Medical Abbreviations Starting With "D"

This page lists 289 medical abbreviations starting with "D", each with its full form and a plain-English meaning. Where one abbreviation has more than one common meaning, each meaning has its own row — context in the chart is what tells them apart. Terms flagged ⚠ Error-prone are on recognised error-prone lists and should be written out in full. Use the filter box to narrow this list, the search on the main guide to search all 5,715 entries, or jump to another letter:

A B C E F G H I J K L M N 0–9 O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abbreviation	Full form	What it means	Used in
D&C	dilation and curettage	Widening the cervix and scraping the uterus lining	Surgery Obstetrics & Gynecology
D&C procedure	dilation and curettage (procedure)	Widening the cervix and scraping the womb — procedure	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
D&E	dilation and evacuation	Procedure dilating the cervix and removing tissue from the uterus	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
D+R-	donor positive recipient negative (mismatch)	Highest-risk CMV mismatch pairing	Renal & Nephrology Infectious Disease Surgery
D-xylose	D-xylose absorption test	Absorption test for intestinal malabsorption	Laboratory Gastroenterology
D/C	discharge	Release of a patient from hospital care	General Medical Nursing
D/C	discontinue	To stop a treatment, medicine or order	General Medical Prescription & Medication Orders
D/C summary	discharge summary	Document summarising a hospital stay and follow-up	General Medical
D5NS	dextrose 5% in normal saline	Intravenous fluid with sugar and salt water	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing
D5W	dextrose 5% in water	Intravenous fluid containing five percent sugar	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing
DAA	direct-acting antiviral	Hepatitis C cure drug class	Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders Gastroenterology
dacryocystitis	dacryocystitis (tear sac)	Infected tear sac	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Surgery
DAI	diffuse axonal injury	Widespread tearing of brain nerve fibres after trauma	Neurology
DAIDS	Division of AIDS table (toxicity grading)	Adverse event grading table used in trials	Infectious Disease Hematology & Oncology
daily weights	daily weights (order)	Same-time daily weighing to track fluid	Nursing Cardiology Renal & Nephrology
DALY	disability-adjusted life year	Measure of overall disease burden	General Medical
dangle	dangle (legs at bedside)	Sitting with legs over the bed edge before standing	Nursing
DAP	daptomycin (chart shorthand)	Lipopeptide antibiotic chart shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
DAPT	dual antiplatelet therapy	Two blood-thinning medicines used together to protect stents	Cardiology
DARA	daratumumab (chart shorthand)	CD38 antibody for myeloma shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DARO	darolutamide (chart shorthand)	Prostate cancer hormone pill shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DAS	Difficult Airway Society (guideline body)	Airway guideline organization	Emergency & Critical Care Surgery General Medical
DAS28	Disease Activity Score 28	Rheumatoid arthritis activity score	Musculoskeletal Laboratory
DASA	dasatinib (chart shorthand)	Leukemia kinase blocker shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DASH	Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand	Arm function questionnaire	Musculoskeletal
DASH diet	Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet	Blood-pressure-lowering eating pattern	Nursing Cardiology
DAST	Drug Abuse Screening Test	Drug misuse questionnaire	Psychiatry
DAT	diet as tolerated	Food allowed as the patient can manage it	Nursing Gastroenterology
DAT	direct antiglobulin test	Test for antibodies attached to red cells	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
DAT neonate	direct antiglobulin test (newborn)	Coombs test on baby blood — newborn	Pediatrics Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
DaTscan	DaTscan (imaging)	Dopamine transporter scan — imaging	Neurology Radiology & Imaging
DaTscan	dopamine transporter scan	Brain scan supporting Parkinson diagnosis	Radiology & Imaging Neurology
