anaemia of chronic disease
• ACE
  angiotensin converting enzyme
• ACL
  anticardiolipin antibody
• ACML
  atypical chronic myeloid leukaemia
• ADA
  adenosine deaminase
• ADE
  cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) daunorubicin etoposide
• ADP
  adenosine 5-diphosphate
• AFB
  acid fast bacilli
• Ag
  antigen
• AIDS
  acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
• AIHA
  autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
• AIN
  autoimmune neutropenia
• AITL
  angio-immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma
• AL
  (1°) amyloidosis
• ALB
  serum albumin
• ALCL
  anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• ALG
  anti-lymphocyte globulin
• ALIPs
  abnormal localization of immature myeloid precursors
• ALL
  acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
• ALS
  advanced life support
• ALT
  alanine aminotransferase
• AML
  acute myeloid leukaemia
• AMP
  adenosine monophosphate
• ANA
  antinuclear antibodies
• ANAE
  alpha naphthyl acetate esterase
• ANCA
  anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody
• ANH
  acute normovolaemic haemodilution
• APC
  activated protein C
• APCR
  activated protein C resistance
• APL
  antiphospholipid antibody
• APML
  acute promyelocytic leukaemia
• APS
  antiphospholipid syndrome
• APTR
  activated partial thromboplastin ratio
• APTT
  activated partial thromboplastin time
• ARDS
  adult respiratory distress syndrome
• ARF
  acute renal failure
• ARMS
  amplification refractory mutation system
• ASCT
  autologous stem cell transplantation
• AST
  aspartate aminotranferase
• AT (ATIII)
  antithrombin III
• ATCML
  adult-type chronic myeloid (granulocytic) leukaemia
• ATG
  anti-thymocyte globulin
• ATLL
  adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma
• ATP
  adenosine triphosphate
• ATRA
  all-trans retinoic acid
• A-V
  arteriovenous
• AvWS
  acquired von Willebrand syndrome
• β2-M
  beta-2-microglobuline
• BAL
  broncho-alveolar lavage
• B-CLL
  B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
• bd
  bis die (twice daily)
• BEAC
  BCNU, etoposide, cytosine, cyclophosphamide
• BEAM
  BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine (ara-C), melphalan
• BFU-E
  burst-forming unit-erythroid
• BJP
  Bence Jones protein
• BL
  Burkitt lymphoma
• BM
  bone marrow
• BMJ
  British Medical Journal
• BMM
  bone marrow mastocytosis
• BMT
  bone marrow transplantation
• BNF
  British National Formulary
• BP
  blood pressure
• BPL
  BioProducts Laboratory
• BSS
  Bernard–Soulier syndrome
• BTG
  B-thromboglobulin
• BU
  Bethesda Units
• C/I
  consolidation/intensification
• Ca
  carcinoma
• Ca²⁺
  calcium
• CABG
  coronary artery by pass graft
• cALL
  common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
• CAMT
  congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia
• CaPO4
  calcium phosphate
• CBA
  collagen binding activity
• CBV
  cyclophosphamide, carmustine (BCNU), etoposide
• CCF
  congestive cardiac failure
• CCR
  complete cytogenetic response
• CD
  cluster differentiation or designation
• CDA
  congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia
• cDNA
  complementary DNA
• CEL
  chronic eosinophilic leukaemia
• CGL
  chronic granulocytic leukaemia
• CHAD
  cold haemagglutinin disease
• CHOP
  cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, prednisolone
• CJD
  Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (v = variant)
• Cl^-
  chloride
• CLD
  chronic liver disease
• CLL
  chronic lymphocytic (‘lymphatic’) leukaemia
• CM
  cutaneous mastocytosis
• CMC
  chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
• CML
  chronic myeloid leukaemia
• CMML
  chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia
• CMV
  cytomegalovirus
• CNS
  central nervous system
• COAD
  chronic obstructive airways disease
• COC
  combined oral contraceptive
• COMP
  cyclophosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate,
• CR
  complete remission
• CRF
  chronic renal failure
• CRP
  C-reactive protein
• CRVT
  central retinal renous thrombosis
• CSF
  cerebrospinal fluid
