# Use of X in Medical Abbreviations (or Ux of X in Mx Ax) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500 "2007-06-18T19:53:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/1 "2007-06-18T19:53:43Z")
Medical abbreviation are often formed by the initial letter followed by x, so Sx=symptoms, Tx=treatment, Hx=history, etc. What is the origin of this? Did it originate in Latin, lice so many medical abbreviations and terms? It seems that S., T., and H., would be simpler and no less comprehensible (not that comprehensible matters for Mx Px [medical professionals]). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/2 "2007-06-18T22:23:51Z")
[QUOTE=Alan Smithee] Medical abbreviation are often formed by the initial letter followed by x, so Sx=symptoms, Tx=treatment, Hx=history, etc. What is the origin of this? Did it originate in Latin, lice so many medical abbreviations and terms? It seems that S., T., and H., would be simpler and no less comprehensible (not that comprehensible matters for Mx Px [medical professionals]). [/QUOTE] Why are you making a bx\* tgx over thx? Besides, S., T. and H. already stand for scurvy, tonsils and hives. You can’t teach a croaker new tricks, at least when the old ones work fine. \*Bx actually is an abbreviation for biopsy. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/3 "2007-06-18T23:18:56Z")
Ax: Bx: Biopsy Cx: Culture (I’ve seen cervix abbreviated like this too) Dx: Diagnosis Ex: Example Fx: Fracture Gx: Hx: History Ix: Home of the mentats? Jx: Kx: Lx: Mx: Nx: Ox: Px: Qx: (means “OK” when used by lensmen) Rx: prescription Sx: symptom Tx: Treatment Ux: Vx: Wx: Yx: Zx: No, I don’t know why these were picked. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/4 "2007-06-18T23:23:44Z")
I don’t think “X” is limited to medical abbrevs. An “X” can susbsitute for a multitude of letters where the understanding is not ambiguous in the intended target group. For example, it is also used in amateur radio thusly: [ul][_]TX = transmit or transmitter[_]WX = weatherDX = distance[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/5 "2007-06-18T23:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] . . . Px: [/QUOTE] Px: _physical_ ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/6 "2007-06-19T00:35:11Z")
[QUOTE=KarlGauss] Px: _physical_ [/QUOTE] Also, Px: _procedure_ ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/7 "2007-06-19T02:53:41Z")
Ox: Oxygen, but I’ve more often seen that as O[sub]2[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/8 "2007-06-19T02:58:21Z")
I’ve seen Sx also used as abbreviation for surgery. ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/9 "2007-06-19T03:03:43Z")
Lx: lymph nodes; lymphatic ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/10 "2007-06-19T03:19:40Z")
Ask [Jill](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mrx.html) ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/11 "2007-06-19T03:32:29Z")
At Domino’s Pizza, most combination pizzas have two-letter abbreviations where the 2nd letter is “x”: (Ax) - America’s Favorite: Pepperoni, Mushroom, and Sausage (Bx) - Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger: Bacon, Onion, Ground Beef, and Cheddar Cheese (Dx) - Deluxe Feast: Pepperoni, Mushroom, Green Pepper, Onion, and Sausage (Hx) - Hawaiian Feast: Ham, Pineapple, and Extra Cheese (Mx) - Meatzza Feast: Pepperoni, Ham, Sausage, Ground Beef, and Extra Cheese (Vx) - Vegi Feast: Mushrooms, Onions, Green Peppers, Black Olive, sometimes Diced Tomato (varies by store), and Extra Cheese; does _not_ contain O-ethyl-S-[2(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothiolate (C[sub]11[/sub]H[sub]26[/sub]NO[sub]2[/sub]PS),also known as VX nerve agent. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/12 "2007-06-19T05:07:16Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Rx: prescription [/QUOTE] That was the original one. It’s a Latin manuscript abbreviation, written as “R” with a cross-bar on the tail, for the word “Recipe”, meaning “Take” – as in “Take one pill three times per day” “Take one pound of flour, one cup of butter, etc.” ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/13 "2007-06-19T06:22:36Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] That was the original one. It’s a Latin manuscript abbreviation, written as “R” with a cross-bar on the tail, for the word “Recipe”, meaning “Take” – as in “Take one pill three times per day” “Take one pound of flour, one cup of butter, etc.” [/QUOTE] I think this was actually not originally “Rx” but the astrological symbol for Jupiter, which looks like a [2 with a bar across the horizontal stroke.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_symbols) This was a reference to Jupiter’s supposed healing powers in ancient astrology. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/14 "2007-06-19T09:55:31Z")
When I was at school, Mx stood for Mathematics. There was another one too… may have been Px = Physics, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/15 "2007-06-19T09:59:15Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] I think this was actually not originally “Rx” but the astrological symbol for Jupiter, which looks like a [2 with a bar across the horizontal stroke.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_symbols) This was a reference to Jupiter’s supposed healing powers in ancient astrology. [/QUOTE] All these theories are discussed in the SDSAB co0lumn linked to up there a way 😉 ^^^^^ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/16 "2007-06-19T11:42:46Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Ax: Bx: Biopsy Cx: Culture (I’ve seen cervix abbreviated like this too)… [/QUOTE] No, no… [A is for Appendectomy, B is for Barium…](http://youtube.com/watch?v=uNWcdsgvhTs) (audio in that link probably not workplace safe) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/17 "2007-06-19T13:55:22Z")
[QUOTE=Indyellen] Also, Px: _procedure_ [/QUOTE] Px has always been _Prognosis_ for me! ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/18 "2007-06-19T14:16:24Z")
I have seen nurses use Px for problem. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/19 "2007-06-19T14:28:03Z")
Some of the X-style abbreviations have more than one meaning, it all depends on context. It drove me crazy my first semester in nursing school, because it was never explained. I’ve seen bx to mean biopsy, behavior or bilateral (that was only one time and may have just been that nurse’s idea of a great abbreviation.) ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500/20 "2007-06-19T15:12:42Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Ix: Home of the mentats? [/QUOTE] No; Ixians made machines. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-x-in-medical-abbreviations-or-ux-of-x-in-mx-ax/408500.md?page=2)