DAW	dispense as written	Instruction to supply the exact product prescribed	Prescription & Medication Orders
DBD	donation after brain death	Organ donation after brain death	Surgery
DBM	donor breast milk (banked)	Screened donated human milk	Pediatrics Nursing
DBP	diastolic blood pressure	Bottom blood pressure number, when the heart rests	Cardiology Vitals & Assessment
DBS	deep brain stimulation	Implanted device sending electrical pulses to brain areas	Neurology
DBS implant	deep brain stimulator implantation	Implanting brain electrodes for movement disorders	Surgery Neurology
DBT	dialectical behavior therapy	Therapy teaching emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills	Psychiatry
DBT	digital breast tomosynthesis	3D mammography	Radiology & Imaging Obstetrics & Gynecology
DCAP-BTLS	deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures, burns, tenderness, lacerations, swelling	Trauma examination mnemonic	Emergency & Critical Care
DCD	donation after circulatory death	Organ donation after the heart has stopped	Surgery
DCDA	dichorionic diamniotic (twins)	Twins with separate placentas and sacs	Obstetrics & Gynecology
DCE	dynamic contrast-enhanced	Imaging following contrast wash-in and wash-out	Radiology & Imaging
DCI	delayed cerebral ischemia (after SAH)	Delayed brain injury from post-bleed narrowing	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
DCIS	ductal carcinoma in situ	Very early non-invasive breast cancer	Hematology & Oncology
DCM	dilated cardiomyopathy	Stretched, weakened heart muscle that pumps poorly	Cardiology
DCR	dacryocystorhinostomy	Surgery creating a new tear drainage path	General Medical Surgery
dd-cfDNA	donor-derived cell-free DNA (monitoring)	Blood marker of graft injury	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
DDAVP	desmopressin	Medicine copying the water-conserving hormone	Prescription & Medication Orders Endocrinology Renal & Nephrology
DDAVP challenge	desmopressin challenge (DI typing)	Test dose distinguishing DI types	Endocrinology Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
DDD	degenerative disc disease	Age-related wear of the spinal discs	Musculoskeletal
DDH	developmental dysplasia of the hip	Hip joint forming abnormally in babies	Musculoskeletal Pediatrics
DDH treatment	DDH treatment (harness)	Hip dysplasia harness care	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
DDLT	deceased donor liver transplant	Liver transplant from a deceased donor	Surgery Gastroenterology
DDNC	death by neurologic criteria (term)	Formal term for brain death	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
ddPCR	droplet digital PCR	Highly sensitive DNA counting technique	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology Infectious Disease
DDx	differential diagnosis	List of possible conditions explaining the findings	General Medical
de novo	de novo disease (graft)	New disease arising in a transplant	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
deaccess	deaccess (port needle removal)	Removing the needle from an implanted port	Nursing Hematology & Oncology
Deauville	Deauville score	Five-point PET response scale for lymphoma	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
DEB	drug-eluting balloon	Angioplasty balloon coated with drug	Radiology & Imaging Cardiology
debridement wound	wound debridement (procedure)	Removing dead tissue from a wound	Surgery Nursing
debrief	debrief (post-event review)	Team review after a critical event	Nursing General Medical
decerebrate	decerebrate posturing (arms extended)	Extended-arm posture of severe brain injury	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
decompressive	decompressive hemicraniectomy (stroke surgery)	Skull removal for stroke swelling	Neurology Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
decorticate	decorticate posturing (arms flexed)	Flexed-arm posture of severe brain injury	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
decortication	decortication (lung)	Peeling a restricting rind off the lung	Respiratory Surgery
DECT	dual-energy computed tomography	CT using two energy levels to characterize tissue	Radiology & Imaging
Decub	decubitus	Lying on one side for imaging or care	Radiology & Imaging Nursing