• CT
  computed tomography
• CTLp
  cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursor assays
• CTZ
  chemoreceptor trigger zone
• CVA
  cerebrovascular accident
• CVP
  cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone; central
• CVS
  chorionic villus sampling
• CVS
  cardiovascular system
• CXR
  chest x-ray
• CyA
  ciclosporin A
• CytaBOM
  cytarabine, bleomycin, vincristine, methotrexate
• d
  day
• DAGT
  direct antiglobulin test
• DAT
  direct antiglobulin test daunorubicin, cytosine (Ara-C),
• dATP
  deoxy ATP
• DBA
  Diamond–Blackfan anaemia
• DC
  dyskeratosis congenita
• DCS
  dendritic cell system
• DCT
  direct Coombs’ test
• DDAVP
  desamino D-arginyl vasopressin
• DEAFF
  detection of early antigen fluorescent foci
• DEB
  diepoxy butane
• DFS
  disease-free survival
• DHAP
  dexamethasone, cytarabine, cisplatin
• DI
  delayed intensification
• DIC
  disseminated intravascular coagulation
• dL
  decilitre
• DLBCL
  diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• DLI
  donor leucocyte/lymphocyte infusion
• DMSO
  dimethyl sulphoxide
• DNA
  deoxyribonucleic acid
• DOB
  date of birth
• DPG
  diphosphoglycerate
• DRVVT
  dilute Russell’s viper venom time/test
• DTT
  dilute thromboplastin time
• DVT
  deep vein thrombosis
• DXT
  radiotherapy
• EACA
  epsilon aminocaproic acid
• EBV
  Epstein–Barr virus
• EBVP
  etoposide, bleomycin, vinblastine, prednisolone
• ECG
  electrocardiograph
• ECOG
  European Co-operative Oncology Group
• EDTA
  ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid
• EEC
  endogenous erythroid colonies
• EFS
  event-free survival
• EGF
  epidermal growth factor
• ELISA
  enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
• EMEA
  European Medicines Agency
• EMH
  extramedullary haemopoietic
• EMU
  early morning urine
• EPO
  erythropoietin
• EPOCH
  etoposide, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, prednisone
• EPS
  electrophoresis
• ESHAP
  etoposide, methylprednisolone, cytarabine, platinum
• ESR
  erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• ET
  essential thrombocythaemia or exchange transfusion
• ETTL
  enteropathy type T-cell lymphoma
• FAB
  French–American–British
• FACS
  fluorescence-activated cell sorter
• FBC
  full blood count
• FCM
  fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, melphalan
• FDG-PET
  ¹⁸ fluoro–D–2–deoxyglucose positron emission tomography
• FDP
  fibrin degradation products
• Fe
  iron
• FEIBA
  factor eight inhibitor bypassing activity
• FEL
  familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
• FeSO4
  ferrous sulphate
• FFP
  fresh frozen plasma
• FFS
  failure-free survival
• Fgn
  fibrinogen
• FH
  family history
• FISH
  fluorescence in situ hybridisation
• FITC
  fluorescein isothiocyanate
• FIX
  factor IX
• fL
  femtolitre
• FL
  follicular lymphoma
• FNA
  fine needle aspirate
• FOB
  faecal occult blood
• FVIII
  factor VIII
• FVL
  factor V Leiden
• g
  gram
• G&S
  group, screen, and save
• G6PD
  glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
• GA
  general anaesthetic
• GCS
  graded compression stockings
• G-CSF
  granulocyte colony stimulating factor
• GIT
  gastrointestinal tract
• GM-CSF
  granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor
• GP
  glycoprotein
• GPI
  glycosylphosphatidylinositol
• GPS
  gray platelet syndrome
• GT
  Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia
• GvHD
  graft versus host disease
• GvL
  graft versus leukaemia
• h
  hour
• H/LMW
  high/low molecular weight
• HAART
  highly active antiretroviral therapy
• HAV
  hepatitis A virus
• Hb
  haemoglobin
• HbA
  haemoglobin A
• HbA₂
  haemoglobin A₂
• HbF
  haemoglobin F (fetal Hb)
• HbH
  haemoglobin H
• HBsAg
  hepatitis B surface antigen
• HBV
  hepatitis B virus
• HC
  hydroxycarbamide or heavy chain
• HCD
  heavy chain disease
• HCG
  human chorionic gonadotrophin
• HCII
  heparin cofactor II
• HCL
  hairy cell leukaemia
• HCO₃
  bicarbonate
• Hct
  haematocrit
• HCV
  hepatitis C virus
• HD
  haemodialysis
• HDM
  high dose melphalan
• HDN
  haemolytic disease of the newborn
