NB-UVB
Also written as: NB-UVB — Narrowband Ultraviolet B
Abbreviation for Narrowband Ultraviolet B phototherapy, a targeted light-based treatment using a 311–313 nm wavelength band, used for psoriasis, vitiligo, and other dermatoses.
Full Definition
NB-UVB (Narrowband Ultraviolet B) phototherapy delivers UV radiation within a narrow, therapeutically optimised wavelength window of approximately 311–313 nm, excluding the erythemogenic shorter wavelengths of broadband UVB. It is considered first-line phototherapy for plaque psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and mycosis fungoides. Treatment is typically administered two to three times weekly, with dosing adjusted according to the patient's Fitzpatrick Skin Type and minimal erythema dose (MED). Editors should render this abbreviation consistently with a hyphen: 'NB-UVB,' not 'NBUVB' or 'NB UVB.'
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate: 'NB-UVB.' Distinguish from broadband UVB (BB-UVB) and PUVA (psoralen + UVA), which have different mechanisms and indications.
In Context
- "Patients were randomised to receive NB-UVB three times weekly or topical calcipotriol twice daily for 12 weeks." — Randomised controlled trial methods
- "The protocol section consistently used 'NBUVB,' which the copy-editor standardised to the hyphenated form 'NB-UVB' throughout." — Copy-editing annotation