defecation syncope	defecation syncope (situational)	Fainting during bowel movements	Cardiology Neurology
Defib	defibrillation	Electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm	Emergency & Critical Care Cardiology
Dehiscence	wound dehiscence	Opening of a surgical wound after closure	Surgery
delayed cord sep	delayed cord separation (sign)	Stump attached beyond three weeks, an immune clue	Pediatrics Infectious Disease
delayed OH	delayed orthostatic hypotension	Pressure drop after several minutes standing	Neurology Cardiology
delayed prescription	delayed antibiotic prescription (strategy)	Wait-and-see antibiotic approach	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
delayed puberty	delayed puberty (evaluation)	Late puberty development — evaluation	Pediatrics Endocrinology Obstetrics & Gynecology
delt	deltoid (muscle, shorthand)	Shoulder cap muscle shorthand	Musculoskeletal
delta gap	delta gap (acid-base)	Comparing gap change with bicarbonate change	Emergency & Critical Care Laboratory Renal & Nephrology
delta ratio	delta ratio (acid-base)	Ratio refining mixed acid-base diagnosis	Laboratory Renal & Nephrology Emergency & Critical Care
delusional disorder	delusional disorder (diagnosis)	Fixed delusions without other psychosis — diagnosis	Psychiatry
dental home	dental home (care model)	Ongoing dental care base by age one	Pediatrics General Medical
dentate ligament	denticulate ligament (anatomy)	Cord-anchoring membrane teeth	Neurology
dentate nucleus	dentate nucleus (anatomy)	Largest deep cerebellar nucleus	Neurology
DENV	dengue virus	Mosquito-borne virus causing dengue fever	Infectious Disease Laboratory
Depo	Depo-Provera (injection)	Three-month contraceptive injection — charting	Obstetrics & Gynecology Prescription & Medication Orders
depot	depot injection (antipsychotic)	Long-acting antipsychotic injection	Psychiatry Prescription & Medication Orders
DES	Dissociative Experiences Scale	Dissociation screening questionnaire	Psychiatry
DES	drug-eluting stent	Heart artery stent that slowly releases medicine	Cardiology
desat	desaturation events (NICU monitoring)	Oxygen dips watched in preterm babies	Pediatrics Respiratory Nursing
desc Ao	descending aorta	Aorta segment traveling down the chest and belly	Cardiology Radiology & Imaging
desensitization	desensitization (transplant protocol)	Antibody-lowering treatment before transplant	Renal & Nephrology Surgery Prescription & Medication Orders
desquamation	desquamation (peeling phase)	Skin peeling after scarlet fever or Kawasaki	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Cardiology
developmental care	developmental care (NICU model)	Light, sound and positioning care protecting preterm brains	Pediatrics Nursing Neurology
developmental screening	developmental screening (test)	Formal milestone questionnaire — test	Pediatrics
developmental surveillance	developmental surveillance (ongoing)	Watching development at every visit	Pediatrics Nursing
DEX	dexamethasone (antenatal)	Alternative steroid for fetal lung maturity	Obstetrics & Gynecology Prescription & Medication Orders
DEXA	dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry	Scan measuring bone density	Endocrinology Musculoskeletal Radiology & Imaging
DFA	deep femoral artery (profunda)	Deep thigh artery	General Medical Radiology & Imaging
DFA	direct fluorescent antibody	Rapid antigen test using fluorescent labeled antibodies	Laboratory Infectious Disease
DFR	dialysate flow rate (setting)	Cleaning fluid speed in dialysis	Renal & Nephrology
DFS	disease-free survival	Time lived without disease returning after treatment	Hematology & Oncology
DFU	diabetic foot ulcer	Sore on the foot related to diabetes	Endocrinology Nursing
DGF	delayed graft function	Transplanted kidney not working immediately	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
DGP	deamidated gliadin peptide	Celiac disease antibody target	Laboratory Gastroenterology
DHAP	dexamethasone high-dose cytarabine cisplatin	Salvage lymphoma chemotherapy combination	Hematology & Oncology Prescription & Medication Orders
DHEA	dehydroepiandrosterone	Adrenal hormone precursor measured in blood	Endocrinology Laboratory