• HDT
  high dose therapy
• HE
  hereditary elliptocytosis
• HELLP
  haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets
• HES
  hypereosinophilic syndrome
• HHT
  hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
• HI
  haematological improvement
• HIT(T)
  heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (with thrombosis)
• HIV
  human immunodeficiency virus
• HL
  Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease)
• HLA
  human leucocyte antigen
• HLH
  haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
• HMP
  hexose monophosphate shunt
• HMWK
  high molecular weight kininogen
• HPA
  human platelet antigen
• HPF
  high power field
• HPFH
  hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin
• HPLC
  high performance liquid chromatography
• HPP
  hereditary pyropoikilocytosis
• HRT
  hormone replacement therapy
• HS
  hereditary spherocytosis
• HTLV-1
  human T-lymphotropic virus type 1
• HTO
  high titre antibodies
• HUMARA
  human androgen receptor gene assay
• HUS
  haemolytic uraemic syndrome
• IAGT
  indirect antiglobulin test
• IAHS
  infection-associated haemophagocytic syndrome
• ICE
  ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide
• ICH
  intracranial haemorrhage
• ICUS
  idiopathic cytopenia of uncertain (undetermined) significance
• IDA
  iron deficiency anaemia
• IF
  involved field (radiotherapy)
• IFA
  intrinsic factor antibody
• IFN-α
  interferon alpha
• Ig
  immunoglobulin
• IgA
  immunoglobulin A
• IgD
  immunoglobulin D
• IgE
  immunoglobulin E
• IgG
  immunoglobulin G
• IgM
  immunoglobulin M
• IL-1
  interleukin-1
• IM
  intramuscular
• IMF
  idiopathic myelofibrosis
• INR
  International normalized ratio
• inv
  chromosomal inversion
• IPC
  intermittent pneumatic compression devices
• IPF
  immature platelet fraction
• IPI
  International Prognostic Index
• IPSS
  International Prognostic Scoring System
• ISM
  Indolent systemic mastocytosis
• ISS
  International Sensitivity Index
• IT
  intrathecal
• ITP
  idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• ITU
  Intensive Therapy Unit
• IU
  international units
• IUGR
  intrauterine growth retardation
• IUT
  intrauterine transfusion
• IV
  intravenous
• IVI
  intravenous infusion
• IVIg
  intravenous immunoglobulin
• JCMML
  juvenile chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia
• JML
  juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia
• JVP
  jugular venous pressure
• KCT
  Kaolin clotting time
• kg
  kilogram
• L
  litre
• LA
  lupus anticoagulant
• LAP
  leucocyte alkaline phosphatase (score)
• LC
  light chain
• LCH
  Langerhans cell histiocytosis
• LDH
  lactate dehydrogenase
• LDHL
  lymphocyte depleted HL
• LFS
  leukaemia free survival
• LFTs
  liver function tests
• LGL
  large granular lymphocyte
• LLN
  lower limit of normal
• LMWH
  low molecular weight heparin
• LN
  lymph node(s)
• LP
  lumbar puncture
• LPD
  lymphoproliferative disorder
• LRCHL
  lymphocyte rich classical HL
• LSCS
  lower segment Caesarian section
• LTC
  large transformed cells
• M&P
  melphalan and prednisolone
• MACOP-B
  methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, bleomycin, prednisolone
• MAHA
  microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia
• MALT
  mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
• m-BACOD
  methotrexate, bleomycin, adriamycin (doxorubicin), cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dexamethasone
• mc
  micro
• MC
  mast cell(s)
• MCH
  mean cell haemoglobin
• MCHC
  mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration
• MCHL
  mixed cellularity HL
• MCL
  mast cell leukaemia or mantle cell lymphoma
• MCP
  mitoxantrone, chlorambucil, prednisolone
• MCR
  major cytogenetic response
• MCS
  mast cell sarcoma
• M-CSF
  macrophage colony stimulating factor
• MCV
  mean cell volume
• MDS
  myelodysplastic syndrome
• MetHb
  methaemoglobin
• MF
  myelofibrosis
• mg
  milligram
• MGUS
  monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
• MHC
  major histocompatibility complex
• MI
  myocardial infarction
• min
  minute(s)
• mL
