What does met stand for in medical terminology? A comprehensive guide to the multifaceted acronym

October 1, 2025 •

5 min read

In the medical field, the seemingly simple acronym MET has a surprising number of distinct and crucial meanings. For example, some studies show that a hospital's introduction of a Medical Emergency Team (MET) can significantly reduce adverse events, such as cardiac arrests, proving its life-saving importance. This guide will clarify the key question, 'What does met stand for in medical terminology?'.

Quick Summary

The acronym MET can mean Metabolic Equivalent of Task in exercise science, Medical Emergency Team in hospital care, Medical Expulsive Therapy for kidney stones, or Muscle Energy Technique in manual therapy.

Key Points

Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET): In exercise science, MET measures the energy cost of activities relative to rest (1 MET).
Medical Emergency Team (MET): In hospitals, this is a rapid response team for clinically deteriorating patients to prevent adverse events like cardiac arrest.
Medical Expulsive Therapy (MET): In urology, this refers to using medication, often an alpha-blocker, to help pass small kidney stones naturally.
Muscle Energy Technique (MET): Used in physical and osteopathic therapy, this is a manual technique using a patient's muscle contractions to improve musculoskeletal function.
Context is Key: Depending on the medical field, MET can also refer to cancer metastasis (lowercase 'met' or 'mets') or the amino acid methionine ('Met').
Clarification is Important: Due to the term's multiple meanings, it is crucial to understand the context or ask a healthcare provider for clarification.

Decoding the Multiple Meanings of MET

The medical field is full of acronyms and abbreviations, which serve as a convenient shorthand for healthcare professionals. However, this practice can sometimes lead to confusion when a single acronym like MET represents multiple distinct concepts. The precise meaning depends entirely on the context. By examining the most common applications, patients and medical students can better understand clinical conversations, diagnostic reports, and physical therapy plans.

Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)

In cardiology and exercise physiology, MET is short for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It represents a unit of measurement used to express the energy cost of physical activities. One MET is defined as the amount of oxygen the body consumes while resting quietly, which is approximately 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. This creates a standardized system for quantifying exercise intensity. For instance, activities with a value less than 3 METs are considered light-intensity, 3 to 6 METs are moderate-intensity, and those above 6 METs are vigorous.

How it's used: A doctor might ask a cardiac patient if they can tolerate activities of a certain MET level, such as walking briskly (3.3 METs), to assess their functional capacity and tailor an exercise prescription.
Measuring Fitness: A patient's aerobic capacity can be described in METs, helping to guide rehabilitation and fitness goals.
Activity Examples:
- Sitting quietly: 1.0 MET
- Walking briskly (3.0 mph): 3.3 METs
- Gardening: 3.8 METs
- Playing singles tennis: 8.0 METs
- Running (6.0 mph): 9.8 METs

Medical Emergency Team (MET)

In a hospital setting, a MET is a Medical Emergency Team, often referred to as a Rapid Response Team (RRT). This multidisciplinary group of clinicians is specifically trained to respond to patients on general hospital wards who show signs of clinical deterioration. By intervening early, the MET aims to prevent further decline, serious adverse events, and potentially life-threatening complications like cardiac arrest.

Activation Criteria: A MET is typically activated based on pre-defined clinical triggers, such as changes in vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturation.
Team Composition: The team usually consists of intensive care physicians, critical care nurses, and respiratory therapists who can bring advanced monitoring and life-support equipment to the patient's bedside.
Impact: Hospitals with an established MET service have reported significant reductions in cardiac arrest rates and hospital mortality.

Medical Expulsive Therapy (MET)

In urology, MET stands for Medical Expulsive Therapy, a non-surgical treatment for certain kidney stones. It involves using medication to help relax the ureter, the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder, making it easier for small stones to pass naturally. This approach is most effective for smaller stones located in the distal (lower) part of the ureter.

Medications Used: Alpha-blockers like tamsulosin are commonly prescribed, as they relax the smooth muscle of the ureter.
Indications: MET is typically recommended for patients with small, uncomplicated ureteral stones (<10mm) and manageable pain.
Alternative to Surgery: It can help patients pass stones spontaneously, potentially avoiding the need for more invasive procedures.

Muscle Energy Technique (MET)

Physical therapists and osteopathic physicians use MET, or Muscle Energy Technique, as a form of manual therapy. It is a gentle, active approach that uses a patient's own muscular contractions to help correct musculoskeletal dysfunction. By directing the patient to contract a muscle against a therapist's counterforce, the technique can relax and lengthen tight muscles and mobilize stiff joints.