DHEA-S	dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate	Adrenal androgen measured in hormone workups	Laboratory Endocrinology
DHEAS	dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate	Sulfated adrenal hormone measured in blood	Endocrinology Laboratory
DHS	dynamic hip screw	Metal implant fixing certain hip fractures	Musculoskeletal Surgery
DHTR	delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction	Red cell destruction days after transfusion	Hematology & Oncology
DI	diabetes insipidus	Condition causing large volumes of dilute urine	Endocrinology Renal & Nephrology
Diag	diagonal branch (coronary)	Branch of the LAD to the front-side wall	Cardiology
dialysate	dialysate (fluid)	Cleaning fluid used across the dialysis membrane	Renal & Nephrology
dialysis disequilibrium	dialysis disequilibrium syndrome	Brain swelling from a too-fast first dialysis	Renal & Nephrology Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
dialysis machine	dialysis machine (device)	Blood-cleaning machine — device	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
dialyzer	dialyzer (filter)	Artificial kidney membrane cartridge	Renal & Nephrology
diaphragm anatomy	diaphragm (muscle anatomy)	Main breathing muscle — anatomy	Respiratory General Medical
DIC	disseminated intravascular coagulation	Widespread clotting and bleeding disorder	Hematology & Oncology Emergency & Critical Care
DIC score	ISTH DIC score	Scoring system for disseminated intravascular coagulation	Hematology & Oncology Emergency & Critical Care Laboratory
DID	dissociative identity disorder	Condition with two or more distinct identity states	Psychiatry
DID I	di-di twins (shorthand)	Dichorionic diamniotic twins shorthand	Obstetrics & Gynecology
DIE endo	deep infiltrating endometriosis	Endometriosis growing deeply into tissues	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
DIEP	deep inferior epigastric perforator flap	Belly tissue breast reconstruction sparing muscle	Surgery
Diff	differential count	Breakdown of white blood cell types in a sample	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
diffuse injury child	hypoxic-ischemic injury (infant)	Oxygen-lack brain injury pattern — infant	Pediatrics Neurology
Dig	digoxin	Heart medicine from the foxglove plant	Prescription & Medication Orders Cardiology
DiGeorge	DiGeorge syndrome (22q11)	Chromosome 22 deletion syndrome	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Cardiology
digit span	digit span (cognitive)	Number repetition testing working memory	Neurology Psychiatry
DILI	drug-induced liver injury	Liver damage caused by a medicine	Gastroenterology Prescription & Medication Orders
DIOS	distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (CF)	Bowel blockage in cystic fibrosis	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Respiratory
DIP	desquamative interstitial pneumonia	Lung scarring pattern linked mainly to smoking	Respiratory
DIP	distal interphalangeal joint	Joint nearest the fingertip or toe tip	Musculoskeletal
disc edema	optic disc edema	Swelling of the optic nerve head	General Medical Neurology
discectomy	discectomy (procedure)	Removing a herniated disc portion	Surgery Neurology Musculoskeletal
discitis	discitis (childhood)	Spinal disc inflammation in children	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal Infectious Disease
discontinuation syndrome	antidepressant discontinuation syndrome	Withdrawal-like symptoms stopping antidepressants suddenly	Psychiatry Prescription & Medication Orders
DISCUS	Dyskinesia Identification System Condensed User Scale	Movement side-effect screening scale	Psychiatry Neurology
DISE	drug-induced sleep endoscopy	Sedated airway examination for sleep apnea	Pediatrics Surgery Respiratory
disorganization	disorganized symptoms (psychosis)	Thought and behavior disorganization group	Psychiatry
dispo	disposition (shorthand)	Plan for where the patient goes next shorthand	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care General Medical
dispo pending	disposition pending	Awaiting a decision on the patient's next setting	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
dissociative amnesia	dissociative amnesia (diagnosis)	Trauma-linked memory gaps	Psychiatry