  millilitre
• MLC
  mixed lymphocyte culture
• MM
  multiple myeloma
• MMC
  mitomycin C
• MNC
  mononuclear cell(s)
• MoAb
  monoclonal antibody
• MP
  melphalan and prednisolone
• MPCM
  maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis
• MPD
  myeloproliferative disease
• MPO
  myeloperoxidase
• MPS
  mononuclear phagocytic system
• MPT
  melphalan, prednisolone, and thalidomide
• MPV
  mean platelet volume
• MRD
  minimal residual disease
• MRI
  magnetic resonance imaging
• mRNA
  messenger ribonucleic acid
• MRSA
  meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• MSBOS
  maximum surgical blood ordering schedule
• MSU
  midstream urine
• MT
  mass: thoracic
• MTX
  methotrexate
• MUD
  matched unrelated donor (transplant)
• MZL
  mantle zone lymphoma
• Na⁺
  sodium
• NaCl
  sodium chloride
• NADP
  nicotinamide adenine diphosphate
• NADPH
  nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (reduced)
• NAIT
  neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
• NAP
  neutrophil alkaline phosphatase
• NBT
  nitro blue tetrazolium
• NEJM
  New England Journal of Medicine
• NHL
  non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• NLPHL
  nodular lymphocyte predominant HL
• NRBC
  nucleated red blood cells
• NS
  nodular sclerosing
• NS
  non-secretory (myeloma)
• NSAIDs
  non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs
• NSE
  non-specific esterase
• NSHL
  nodular sclerosing HL
• OAF
  OC-activating factor
• OB
  osteoblast
• OC
  osteoclast
• OCP
  oral contraceptive pill
• od
  omni die (once daily)
• OPG
  osteoprotogerin
• OPG
  orthopantomogram
• OR
  overall response
• OS
  overall survival
• OWR
  Osler–Weber–Rendu
• PA
  pernicious anaemia
• PAI
  plasminogen activator inhibitor
• PaO₂
  partial pressure of O₂ in arterial blood
• PAS
  periodic acid–Schiff
• PB
  peripheral blood
• PBSC
  peripheral blood stem cell
• PC
  protein C
• PCC
  prothrombin complex concentrate
• PCH
  paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria
• PCL
  plasma cell leukaemia
• PCP
  Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
• PCR
  polymerase chain reaction
• PCV
  packed cell volume
• PD
  peritoneal dialysis
• PDGF
  platelet-derived growth factor
• PDW
  platelet distribution width
• PE
  pulmonary embolism
• PEP
  post-expoure prophylaxis
• PET
  pre-eclamptic toxaemia or position emission tomography
• PF
  platelet factor
• PFA
  platelet function analysis
• PFK
  phosphofructokinase
• PFS
  progression-free survival
• PGD2
  prostaglandin D2
• PGE1
  prostaglandin E1
• PGK
  phosphoglycerate kinase
• Ph
  Philadelphia chromosome
• PIG
  phosphatidylinositol glycoproteins
• PIVKA
  protein induced by vitamin K absence
• PK
  pyruvate kinase
• PLL
  prolymphocytic leukaemia
• PML
  promyelocytic leukaemia
• PNET
  primitive neuroectodermal tumour
• PO
  per os (by mouth)
• PPH
  post-partum haomorrhage
• PPI
  proton pump inhibitor
• PPP
  primary proliferative polycythaemia
• PRCA
  pure red cell aplasia
• PRN
  as required
• ProMACE
  prednisolone, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide
• PRV
  polycythaemia rubra vera
• PS
  protein S
• PSA
  pure sideroblastic anaemia or prostate-specific antigen
• PT
  prothrombin time
• PTCL
  peripheral T-cell lymphomas
• PTP
  pretest probability or post-transfusion purpura
• PUVA
  phototherapy with psoralen plus UV-A
• PV
  polycythaemia vera
• PVO
  pyrexia of unknown origin
• qds
  quater die sumendus (to be taken 4 times a day)
• QoL
  quality of life
• RA
  refractory anaemia
• RAEB
  refractory anaemia with excess blasts
• RAEB-t
  refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation
• RAR
  retinoic acid receptor
• RARS
  refractory anaemia with ring sideroblasts
• RBC
  red blood cell
• RCC
  red blood cell count
• RCM
  red cell mass
• RCMD
  refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia
• RDS
  respiratory distress syndrome
• RDW
  red cell distribution width
• RE
  relative erythrocytosis; reticuloendothelial
• REAL
  Revised European American Lymphoma
• RES
  reticuloendothelial system
• RFLP
