# Doctor Dopers:  translate these medical abbreviations, please?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 2, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424 "2003-12-02T04:12:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424/1 "2003-12-02T04:12:01Z")

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I took my mother to the ER today thinking she had another kidney stone (she does). They did a CT scan and found “something” on her hip as well, though, and now they want to do a bone scan soon to rule out cancer.

Anyhow, while looking at the report from her CT scan, I saw this:

“? sclerotic lesions in bone - rec. bone scan.  
? any (amz? amj?) 1° malig”

Okay so what is this “? 1° malig” stuff?

I am not asking for a diagnosis here at all, but if it’s not cancer, what _could_ it be? Osteoporosis? A spur? Can you even get spurs on your hip? If, God forbid, it is cancer, what’s the name for it? Hip cancer? Pelvic cancer?

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**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424/2 "2003-12-02T06:03:18Z")

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I won’t comment too much on what the note means. But I will say that often times the radiologist does not know anything from the case and is merely looking at a picture. So they will often include question marks and/or alternative diagnoses if they are unsure what the images are showing.

For the rest of the interpretation, please see your doctor.

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**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424/3 "2003-12-02T06:22:43Z")

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Um, the reason I came on here to ask is because the ER doctor wouldn’t tell my mom a dadblamed thing! And ER doctors are _impossible_ to track down once you’ve left.

What does it mean?! If you don’t want to tell me on here, can I email you? I just want to know what it means, I can handle it if it’s bad news.

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**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424/4 "2003-12-02T06:42:35Z")

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**SnoopyFan,** did you wind up getting the translation? Email me if you still need an explanation. Email in profile

CB

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**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-dopers-translate-these-medical-abbreviations-please/216424/5 "2003-12-02T07:06:02Z")

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Thanks, CB. Email sent.