Medical Lab Abbreviations: Blood Test Acronyms A–Z
Medical laboratory reports often use shortened test names. You may see FBC, CRP, ALT, TSH or eGFR instead of the complete test name.
These abbreviations help laboratories and healthcare teams display large amounts of information clearly. However, they can make a report difficult to understand when you are not familiar with laboratory language.
This A–Z guide explains common medical laboratory abbreviations in plain English.
Important: Abbreviations can differ between countries, hospitals, analysers and reporting systems. Always use the wording and reference interval printed on your own report.
How to use this glossary
Each entry gives:
- The abbreviation
- The full test or term
- A short explanation
- A suggested LabWise article where a deeper explanation is available
This is a decoder, not a result-interpretation tool. An abbreviation tells you what was measured, not whether your result is healthy, abnormal or clinically important.
A
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| ACR | Albumin-to-creatinine ratio | A urine measurement used to check for small amounts of albumin that may indicate kidney damage |
| ACTH | Adrenocorticotropic hormone | A hormone involved in stimulating cortisol production |
| Alb | Albumin | A major blood protein made mainly by the liver |
| ALP | Alkaline phosphatase | An enzyme associated mainly with the liver, bile ducts and bone |
| ALT | Alanine aminotransferase | An enzyme commonly measured in liver-related blood tests |
| ANA | Antinuclear antibody | An autoimmune screening antibody test |
| APTT | Activated partial thromboplastin time | A clotting test assessing part of the coagulation pathway |
| AST | Aspartate aminotransferase | An enzyme found in liver, muscle and other tissues |
B
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| B12 | Vitamin B12 | A vitamin needed for blood cell production and nervous system function |
| BC | Blood culture | A test used to look for bacteria or fungi in the bloodstream |
| Bili | Bilirubin | A pigment produced during red blood cell breakdown and processed by the liver |
| BNP | B-type natriuretic peptide | A marker that may be used when heart strain or heart failure is being assessed |
| β-hCG / hCG | Human chorionic gonadotropin | A hormone used in pregnancy testing and selected clinical investigations |
C
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| C3 / C4 | Complement components 3 and 4 | Immune-system proteins measured in some autoimmune investigations |
| Ca | Calcium | A mineral involved in bones, nerves, muscles and cell signalling |
| Ca adj / Adj Ca | Adjusted calcium | Total calcium mathematically adjusted for albumin |
| CA125 | Cancer antigen 125 | A tumour marker used in selected clinical contexts, especially ovarian assessment and monitoring |
| CBC | Complete blood count | US term broadly equivalent to the UK full blood count |
| CK | Creatine kinase | An enzyme that can rise with muscle injury |
| Cl | Chloride | An electrolyte involved in fluid and acid-base balance |
| CMP | Comprehensive metabolic panel | A US-style group of chemistry tests |
| CRP | C-reactive protein | A non-specific marker of inflammation |
D
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| D-dimer | D-dimer | A fragment produced when the body breaks down a blood clot |
| dsDNA / anti-dsDNA | Anti-double-stranded DNA antibody | An antibody test used in lupus-related assessment |
E
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| eGFR | Estimated glomerular filtration rate | An estimate of kidney filtration based mainly on creatinine |
| ENA | Extractable nuclear antigen antibodies | A group of autoimmune antibody tests |
| ESR | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate | A non-specific inflammation marker |
F
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| FBC | Full blood count | Measures red cells, white cells, platelets and related indices |
| Fe | Iron | The chemical symbol used for iron in some reports |
| Ferr | Ferritin | A protein used as a marker of stored iron |
| Folate | Folate | A vitamin required for normal blood cell production |
| FSH | Follicle-stimulating hormone | A reproductive hormone involved in ovarian and testicular function |
| FT4 / fT4 | Free thyroxine | The unbound portion of the thyroid hormone T4 |
G
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| GGT / γGT | Gamma-glutamyl transferase | An enzyme often included in liver-related testing |
| Glu | Glucose | Blood sugar at the time the sample was taken |
H
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| Hb / Hgb | Haemoglobin | The oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells |
| HbA1c / A1c | Glycated haemoglobin | Reflects average glucose exposure over roughly two to three months |
| Hct / PCV | Haematocrit / packed cell volume | The proportion of blood made up of red blood cells |
| HDL-C | High-density lipoprotein cholesterol | A cholesterol measure used in cardiovascular risk assessment |
| hCG / β-hCG | Human chorionic gonadotropin | A hormone measured in pregnancy testing and selected investigations |
| HCO3 / TCO2 | Bicarbonate / total carbon dioxide | A marker related to acid-base balance |
I
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| IgA | Immunoglobulin A | An antibody important at mucosal surfaces |
| IgE | Immunoglobulin E | An antibody involved in allergy and parasite responses |
| IgG | Immunoglobulin G | The main antibody class found in blood |
| IgM | Immunoglobulin M | An antibody often produced early in immune responses |
| INR | International normalised ratio | A standardised clotting result, commonly used in warfarin monitoring |
K
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| K / K+ | Potassium | An electrolyte important for nerves, muscles and heart rhythm |
