# Some Basic Medical-Speak...?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-basic-medical-speak/716292>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 29, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-basic-medical-speak/716292 "2015-03-29T20:20:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-basic-medical-speak/716292/21 "2015-03-31T00:42:06Z")

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> [@Isilder](#):
>
> Outside medicine… Dexter and sinister are terms used in heraldry to refer to specific locations in an escutcheon bearing a coat of arms, and to the other elements of an achievement.

In the [New York City seal](http://manhattanunlocked.blogspot.com/2010/11/architecture-lesson-1.html), The Dutchman With Yo-Yo\* is commonly called Dexter and the Totally Armed Indian is commonly called  
Sinister, a fact, with, although I realize it just means righty and lefty, bothers me to an inexplaicable degree.  
\*Some say it’s a plumb bob, some say it’s a depth plummet. I say it’s a yo yo and that dude RULES at sleeping.

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**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-basic-medical-speak/716292/22 "2015-03-31T01:04:42Z")

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I heard more than a few older radiologists, mostly around 15-20ish years ago, use the terms in their reading of exams (dictations, per se), fwiw. Never heard it used by ‘resident/attending’ or younger-aged Rad’s at all after that time frame, though, IIRC, so it may be a fading thing as time goes by. (shrugs) First time I overheard ‘sinister’ mentioned about a film I did, (as a student of X-ray) I stopped and asked the Rad what the guy had done to officially be called sinister. First thought was Rad knew the guy to be a convict or something, LOL. Ignorance fought, of course.

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