Blood Test Glossary: Abbreviations Explained
CBC, TSH, CRP, GGT, MCV, eGFR, A1C… What does each abbreviation on your lab report mean? Here is a clear dictionary of the most common ones, each linked to its detailed guide.
A
- AFP — Alpha-fetoprotein
- Tumor marker (liver) and pregnancy marker.
- Albumin — Serum albumin
- Main protein in the blood (nutrition, liver).
- Albuminuria (ACR) — Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio
- Albumin in the urine; an early kidney marker.
- ALP — Alkaline phosphatase
- Liver and bone enzyme.
- ALT — Alanine aminotransferase
- Liver-specific transaminase (cell injury).
- Amylase — Serum amylase
- Pancreatic and salivary enzyme.
- Anti-TPO antibodies — Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies
- Thyroid autoantibodies (Hashimoto's).
- aPTT — Activated partial thromboplastin time
- Clotting test (heparin, factor deficiencies).
- AST — Aspartate aminotransferase
- Transaminase (liver, muscle, heart).
B
- Beta-hCG — Human chorionic gonadotropin
- Pregnancy hormone; also a tumor marker.
- Bicarbonate — Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻)
- Acid-base balance of the blood.
- Bilirubin — Total/conjugated bilirubin
- Bile pigment; jaundice.
- Blood glucose — Blood glucose
- Diabetes screening and monitoring.
- BNP / NT-proBNP — B-type natriuretic peptide
- Marker of heart failure.
- BUN — Blood urea nitrogen
- Nitrogen waste product; a kidney-function marker.
C
- CA 125 — Carbohydrate antigen 125
- Tumor marker (ovary).
- CA 15-3 — Carbohydrate antigen 15-3
- Tumor marker (breast).
- CA 19-9 — Carbohydrate antigen 19-9
- Tumor marker (pancreas, digestive tract).
- Calcium — Serum calcium
- Blood calcium (bones, muscles, nerves).
- CBC — Complete blood count
- Count of the blood's cells.
- CEA — Carcinoembryonic antigen
- Tumor marker used for follow-up (notably digestive cancers).
- Chloride — Serum chloride
- Electrolyte on the metabolic panel.
- CK / CPK — Creatine kinase
- Muscle and heart enzyme.
- Creatinine — Serum creatinine
- Kidney function; used to calculate eGFR.
- CRP — C-reactive protein
- Marker of inflammation and infection.
D
- D-dimer — Fibrin degradation products
- Helps rule out clot/embolism.
E
- eGFR — Estimated glomerular filtration rate
- Central indicator of kidney function.
- Electrolyte panel — Blood electrolyte panel
- Sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate.
- ESR — Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- Marker of inflammation (nonspecific).
- Estradiol — Estradiol (E2)
- Main estrogen hormone.
F
- Ferritin — Serum ferritin
- Reflects the body's iron stores.
- Fibrinogen — Coagulation factor I
- Clotting; also an inflammation marker.
- Folate (B9) — Folic acid / vitamin B9
- Vitamin; anemia, pregnancy.
- Free T3 (FT3) — Free triiodothyronine
- Active thyroid hormone.
- Free T4 (FT4) — Free thyroxine
- Thyroid hormone.
- FSH — Follicle-stimulating hormone
- Fertility hormone (ovary/testis).
G
- GGT — Gamma-glutamyl transferase
- Liver enzyme (liver, bile ducts, alcohol).
H
- HbA1c — Glycated hemoglobin
- Diabetes control over ~3 months.
- HDL — High-density lipoprotein
- "Good" cholesterol (protective).
- Hematocrit (Hct) — Hematocrit
- Proportion of red cells in the blood.
- Hgb — Hemoglobin
- Oxygen-carrying protein; anemia.
- Homocysteine — Serum homocysteine
- Amino acid; vascular risk, B9/B12 deficiency.
I
- INR — International Normalized Ratio
- Standardized PT; warfarin monitoring.
- Insulin — Serum insulin
- Hormone that regulates blood glucose.
L
- LDH — Lactate dehydrogenase
- Cell-breakdown enzyme (nonspecific).
- LDL — Low-density lipoprotein
- "Bad" cholesterol (cardiovascular risk).
- LH — Luteinizing hormone
- Reproductive hormone.
- Lipase — Serum lipase
- Pancreatic enzyme (pancreatitis).
M
P
- Phosphate — Serum phosphate
- Bones, kidneys, calcium-phosphate balance.
- Platelets (PLT) — Platelets (thrombocytes)
- Clotting (low/high platelet count).
- Potassium (K) — Serum potassium
- Electrolyte essential to the heart.
- Progesterone — Serum progesterone
- Hormone of the cycle and pregnancy.
- Prolactin — Serum prolactin
- Lactation hormone.
- PSA — Prostate-specific antigen
- Prostate marker.
- PT — Prothrombin time
- Clotting; reported as INR.
- PTH — Parathyroid hormone
- Regulates calcium (parathyroid glands).
R
- RBC — Red blood cells
- Oxygen transport; anemia.
- Reticulocytes — Reticulocytes
- Young red blood cells (regeneration).
S
- Serum iron — Serum iron
- Iron circulating in the blood.
- Sodium (Na) — Serum sodium
- Water and salt balance.
T
- TIBC — Total iron-binding capacity
- Iron-carrying capacity (transferrin).
- Total cholesterol — Total cholesterol
- Sum of LDL, HDL and other fractions.
- Total protein — Total serum protein
- All proteins in the blood.
- TRAb — TSH receptor antibodies
- Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism).
- Transferrin — Transferrin
- Iron-transport protein.
- Triglycerides — Triglycerides
- Fats in the blood (diet, alcohol).
- Troponin — Cardiac troponin
- Marker of heart attack (myocardial infarction).
- TSAT — Transferrin saturation
- Availability of iron in the blood.
- TSH — Thyroid-stimulating hormone
- Hormone that regulates the thyroid.
U
- Uric acid — Uric acid (serum)
- Purine breakdown product; linked to gout.
V
- Vitamin B12 — Cobalamin
- Vitamin; nerves, anemia.
- Vitamin D — 25-OH vitamin D
- Bones, immunity; deficiency is common.
W
- WBC — White blood cells
- Immune defense; infections.
Sources & transparency
Every definition links to its full guide, which carries its own references. Across our US English guides, those 2,168 references come from institutional sources and peer-reviewed literature:
- PubMed1,392 refs
- ClinicalTrials.gov26 refs
- ChEMBL7 refs
- WHO3 refs
- Italian medical societies1 refs
- AWMF (Leitlinien)1 refs
- German medical societies2 refs
- MedlinePlus (NIH)210 refs
- NIH (NIDDK, NHLBI…)107 refs
- CDC16 refs
- Cleveland Clinic123 refs
- Mayo Clinic32 refs
- U.S. medical societies117 refs
- Lab references102 refs
- Blood services & FDA24 refs
- U.S. government3 refs
- Patient education2 refs
Disclaimer. These definitions are provided for information only. They are not medical advice: interpreting your results depends on your context and belongs to your clinician.
Go further: the reference-range table, the unit converter, or our guides by marker.