  restriction fragment length polymorphism
• Rh
  Rhesus
• rhAPC
  recombinant human activated protein C
• rhG-CSF
  recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor
• rHuEPO
  recombinant human erythropoietin
• RI
  remission induction
• RIA
  radioimmunoassay
• RIC
  reduced-intensity conditioning
• RiCoF
  ristocetin cofactor
• RIPA
  ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination
• RS
  Reed–Sternberg or ringed sideroblasts
• RT
  reptilase time
• RT-PCR
  reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
• s
  second(s)
• SAA
  serum amyloid A protein
• SAGM
  saline adenine glucose mannitol
• SaO₂
  arterial oxygen saturation
• SAP
  serum amyloid P protein
• SBP
  solitary plasmacytoma of bone
• SC
  subcutaneous
• SCA
  sickle cell anaemia
• SCBU
  special care baby unit
• SCD
  sickle cell disease
• SCID
  severe combined immunodeficiency
• SCT
  stem cell transplantation or silica clot time
• SD
  standard deviation
• SE
  secondary erythrocytosis
• SEP
  extramedullary plasmacytoma
• SLE
  systemic lupus erythematosus
• SLL
  small lymphocytic lymphoma
• SLVL
  splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes
• SM
  systemic mastocytosis
• SM-AHNMD
  systemic mastocytosis with an associated clonal haemato logical non-mast cell lineage disease
• SmIg
  surface membrane immunoglobulin
• SMZL
  splenic marginal zone lymphoma
• SOB
  short of breath
• SPB
  solitary plasmacytoma of bone
• SPD
  storage pool disorders/deficiency
• stat
  statim (immediate; as initial dose)
• sTfR
  soluble transferrin receptor
• SVC
  superior vena cava
• SVCO
  superior vena caval obstruction
• T° (4T°)
  temperature (fever)
• t½
  half-life
• T4
  thyroxine
• TAM
  transient abnormal myelopoiesis
• TAR
  thrombocytopenia with absent radius
• TB
  tuberculosis
• TBI
  total body irradiation
• TCR
  T-cell receptor
• tds
  ter die sumendum (to be taken 3 times a day)
• TdT
  terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
• TEC
  transient erythroblastopenia of childhood
• TEG
  thromboelastography
• TENS
  transcutaneous nerve stimulation
• TF
  tissue factor
• TFT
  thyroid function test(s)
• TGF-β
  transforming growth factor-β
• TI
  transfusion-independence
• TIAs
  transient ischaemic attacks
• TIBC
  total iron binding capacity
• tiw
  three times in a week
• TNF
  tumour necrosis factor
• topo II
  topoisomerase II
• TORCH
  toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes sim
• TPA
  tissue plasminogen activator
• TPI
  triphosphate isomerase
• TPN
  total parenteral nutrition
• TPO
  thrombopoietin
• TPR
  temperature, pulse, respiration
• TRAP
  tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
• TRM
  treatment related mortality
• TSE
  transmissible spongiform encephalopathy
• TSH
  thyroid-stimulating hormone
• TT
  thrombin time
• TTP
  thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• TXA
  tranexamic acid
• TXA2
  thromboxane A2
• U&E
  urea and electrolytes
• U
  unit(s)
• UC
  ulcerative colitis
• UFH
  unfractionated heparin
• URTI
  upper respiratory tract infection
• US
  ultrasound
• USS
  ultrasound scan
• UTI
  urinary tract infection
• VAD
  vincristine adriamycin dexamethasone regimen
• VBAP
  vincristine, carmustine (BCNU), doxorubicin, prednisolone
• VBMCP
  vincristine, carmustine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone
• VC
  vena cava
• VDRL
  Venereal Disease Research Laboratory
• VEGF
  vascular endothelial growth factor
• VF
  ventricular fibrillation
• VIII:C
  factor VIII clotting activity
• Vit K
  vitamin K
• VMCP
  vincristine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone
• VMP
  melphalan, prednisolone, bortezomib
• VOD
  veno-occlusive disease
• VTE
  venous thromboembolism
• vWD
  von Willebrand disease
• vWF
  von Willebrand factor
• vWFAg
  von Willebrand factor antigen
• WAS
  Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome
• WBC
  white blood cell
• WBRT
  whole brain radiotherapy
• WCC
  white cell count
• WM
  Waldenström macroglobulinaemia
• X match
  cross-match
• XDPs
  cross-linked fibrin degradation products