Frequently Asked Question

The acceptability of a SNOMED CT description is a metadata which is added to the description via what is called a language refset. This metadata expresses the acceptability of this description in a specific language or dialect. In other words, it tells the computer system if the term may be presented to the user at user interface in this language/dialect and with which "priority": as the preferred term in this language/dialect or as an acceptable, less frequent, synonym of this main most used preferred term.

The current possible values of the acceptability field in SNOMED CT language refset structure are: 

• Preferred: 900000000000548007 |Preferred (foundation metadata concept)|
• Acceptable: 900000000000549004 |Acceptable (foundation metadata concept)|

which are both children of the concept 900000000000511003 |Acceptability (foundation metadata concept)|.

Acceptability applies both to Fully Specified Names (FSN) and to Synonyms, however since you may have only one FSN for a concept in a given language/dialect, FSN can only have the acceptability of Preferred or not be acceptable in that language.

You can learn more about acceptability in the SNOMED international Reference sets practical guide.