distal perfusion	distal perfusion catheter (ECMO)	Small catheter keeping the leg supplied during ECMO	Emergency & Critical Care Surgery
distraction	distraction techniques (procedural)	Attention-redirecting comfort methods for procedures	Pediatrics Nursing
distraction jaw	mandibular distraction osteogenesis	Lengthening a small jaw gradually	Pediatrics Surgery Respiratory
DIVA	Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults	Structured adult ADHD interview	Psychiatry
diversion	diversion (ED status)	Hospital temporarily not accepting ambulances	Emergency & Critical Care Nursing
division of responsibility	division of responsibility (feeding model)	Parent provides, child decides feeding model	Pediatrics Nursing
Dix	Dix-Hallpike maneuver (test)	Positioning test for BPPV — test	Neurology
DJ stent	double-J stent	Tube keeping the ureter open after procedures	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
DJD	degenerative joint disease	Joint wear and tear, another name for osteoarthritis	Musculoskeletal
DKA	diabetic ketoacidosis	Dangerous acid build-up in uncontrolled diabetes	Endocrinology Emergency & Critical Care
DKD	diabetic kidney disease	Kidney damage caused by diabetes	Endocrinology Renal & Nephrology
DL	direct laryngoscopy (technique)	Classic blade tube placement — technique	Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
DLB	dementia with Lewy bodies	Dementia with Lewy body deposits, fluctuations and hallucinations	Neurology Psychiatry
DLCO	diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide	Test of how well gases pass from lungs into blood	Respiratory
DLD	developmental language disorder	Persistent language learning difficulty	Pediatrics Neurology Psychiatry
DLP	dose length product	Total CT radiation dose measure	Radiology & Imaging
DLQI	Dermatology Life Quality Index	Skin disease quality-of-life questionnaire	General Medical
DLT	dose-limiting toxicity	Side effect severe enough to stop a dose increase	Hematology & Oncology
DLT	double-lumen tube	Breathing tube ventilating each lung separately	Surgery Respiratory
DM	dermatomyositis	Autoimmune disease causing muscle weakness and skin rash	Musculoskeletal
DM	diabetes mellitus	Condition of persistently high blood sugar	Endocrinology
DM1	myotonic dystrophy type 1	Muscle stiffness and multisystem genetic disease	Neurology Endocrinology Musculoskeletal
DM2	type 2 diabetes mellitus	Diabetes from insulin resistance and reduced insulin	Endocrinology
DMARD	disease-modifying antirheumatic drug	Medicine slowing inflammatory arthritis damage	Prescription & Medication Orders Musculoskeletal
DMD	dental charting: decayed missing filled (DMF index)	Index counting decayed, missing and filled teeth	General Medical Pediatrics
DMD	Duchenne muscular dystrophy	Inherited disease causing progressive muscle weakness in childhood	Neurology Musculoskeletal Pediatrics
DMDD	disruptive mood dysregulation disorder	Childhood condition with severe recurrent temper outbursts	Psychiatry Pediatrics
DME	diabetic macular edema	Swelling of the central retina from diabetes	General Medical Endocrinology
DME	durable medical equipment	Reusable medical equipment for home use	General Medical Nursing
DMEK	Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty	Thinnest-layer cornea transplant	General Medical Surgery
DMER	dysphoric milk ejection reflex	Brief negative feelings at milk release	Obstetrics & Gynecology Psychiatry Nursing
DMFT	decayed missing filled teeth index	Standard dental disease score for permanent teeth	General Medical
dMMR	deficient mismatch repair	Loss of DNA repair proteins in a tumor	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
DMSA	dimercaptosuccinic acid scan	Nuclear scan imaging kidney structure	Radiology & Imaging Renal & Nephrology Pediatrics
DMSA	DMSA renal scan (cortical)	Nuclear kidney scarring study	Pediatrics Renal & Nephrology Radiology & Imaging
DMT	disease-modifying therapy	Treatment that changes the long-term course of a disease	Neurology
DMTs class	disease-modifying therapies (class)	Course-changing drug class — class	Neurology Prescription & Medication Orders
DN4	Douleur Neuropathique 4	Screening questionnaire for nerve pain	Neurology Vitals & Assessment
DNA	deoxyribonucleic acid	Molecule carrying genetic instructions	Laboratory General Medical
