Medical Abbreviations Starting With "K"

This page lists 47 medical abbreviations starting with "K", 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 D E F G H I J 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
K	potassium	Electrolyte important for heart and muscle function	Laboratory
K readings	keratometry readings	Corneal curvature measurements for lens calculations	General Medical Surgery
KAFO	knee-ankle-foot orthosis	Long leg brace	Musculoskeletal Neurology
kangaroo care	kangaroo care (NICU)	Skin-to-skin care in the NICU	Pediatrics Nursing
Kartagener	Kartagener syndrome (PCD)	Ciliary disorder with reversed organs	Pediatrics Respiratory
Kasai	Kasai portoenterostomy (biliary)	Bowel-to-liver bile drainage operation	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery
Kawasaki	Kawasaki disease (diagnosis)	Childhood vessel inflammation — diagnosis	Pediatrics Cardiology Infectious Disease
KB test	Kleihauer-Betke test (fetal blood)	Test measuring fetal blood in the mother	Obstetrics & Gynecology Laboratory
KBIT	Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test	Short intelligence screen	Psychiatry Pediatrics
KCN	keratoconus (shorthand)	Cone-shaped cornea causing distorted vision	General Medical
KD	Kawasaki disease	Childhood illness causing inflammation of blood vessels	Pediatrics Cardiology
KDIGO	Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage	Standard CKD staging framework	Renal & Nephrology
KDOQI	Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (access guidelines)	Dialysis practice guideline body	Renal & Nephrology General Medical
KDPI	Kidney Donor Profile Index	Donor kidney quality score	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
KDRI	Kidney Donor Risk Index	Donor kidney risk calculation	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
kernicterus	kernicterus (chronic bilirubin injury)	Permanent brain injury from bilirubin — chronic	Pediatrics Neurology
Kernohan	Kernohan notch phenomenon	False localizing weakness from opposite-side compression	Neurology
ketamine asthma	ketamine (bronchodilator adjunct)	Sedative with bronchodilating effect	Pediatrics Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care Prescription & Medication Orders
ketamine RSI	ketamine (intubation)	Dissociative sedative for tube placement	Emergency & Critical Care Prescription & Medication Orders
keto diet	ketogenic diet	Very low carbohydrate diet, also used for epilepsy	Nursing Endocrinology Neurology Pediatrics
kg	kilogram	Unit of weight equal to one thousand grams	Prescription & Medication Orders General Medical
Ki-67	Ki-67 proliferation index	Marker of how fast tumor cells are dividing	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
kidney failure	kidney failure (stage 5)	Stage 5 chronic kidney disease term	Renal & Nephrology
kidney supportive	kidney supportive care (program)	Palliative approach alongside kidney care	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
King's staging	King's clinical staging (ALS)	ALS spread staging system	Neurology
King-Devick	King-Devick test (sideline)	Rapid number reading sideline screen	Pediatrics Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
knock knees	genu valgum (physiologic)	Knock knees, usually normal in preschoolers	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
Kocher	Kocher criteria (septic hip)	Criteria distinguishing infected hip from irritation	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
KOH	potassium hydroxide preparation	Microscopy prep dissolving tissue to reveal fungi	Laboratory Infectious Disease
KOH prep	potassium hydroxide preparation (vaginal)	Slide test for yeast — vaginal	Obstetrics & Gynecology Laboratory
Kohler	Kohler disease (navicular)	Childhood foot bone blood-supply problem	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
KOOS	Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score	Knee function questionnaire	Musculoskeletal
Koplik	Koplik spots (measles sign)	White mouth spots before measles rash	Pediatrics Infectious Disease
KPC	Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase	Resistance enzyme in some gut bacteria	Infectious Disease Laboratory
KPD	kidney paired donation (abbreviation)	Donor swap program abbreviation	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
KPS	Karnofsky performance status	Percentage scale of functional ability	Hematology & Oncology
KRAS	KRAS (oncogene)	Gene mutation tested in colon and lung cancers	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology Gastroenterology
KRd	carfilzomib lenalidomide dexamethasone	Myeloma treatment combination	Hematology & Oncology Prescription & Medication Orders
KS genetic	Klinefelter syndrome (genetic)	Extra X chromosome in males	Pediatrics Endocrinology
KT	kidney transplant	Operation replacing a failed kidney with a donor kidney	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
Kt/V	Kt/V (adequacy)	Dialysis dose measure — adequacy	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
KUB	kidneys, ureters, bladder	X-ray or scan naming the urinary tract organs	Renal & Nephrology Radiology & Imaging
Kussmaul	Kussmaul respirations (sign)	Deep fast breathing of acidosis — sign	Emergency & Critical Care Endocrinology Respiratory
KVO	keep vein open	Slow drip rate to keep an intravenous line open	Nursing Prescription & Medication Orders
kwashiorkor	kwashiorkor (edematous malnutrition)	Protein-deficiency swelling malnutrition	Pediatrics
kyphoplasty	balloon kyphoplasty (vertebral)	Balloon and cement repair of a spinal fracture	Surgery Musculoskeletal Radiology & Imaging
kyphosis	Scheuermann kyphosis (adolescent)	Rigid rounded back of teens	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal

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 "K"

Medical Videos

Explore

Calculators

Company