This article contains a list of commonly used medical abbreviations and acronymsthat start with the letter S and may be encountered in medicine and radiology (please keep the main list and any sublists in alphabetic order).
S
sacral
second (SI unit of time)
sulfur
S1-S4: first, second, third, fourth heart sounds
S100
SA
sem*n analysis
sinoatrial
SAA: serum amyloid A
SAAG: serum ascites albumin gradient
SAB:subacromial bursa
SABA: short-acting beta-2 agonist (e.g. salbutamol)
SABR: stereotactic ablative radiotherapy
SACT: systemic anti-cancer therapy
SAD
seasonal affective disorder
short axis diameter
SAE: sepsis-associated encephalopathy
Sag: sagittal
SAH:subarachnoid haemorrhage
SALT: speech and language therapy
SAM: segmental arterial mediolysis
SAN: sinoatrial node
SAP: superior articular process (of vertebra)
S&S: signs and symptoms
SAPHO:synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis
SAR: specific absorption rate
SARS: severe acute respiratory syndrome
SARS-CoV-1: severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-1
SARS-CoV-2:severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2
SAVR: surgical aortic valve replacement
SB
small bowel
spectral broadening
stillbirth
Sb: antimony (Latin: stibium)
SBBOS: small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome
SBC:simple bone cyst
SBE:subacute bacterial endocarditis
SBF: small bowel follow through
SBFT: small bowel follow through
SBO:small bowel obstruction
SBP
spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
systolic blood pressure
SBPL:spontaneous bacterial pleuritis
SBRT: stereotactic body radiotherapy
SBS: seat belt sign
SC
spinal cord
subcutaneous
Sc: scandium
SCA
sickle cell anaemia
subclavian artery
superior cerebellar artery
SCAD: spontaneous coronary artery dissection
SCC:
semicircular canal
spinal cord compression
squamous cell cancer
squamous cell carcinoma
SCCD:semicircular canal dehiscence
SCCP: small cell carcinoma of the prostate
SCD
sickle cell disease
sudden cardiac death
superior canal dehiscence
SCDO:spondylocostal dysostosis
SCI: spinal cord injury
SCIWORA:spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality
SCJ:sternoclavicular joint
SCLC:small cell lung cancer
SCM:sternocleidomastoid
SCoR: Society and College of Radiographers (UK)
SCOS: small cell osteosarcoma
SCORIF: stimulated cycle oocyte retrieval in [office]fertilisation
scRNA-seq: single-cell RNA sequencing
SCS: spinal cord stimulator
SCT: stem cell transplant
SCV:subclavian vein
SD
septal deviation
stable disease (malignant disease/RECIST)
standard deviation
standard drinks (alcohol)
SDASH:shunt-dependency in symptomatic aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage score
SDD:surfactant deficiency disorder
SDEC: same-day emergency care
SDH:subdural haemorrhage
SE
side-effect
spin echo
status epilepticus
Se: selenium
Sec: second
SEE: septic-embolic encephalitis
SEEG:stereoelectroencephalography
SeHCAT:selenium hom*ocholic acid taurine
SEMAC: slice-encoding for metal artifact correction (Siemens)
SEMS: self-expandable metallic stent
SEP: superior end-plate (vertebral body)
Ser: serine
sestamibi:sesta-methoxyisobutylisonitrile
SFA:superficial femoral artery
SFH: symphyseal fundal height
SFLC: serum free light chains
SFN: small fibre neuropathy
SFSS: small for size syndrome (liver graft)
SFV:superficial femoral vein(femoral vein preferred)
SGA
small for gestational age
supraglottic airway
SGC: Swan-Ganz catheter
SGHL:superior glenohumeral ligament
SH
Salter-Harris
social history
SHG:sonohysterogram
SHO: senior house officer
SHORT syndrome:short stature,hyperextensibility and/or inguinal hernia,ocular depression,Rieger anomaly,teething delay
SHx: social history
SI
sacroiliac
secondary infertility
serious incident
sexual intercourse
signal intensity
situs inversus
small intestine
Systeme Internationale (d'unites) (SI units)
Si: silicon
SIADH: syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
SIBO: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
SICRET:small infarctions of cochlear, retinal and encephalic tissue = Susac syndrome
SIDM: steroid-induced diabetes mellitus
SIDS: sudden infant death syndrome
SIJ:sacroiliac joint
SIM: simulation
SIMV: synchronised intermittent mechanical ventilation
SINS:spinal instability neoplastic score
SIRT: selective internal radiotherapy
SIRVA: shoulder injury related to vaccine administration
SIT: situs inversus totalis
SJS:Stevens-Johnson syndrome
SKA: simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant
SkM: skeletal muscle
SLAC:scapholunate advanced collapse
SLAP:superior labral anterior-posterior(tear)
SLE:
Saint Louis encephalitis
systemic lupus erythematosus
SLEC: spinal longitudinal epidural collection
SLG:sublingual gland
SLGA:superior lateral genicular artery
SLGB: single lumen gastric bypass
SLIG: single live intrauterine gestation
SLIP: single live intrauterine pregnancy
SLIUG: single live intrauterine gestation
SLIUP: single live intrauterine pregnancy
SLJ:Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease
SLL:scapholunate ligament