Target Conditions: MET is used to treat a variety of conditions, including joint pain, restricted range of motion, muscle spasms, and spinal misalignments.
Technique Explained: The patient performs a brief, controlled muscular contraction, followed by a period of relaxation, which allows the therapist to gently stretch the muscle further.
Low-Force Therapy: Unlike high-velocity adjustments, MET relies on gentle, submaximal forces, making it suitable for patients who are sensitive or fearful of more forceful manipulation.

Comparison of MET Terminology in Medicine

To help differentiate the various meanings, here is a comparative overview of the most common applications of the acronym.


Term	Medical Field	Description	Purpose	Common Context	Patient Group
Metabolic Equivalent (MET)	Cardiology / Exercise Physiology	A unit measuring the energy cost of physical activity relative to rest.	To assess and prescribe exercise intensity and overall fitness.	Cardiac stress tests, fitness assessments, rehabilitation programs.	Cardiac patients, fitness enthusiasts, rehabilitation clients.
Medical Emergency Team (MET)	Hospital Medicine	A rapid response team that attends to deteriorating inpatients.	To prevent serious adverse events and cardiac arrests in hospital wards.	Sudden changes in patient vital signs, clinical decline.	Acutely ill hospitalized inpatients.
Medical Expulsive Therapy (MET)	Urology	Treatment using medication to help pass small kidney stones.	To facilitate the spontaneous passage of ureteral stones and avoid surgery.	Initial management of small, uncomplicated kidney stones.	Patients with small ureteral stones.
Muscle Energy Technique (MET)	Physical Therapy / Osteopathy	Manual therapy using a patient's muscle contractions to correct musculoskeletal issues.	To relax tight muscles, mobilize joints, and improve range of motion.	Musculoskeletal pain, joint stiffness, postural imbalances.	Patients with back pain, neck pain, joint dysfunction.

Other Contexts: Metastasis and Methionine

Beyond these major uses, the letters M-E-T can also appear in other medical contexts, though not always as an acronym. In oncology, for instance, a lowercase 'met' or 'mets' is a common abbreviation for metastasis, which refers to the spread of cancer cells from one site to another. A doctor might note that a patient's cancer has 'mets to the bone.' Additionally, in biochemistry, 'Met' is the standard abbreviation for the essential amino acid methionine. The context, including capitalization and the medical field, is crucial for determining the correct meaning.

Conclusion

In medicine, context is everything, and the acronym MET is a perfect illustration of this rule. Without proper context, the term is ambiguous and potentially misleading. Whether it's a doctor discussing a patient's exercise capacity, a nurse calling a rapid response team, a urologist prescribing medication for a kidney stone, or a physical therapist addressing muscle tightness, the meaning of MET is dictated by the specific area of medicine. By understanding the multiple possibilities, individuals can navigate the world of medical jargon with greater clarity and confidence. When in doubt, asking a healthcare provider for clarification is always the safest course of action.

For more in-depth information on exercise physiology, resources from professional organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine are an excellent place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

In exercise, MET is the acronym for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It is a unit that measures the energy cost of physical activity, with one MET representing the amount of energy you expend while sitting quietly.

A Medical Emergency Team (MET) is a rapid response team that goes to a patient who is already hospitalized on a standard ward but is showing signs of clinical decline. The team's goal is to intervene early to prevent a crisis, whereas an emergency room is where patients are first seen for urgent conditions.

When discussing cancer, a doctor using the abbreviation 'mets' or 'met' is referring to metastasis. This is the process where cancer cells spread from their original location to other parts of the body.

During Medical Expulsive Therapy, doctors prescribe medication, usually an alpha-blocker, to help relax the muscles of the ureter. This relaxation is intended to help a small kidney stone pass through the urinary tract more easily and with less pain.

Muscle Energy Technique is a manual therapy that uses a patient's own muscular energy. The patient performs a precisely directed muscle contraction against the therapist's resistance. This activity helps to relax overactive muscles and restore normal joint movement.

In terms of energy expenditure, 1 MET is equivalent to sitting quietly at rest. For physical activity, a rating of 2 METs means the activity requires twice the energy of resting, while 6 METs means it requires six times the resting energy expenditure.

The presence of multiple meanings for the acronym MET is due to medical polysemy, where the same set of letters is used in different medical specialties and contexts to represent different technical terms. Context is always key to determining the correct meaning.