DNAR	do not attempt resuscitation	Alternative wording of a no-CPR order	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
DNI	do not intubate	Order to withhold breathing tube placement	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
DNR	daunorubicin (chart shorthand)	Anthracycline leukemia drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DNR	do not resuscitate	Order not to attempt revival if the heart stops	General Medical Emergency & Critical Care
DNR/DNI	combined do-not-resuscitate do-not-intubate order	Paired order withholding CPR and intubation	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
DNT	door-to-needle time (stroke metric)	Arrival to clot-dissolver time	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
DO	distal-occlusal (dental)	Two-surface tooth filling shorthand	General Medical
DO	Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine	Doctor trained in osteopathic medicine	General Medical
DO2	oxygen delivery	Amount of oxygen delivered to the tissues each minute	Respiratory
DOAC	direct oral anticoagulant	Newer blood-thinning tablet acting on one clotting factor	Cardiology
DOB	date of birth	Day, month and year a person was born	General Medical
Dobut	dobutamine	Medicine strengthening heart contractions	Prescription & Medication Orders Emergency & Critical Care Cardiology
DOE	dyspnea on exertion	Breathlessness brought on by physical activity	Respiratory
doll's eyes	oculocephalic reflex (doll's eyes)	Eye reflex testing brainstem function	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
donor milk	donor human milk (feeding)	Another mother's screened milk — feeding	Pediatrics Nursing
donor nephrectomy	living donor nephrectomy	Removing a kidney for transplantation	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
door-in-door-out	door-in door-out time (transfer metric)	Time to transfer a stroke patient onward	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
DOPE	DOPE (tube deterioration mnemonic)	Displacement, obstruction, pneumothorax, equipment mnemonic	Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
DOPES	DOPES (tube problem mnemonic)	Mnemonic for sudden deterioration in an intubated child: displaced tube, obstruction, pneumothorax, equipment, stomach	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
Doppler	Doppler ultrasound	Ultrasound measuring blood flow	Radiology & Imaging Cardiology
DOR	diminishedovarian reserve	Reduced egg quantity for age	Obstetrics & Gynecology
DOR	doripenem (chart shorthand)	Carbapenem antibiotic chart shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
DORV	double outlet right ventricle	Birth defect where both great arteries arise from the right chamber	Cardiology Pediatrics
DOS	Delirium Observation Screening scale	Nurse-observation delirium scale	Neurology Nursing
DOT	directly observed therapy	Watching a patient take each medicine dose	Infectious Disease Nursing
DOTATATE	gallium-68 DOTATATE	PET tracer for neuroendocrine tumors	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology Endocrinology
double bubble	double bubble sign (duodenal)	Two-bubble X-ray sign of blocked duodenum	Pediatrics Radiology & Imaging
downbeat	downbeat nystagmus (type)	Downward-beating eye oscillation	Neurology
downtime	downtime (CRRT interruption)	Time off therapy for procedures or clotting	Renal & Nephrology Emergency & Critical Care
DOX	doxorubicin (chart shorthand)	Anthracycline chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DOX	doxycycline (chart shorthand)	Tetracycline antibiotic chart shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
Doxy	doxycycline	Tetracycline antibiotic medicine	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
dP	driving pressure (plateau minus PEEP)	Pressure actually stretching the lung each breath	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
DP pulse	dorsalis pedis (pulse/artery)	Foot-top artery used for pulse checks	Nursing Musculoskeletal
DPA	durable power of attorney	Legal authority document for another person	General Medical Nursing
DPD	dependent personality disorder	Clinging submissive pattern	Psychiatry
DPDR	depersonalization/derealization disorder	Feeling detached from self or surroundings disorder	Psychiatry