SLN: sentinel lymph node
SLNBx: sentinel lymph node biopsy
SLT:speech and language therapy
SLYM: subarachnoid lymphatic-like membrane
SM
smooth muscle
submucosa
SMA
superior mesenteric artery
smooth muscle actin (immunohistochemistry)
supplementary motor area
SMART
specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely
stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome
SMAS: superficial musculoaponeurotic system
SMEI:severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy
SMG:submandibular gland
SMGA:superior medial genicular artery
SMR: stable metabolic response
SMS: sonographic Murphy sign
SMV
submentovertical
superior mesenteric vein
SN: sentinel node
Sn
sensitivity
tin (Latin: stannum)
SNAC:scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse
SNBx: sentinel node biopsy
SNHL:sensorineural hearing loss
SNiP:single nucleotide polymorphism
SNOH:surgical neck of humerus
SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism
SNpc: substantia nigra pars compacta
SNR:signal-to-noise ratio
SNRI: serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors
SNS
sacral nerve stimulator
sympathetic nervous system
SNT: soft, non-tender
SOA: swelling of ankles
SOAP:subjective,objective,assessment, plan (medical notes)
SOB: shortness of breath
SOBAR: shortness of breath at rest
SOBOE: shortness of breath on exertion
SOD: septo-optic dysplasia
SOF:superior orbital fissure
SOFS:superior orbital fissure syndrome
SOL: space-occupying lesion
SONK: spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee
SOP: standard operating procedure
SoR: Society of Radiographers (UK)
SOS
satisfaction of search (error)
sinusoidal obstruction syndrome
SOV:superior ophthalmic vein
SOVA: sinus of Valsalva aneurysm
SP
sacral promontory
spinous process
Sp
species
specificity
SPTTL:superficial posterior tibiotalar ligament
S/P: status post (i.e. post-procedure/surgery)
SPACE
sampling perfection with application optimised contrasts using different flip angle evolution (Siemens)
spatial and chemical-shift encoded excitation
SpaceOAR: space organ at risk
SPAIR: spectral attenuated inversion recovery
SPC: suprapubic catheter
SPECIAL: spectral inversion at lipid
SPECT:single photon emission computed tomography
SPET:single photon emission computed tomography
SPGR:spoiled gradient recalled
SPIR: spectral presaturation with inversion recovery
SPMS:secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
SPN:solitary pulmonary nodule
Spp: species (plural)
SQ
status quo
subcutaneous
SR: sinus rhythm
Sr: strontium
SREAT: steroid responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis
SRM
small renal mass
solitary renal mass
SRO: sagittal ramus osteotomy
SROM:spontaneous rupture of membranes
SRS
Silver-Russell syndrome
somatostatin receptor scintigraphy
stereotactic radiosurgery
SS
signs and symptoms
situs solitus
Sjögren syndrome
straight sinus
supraspinatus muscle
systemic sclerosis
SSCC: superior semicircular canal
SSD
solid state drive
source skin distance
SSFP:steady state free precession
SSG: split skin graft
SSI: surgical site infection
ssp: subspecies
SSPE: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
SSR: spontaneous splenic rupture
SSRF: surgical stabilisation of rib fractures
SSRI:selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
SSS
sick sinus syndrome
superior sagittal sinus
SST: short Synacthen test
SSTR: somasostatin receptor
ST
speech therapy
ST segment on ECG
STA:superficial temporal artery
STAMCA:superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery anastomosis
Staph: Staphylococcus spp.
stat: immediately (Latin: statim)
STD
sexually transmitted disease
ST depression
STE: ST elevation
STEMI:ST segment elevation myocardial infarct
STI:
sexually transmitted infection
soft tissue injury
STIR
short tau inversion recovery
short TI inversion recovery
STJ
sinotubular junction (of the ascending aorta)
subtalar joint
STOP: selective tubal occlusive procedure
STP: standard temperature and pressure
Strep: Streptococcus spp.
STT
scaphotrapeziotrapezoid joint
Schirmer tear test
serial thrombin time
straight to test
STUMP: stromal tumour of uncertain malignant potential
SUA:single umbilical artery
Sub: subiculum
subcut: subcutaneous
subsp: subspecies
SUDEP: sudden unexplained death in epilepsy
SUDI: sudden unexpected death in infancy
SUI: serious untoward incident
SUIB: sitting up in bed
SUL:standardised uptake value corrected for lean body mass
SUO: syncope of unknown origin
supraclav: supraclavicular
SUV: standardised uptake value
SV: stroke volume
Sv: sievert
SVC:superior vena cava
SVD: spontaneous vagin*l delivery
SVG: saphenous vein graft
SVI: stroke volume index
SVR: sustained virologic response
SVT
subdural venous thrombosis
superficial venous thrombosis
supraventricular tachycardia
SWAN: syndrome without a name
SWI:susceptibility-weighted imaging
SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
SWS:Sturge-Weber syndrome
SWU: sepsis workup
Sx: signs
SXR: skull x-ray
Sy: symptoms
Symp: symptoms
Symph: symphysis pubis
Sys: systems review