A surfeit of superfluous and redundant pleonasms.

In this vignette, we turn our attention from nomenclature [2, 3] to style. To write with style is to write elegantly. Inelegant English is a recurring theme of those who decry the sorry state of scientific writing [4, 5]. A common feature of inelegant English is the pleonasm. Consider the following examples of pleonasms from recent radiologic publications. “A peninephnic fluid collection was seen surrounding the kidney.” Peninephric (Greek: pen = around; nephros = kidney) means “surrounding the kidney.” Repetition of this phrase is a perfect example of a pleonasm. “Traverse across. . .“; “Perforate through ....“ Traverse (Latin: trans = across; vertere = to turn) and perforate (Latin: per = through; forare = to bore) already incorporate prepositions, and there is no need to repeat them. “Intrahepatic liver abscess.” Intrahepatic (Latin: intra = within; Greek: hepar = the liver) describes the location of the abscess adequately. The additional “liver” is redundant. “No abnormal adenopathy.” Adenopathy (Greek: aden = gland; pathos = disease) already incorporates the concept of abnormality. It is therefore not necessary to add “abnormal.” “Equipment for measuring bone densitometry.” Densitometry (Latin: densus = compact; Greek: metron = measure) means measunement of density, so the preceding “measuring” is superfluous. “Septum derived of Muellerian origin.” To derive (Latin: de = from; rivus = a stream) means to trace from or to a source. Origin (Latin: origo = origin on source) repeats the same concept. “Septum of Muellerian origin” is therefore sufficient. “Total occlusion.” Occlusion (Latin: occiudere = to plug up or close up) is an absolute word that does not require modification. Less than complete closure is denoted by stenosis (Greek: stenosis = a narrowing). “Very unique”; “Somewhat unique”; ‘The uniqueness of the two cases in this report.” “Unique” is another absolute word that does not bear modification; to quote Fowlen [6]: “Unique. . is applicable only to what is in some respect the sole existing specimen. . uniqueness is a matter of yes on no only; no unique thing is more on less unique than another....” “Peptic ulcer disease”; “HIV virus.” Peptic ulcer is by definition a disease. The extra “disease” performs the same function as the “fish” in “tuna fish.” Similarly HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) already incorporates the word virus. Why add another “virus”? “Radiation therapy treatment planning” means “radiation treatment treatment planning.” (Therapy comes from the Greek: therapeia = treatment.) “Radiation therapy planning” is sufficient. “A 21-year old primignavida woman.” Primignavida (Latin: prima = first; gravida = pregnant) means a woman pregnant for the first time [7]. A “pnimigravida woman” is therefore a “woman pregnant for the first time woman.” The correct version is “A 21 -year-old pnimigravida.” “Using thin slice sections A section (Latin: sectus, past participIe of sectare = to cut) means something that has been cut. The extra “slice” is unnecessary. “Aged 56 years old”; “older than 30 years old”; “measuring 1 x 1 x 1 cm in size”; “larger in size.” It is sufficient to write “56 years old”; “more than 30 years old”; “measuring 1 x 1 x 1 cm”; “larger.” “Striking asymmetry from side to side ....“ Asymmetry comes from the Greek: a = without; symmetros = measured together. Symmetry means “similarity of form or arrangement on either side of a dividing line or plane” [8]. The words “from side to side” in the preceding quote are therefore redundant. ‘The shape and configuration of the mass Shape (Old English: sceap = form) and configuration (Latin: com = together; figura = form, shape) have the same meaning. “The shape of the mass” is therefore sufficient. ‘The right lung contained two nodules, measuring 12 x 12 mm and 9 x 9 mm in diameter, respectively” has two pleonasms in the same sentence. “Respectively” is needed only when additional following characteristics need to be matched to the appropriate nodule. The “in diameter” is also redundant. ‘The most optimal method” is the same as saying “the most best method” (Latin: optimus = best). Optimal needs no qualification. ‘The fever defervesced” is so obviously pleonastic that no etymological explanation is needed. ‘The fever resolved” is adequate. ‘Truly false positive” as in “there were 22 truly false positive diagnoses of. . .“ falls somewhere between a pleonasm and an oxymoron (Greek: oxy = sharp; moron = dull). The “truly” is not only superfluous but contradictory and confusing. If you can leave out a word or phrase without changing the meaning of the sentence, it is likely that the word or phrase is a pleonasm. Leave it out. Your writing will be more succinct and elegant as a result.