AMA Manual of Style - Stacy L. Christiansen, Cheryl Iverson 2020
Spelling and Spacing Variations
Correct and Preferred Usage
ante mortem/antemortem—Both forms are used depending on placement before or after the noun. Ante mortem means occurring before death and is used after the noun. Antemortem means before death and precedes a noun.
The antemortem injuries were not the cause of death.
The injuries were discovered ante mortem.
bloodstream/blood stream—Bloodstream is preferred.
brainstem/brain stem—Brainstem is preferred.
caregiver/care giver—Caregiver is preferred.
caseload/case load—Caseload is preferred.
dataset/data set—Data set is preferred.
email/e-mail—Email (email) is preferred.
end point/endpoint—End point is preferred
fiberoptic(s)/fiber optic(s)—Fiberoptic(s) is preferred.
flowchart/flow chart—Flowchart is preferred but use flow diagram over flowdiagram.
gallbladder/gall bladder—Gallbladder is preferred.
healthcare/health care—Health care is preferred.
heartbeat/heart beat—Heartbeat is preferred.
needlestick/needle stick—Needlestick is preferred.
postmortem/post mortem—Both forms are used depending on placement before or after the noun. Postmortem means after death and precedes a noun. Post mortem means occurring or performed after death or pertaining to the period after death and is used after a noun.
A postmortem clot formed in the heart.
The clot formed in the heart post mortem.
postpartum/post partum—Both forms are used depending on placement before or after the noun. Postpartum means after childbirth and precedes a noun. Post partum means occurring after childbirth with reference to the mother and is used after a noun.
The new mother experienced postpartum depression.
The new mother’s depression began post partum.
radiofrequency/radio frequency—Radiofrequency is preferred.
radioguided/radio guided—Radioguided is preferred.
skinfold/skin fold—Skinfold is preferred.
slitlamp/slit lamp—Slitlamp is preferred.
waveform/wave form—Waveform is preferred.
website/Web site—web (lowercase “w”) and website (1 word, lowercase “w”) are preferred, but retain initial caps on the full name the World Wide Web.