DPI	dry powder inhaler	Inhaler delivering medicine as a dry powder	Respiratory Prescription & Medication Orders
DPN	diabetic peripheral neuropathy	Nerve damage in feet and hands related to diabetes	Neurology Endocrinology
DPN nerve	deep peroneal nerve (deep fibular)	Front lower-leg nerve lifting the foot	Neurology Musculoskeletal
DPOA-HC	durable power of attorney for health care	Legal appointment of a medical decision maker	Nursing General Medical
DPP-4i	dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor	Diabetes medicine class prolonging gut hormone action	Prescription & Medication Orders Endocrinology
DPT	door-to-puncture time (stroke metric)	Arrival to catheter start time	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care Radiology & Imaging
DQ2	HLA-DQ2	Gene marker carried by most people with coeliac disease	Gastroenterology Laboratory
DR	diabetic retinopathy	Eye damage from diabetes affecting the retina	General Medical Endocrinology
DR-TB	drug-resistant tuberculosis	TB resistant to one or more standard drugs	Infectious Disease Respiratory
drain volume	drain volume (peritoneal)	Fluid recovered from a PD exchange	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
drains JP	Jackson-Pratt drain (device)	Bulb suction drain	Nursing Surgery
Dravet	Dravet syndrome (epilepsy)	Fever-sensitive genetic epilepsy of infancy	Neurology Pediatrics
draw and hold	draw and hold (labs)	Collecting blood now for possible later testing	Nursing Laboratory
DRd	daratumumab lenalidomide dexamethasone	Myeloma treatment combination	Hematology & Oncology Prescription & Medication Orders
DRE	digital rectal examination	Examination of the prostate and rectum with a gloved finger	Renal & Nephrology Vitals & Assessment
DRESS	drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms	Severe drug reaction affecting skin and organs	Emergency & Critical Care
DRG	diagnosis-related group	Payment grouping based on diagnosis and care	General Medical
drooling child	drooling (airway/ingestion sign)	Inability to swallow secretions — sign	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
drop-side crib	drop-side crib (banned design)	Prohibited crib design hazard	Pediatrics
droplet precautions	droplet precautions (isolation)	Mask for germs spread in large droplets	Nursing Infectious Disease Respiratory
drowning prevention	drowning prevention (guidance layers)	Fences, lessons and supervision guidance	Pediatrics Nursing
DRS-R-98	Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98	Delirium severity scale	Psychiatry Neurology
dry weight	dry weight (dialysis target)	Target weight without excess fluid — dialysis	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
DS	Down syndrome	Chromosome condition, also called trisomy 21	Pediatrics
DSA	digital subtraction angiography	X-ray imaging of blood vessels using contrast	Neurology Radiology & Imaging
DSA	donor-specific antibody	Antibody in a recipient directed at the donor	Surgery Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
DSC	dynamic susceptibility contrast	Perfusion MRI technique using a contrast bolus	Radiology & Imaging Neurology
DSD	disorder of sex development	Group of conditions where sex development is atypical	Pediatrics Obstetrics & Gynecology Endocrinology
dsDNA	double-stranded DNA antibody	Antibody strongly linked to lupus	Laboratory Renal & Nephrology Musculoskeletal
DSED	disinhibited social engagement disorder	Over-familiar attachment after neglect	Psychiatry Pediatrics
DSEK	Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty	Partial-thickness cornea transplant	General Medical Surgery
DSI	delayed sequence intubation	Sedation first to allow oxygenation before tube placement	Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
DSM-5	Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition	Standard classification manual for mental disorders	Psychiatry
DSPN	distal symmetric polyneuropathy	Nerve damage of feet and hands, often from diabetes	Endocrinology Neurology
DSRS	Dementia Severity Rating Scale	Informant dementia severity scale	Neurology
DTaP	diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine	Childhood vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough	Infectious Disease Pediatrics