L
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| LDH | Lactate dehydrogenase | An enzyme present in many tissues that can rise with cell or tissue damage |
| LDL-C | Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol | A cholesterol measure used in cardiovascular risk assessment |
| LFT / LFTs | Liver function tests | A group of blood tests related to liver and bile-duct health |
| LH | Luteinising hormone | A reproductive hormone involved in ovulation and testosterone production |
M
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| MCH | Mean cell haemoglobin | Average amount of haemoglobin in each red blood cell |
| MCHC | Mean cell haemoglobin concentration | Average concentration of haemoglobin within red blood cells |
| MCV | Mean cell volume | Average red blood cell size |
| Mg / Mg2+ | Magnesium | A mineral and electrolyte involved in many cellular processes |
| Mono | Monocytes | A type of white blood cell |
N
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| Na / Na+ | Sodium | An electrolyte important for fluid balance and nerve function |
| Neut / Neuts | Neutrophils | White blood cells important in responses to infection and inflammation |
| Non-HDL | Non-HDL cholesterol | Total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol |
P
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| PCT | Procalcitonin | A biomarker used in selected bacterial infection and sepsis pathways |
| PLT / Plts | Platelets | Blood-cell fragments involved in clotting |
| PO4 / Phos | Phosphate | A mineral important for bones, energy and cell function |
| PSA | Prostate-specific antigen | A prostate-related blood marker |
| PT | Prothrombin time | A clotting test assessing part of the coagulation pathway |
| PTH | Parathyroid hormone | A hormone involved in calcium and phosphate regulation |
R
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| RBC | Red blood cell count | Number of red blood cells in a measured volume of blood |
| RDW | Red cell distribution width | Variation in red blood cell size |
| Retic | Reticulocyte count | Number or proportion of young red blood cells |
| RF | Rheumatoid factor | An antibody used in rheumatoid arthritis-related assessment |
T
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| T3 | Triiodothyronine | An active thyroid hormone |
| T4 | Thyroxine | A major thyroid hormone |
| TFT / TFTs | Thyroid function tests | A group of thyroid-related blood tests |
| TIBC | Total iron-binding capacity | A measurement related to the blood’s ability to carry iron |
| TG / Trig | Triglycerides | A type of fat measured in a lipid profile |
| TnI / TnT | Troponin I / Troponin T | Heart-muscle injury markers |
| TSAT | Transferrin saturation | Percentage of transferrin carrying iron |
| TSH | Thyroid-stimulating hormone | The pituitary hormone that regulates the thyroid |
U
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| U&E / U+E / U&Es | Urea and electrolytes | A common UK group of kidney-related chemistry tests |
| UA | Urinalysis | Chemical, physical and sometimes microscopic examination of urine |
| UACR / ACR | Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio | A urine test used to assess albumin leakage and kidney damage |
W
| Abbreviation | Full term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|
| WBC / WCC | White blood cell count | Number of white blood cells in blood |
| WBC diff / Diff | White cell differential | Breakdown of the different white blood cell types |
UK and US abbreviations can differ
| UK wording | Common US wording | Meaning |
|---|
| FBC | CBC | Full/complete blood count |
| Hb | Hgb | Haemoglobin |
| WCC | WBC | White blood cell count |
| U&E | BMP/CMP components | Kidney-related chemistry and electrolytes |
| Haematocrit | Hematocrit | Red cell proportion |
| Haemoglobin | Hemoglobin | Oxygen-carrying blood protein |
Abbreviations that can mean more than one thing
Some abbreviations are ambiguous. For example:
- PCT may mean procalcitonin or, on some haematology systems, plateletcrit.
- BC may mean blood culture, but context matters.
- ALB normally means albumin, while Alb/Cr ratio refers to albumin-to-creatinine ratio.
- TFT usually means thyroid function tests, but local systems may use other codes.
Always read the test group, units and report context.
Why this page does not list normal values
Reference intervals vary between laboratories, analysers, methods, units, age groups, sex-related reporting groups, pregnancy status and specimen types. For that reason, compare a result only with the reference interval printed on the same laboratory report.
Summary
Medical lab abbreviations are shortened test names used on requests and reports. The abbreviation identifies the test, but it does not explain whether a result is clinically important. Use this A–Z guide to decode the name, then follow the internal link to the full LabWise test article for interpretation context.
FAQ
Is FBC the same as CBC?
They describe broadly the same group of tests. FBC is common in the UK, while CBC is common in the US.
What do Hb and Hgb mean?
Both mean haemoglobin. Hb is common in UK reporting; Hgb is common in some US systems.
What does U&E mean?
U&E means urea and electrolytes, a UK term for a group of kidney-related chemistry tests.
Why does the same test have different abbreviations?
Different countries, laboratories, analysers and information systems may use different codes.
Why are there no normal ranges in this glossary?
Reference intervals vary by laboratory and method. Use the interval printed on the report that contains your result.
This glossary explains abbreviations only. It does not interpret an individual result or replace advice from a healthcare professional.
Read next: Blood Test Results Glossary