DTaP	DTaP (childhood formulation)	Childhood diphtheria tetanus pertussis vaccine	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
DTI	diffusion tensor imaging	MRI mapping white matter tracts	Radiology & Imaging Neurology
DTIC	dacarbazine (chart shorthand)	Melanoma and lymphoma chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DTPA	diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid scan	Nuclear scan imaging kidney function	Radiology & Imaging Renal & Nephrology
DTR	deep tendon reflex	Reflex tested by tapping a tendon	Neurology Vitals & Assessment
DTR grade	deep tendon reflex grade	Reflex grading from 0 to 4+	Neurology Vitals & Assessment
DTs	delirium tremens	Severe alcohol withdrawal with confusion, agitation and tremor	Psychiatry Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
DTX	docetaxel (chart shorthand)	Taxane chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DUB	AUB (abnormal uterine bleeding, older DUB)	Bleeding outside the normal pattern — classification	Obstetrics & Gynecology
DUB	dysfunctional uterine bleeding	Abnormal uterine bleeding without a clear structural cause	Obstetrics & Gynecology
ductal-dependent	ductal-dependent lesion (term)	Heart defect needing the fetal channel open	Pediatrics Cardiology Emergency & Critical Care
Duhamel	Duhamel procedure (pull-through)	Side-join Hirschsprung operation	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery
duodenal atresia	duodenal atresia (diagnosis)	Blocked first bowel segment at birth — diagnosis	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery
duodenal bulb	duodenal bulb (anatomy)	First widened part of the duodenum	Gastroenterology
DUP	duration of untreated psychosis	Delay before psychosis treatment	Psychiatry
Dupuytren release	Dupuytren contracture release	Freeing contracted finger tissue	Surgery Musculoskeletal
DURVA	durvalumab (chart shorthand)	PD-L1 immune checkpoint drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
DUS	duplex ultrasound	Ultrasound combining pictures and flow measurement	Radiology & Imaging Cardiology
DV	ductus venosus (Doppler)	Fetal vessel waveform checked in growth problems	Obstetrics & Gynecology Radiology & Imaging
DVD	dissociated vertical deviation	Upward drift of an eye when covered	General Medical Pediatrics
DVPRS	Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale	Military pain scale with functional anchors	Vitals & Assessment Nursing
DVT	deep vein thrombosis	Blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg	Cardiology
DW	dry weight	Target weight after dialysis with normal fluid balance	Renal & Nephrology
dwell	dwell time (peritoneal exchange)	Time fluid sits in the belly during PD	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
DWI	diffusion-weighted imaging	MRI technique sensitive to early stroke changes	Radiology & Imaging Neurology
DWI lesion	diffusion lesion (MRI)	Fresh stroke area on MRI	Neurology Radiology & Imaging
Dx	diagnosis	Identification of a disease or condition	General Medical
DXA	dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry	Scan measuring bone density	Endocrinology Musculoskeletal Radiology & Imaging
dyscalculia	dyscalculia (math disorder)	Math learning disorder	Pediatrics Psychiatry
dysgraphia	dysgraphia (writing disorder)	Writing learning disorder	Pediatrics Psychiatry
dyskinetic CP	dyskinetic cerebral palsy (type)	Writhing-movement cerebral palsy type	Pediatrics Neurology
dyslexia	dyslexia (reading disorder)	Word-reading learning disorder	Pediatrics Psychiatry Neurology
dystonia	acute dystonia (reaction)	Sudden muscle spasm drug reaction	Psychiatry Emergency & Critical Care Prescription & Medication Orders
dystonia movement	dystonia (movement)	Sustained twisting postures — movement	Neurology

Educational reference only. This guide is for learning and quick reference. Abbreviations vary between hospitals, countries and specialties, and some are discouraged because they can be misread. Always write and interpret orders using your own institution’s approved abbreviation list, and check anything unclear with the prescriber or your local policy.

Medical Abbreviations Starting With "D"

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