Chapter 21: Diagnostic Procedures, Nuclear Medicine, and Complementary Medicine

albumin/o

albumin, protein

calc/i

calcium, lime, the heel

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

creatin/o

creatinine

fluor/o

glowing

glycos/o

glucose, sugar

lapar/o

abdomen, abdominal wall

-otomy

cutting, surgical incision

radi/o

radiation, x-rays

-scope

instrument for visual examination

-scopy

visual examination

son/o

sound

steth/o

chest

therm/o

heat

ultra-

beyond

acupuncture

a traditional Chinese medical practice using very thin acupuncture needles inserted into specific points of the body to restore the flow of qi.

albuminuria

the presence of the protein albumin in the urine.

alternative medicine

a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used in place of these treatments.

arthrocentesis

a surgical puncture of the joint space to remove synovial fluid for analysis to determine the cause of pain or swelling in a joint.

auscultation

listening for sounds within the body and is usually performed through a stethoscope.

bacteriuria

the presence of bacteria in the urine.

basic metabolic panel

(BMP, or Profile 8) is a group of eight specific blood tests that provide important information about the current status of the patient’s kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, and calcium levels.

biofeedback

a patient-guided treatment that teaches individuals to control muscle tension, pain, body temperature, brain waves, and other bodily functions through relaxation, visualization, and other cognitive control techniques.

bruit

an abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery.

calciuria

the presence of calcium in the urine.

complementary medicine

a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used to supplement these treatments.

complete blood count

(CBC) is a series of tests performed as a group to evaluate several blood conditions.

computed tomography

(CT), sometimes referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a scan that uses a thin, fan-shaped x-ray beam that rotates around the patient to produce multiple cross-sectional views of the body.

craniosacral therapy

the use of gentle touch to help the body release tension, stress, and trauma to correct restrictions resulting from stress on the central nervous system.

creatinuria

an increased concentration of creatinine in the urine.

echocardiography

an ultrasonic diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the structures and motion of the heart.

endoscope

a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end.

fluoroscopy

the visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen.

glycosuria

the presence of glucose in the urine.

guided imagery

or visualization, is a type of treatment in which a patient follows verbal prompts to envision a specific, peaceful location in detail, distancing him- or herself from any pain or stress the patient is currently experiencing.

hematocrit

(Hct) describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells.

hematuria

the presence of blood in the urine.

homeopathy

involves the use of substances created from plant or mineral products diluted a thousand-fold in water or alcohol to treat symptoms and diseases.

hyperthermia

an extremely high body temperature, usually caused by prolonged exposure to environmental heat.

hypothermia

an abnormally low body temperature.

integrative medicine

a model of health care based on both allopathic and alternative medicine.

interventional radiology

the use of radiographic imaging to guide a procedure such as a biopsy.

ketonuria

the presence of ketones in the urine.

laparoscopy

the visual examination of the interior of the abdomen with the use of a laparoscope that is passed through a small incision in the abdominal wall.

lithotomy position

the patient is lying on the , face up, with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups.

magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI) uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer and converted into images of any plane through the body.

mindfulness meditation

focuses on becoming aware of thoughts and emotions and their physiological responses, as well as accepting them and maintaining a calm, constant awareness.

naturopathy

also known as naturopathic medicine, is a combination of nutrition, medicinal supplements and herbs, water therapy, homeopathy, and lifestyle modifications used to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms and diseases.

neuromuscular therapy

(NMT) is a form of massage that uses soft-tissue manipulation focusing on applying pressure to trigger points to treat injuries and alleviate pain.

nuclear imaging

the use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes.

ophthalmoscope

an instrument used to examine the interior of the eye.

otoscope

an instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane.

percussion

a diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers.

perfusion

the flow of blood through an organ.

pericardiocentesis

the puncture of the pericardial sac for the purpose of removing fluid.

phlebotomy

also known as venipuncture, is the puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood.

positron emission tomography

(PET), also known as PET imaging, combines computed tomography with radionuclide tracers, usually inserted into a vein, to produce enhanced images of selected body organs or areas.

prone position

the patient is lying on the abdomen face down.

proteinuria

the presence of an abnormal amount of protein in the urine.

pyuria

the presence of pus in the urine.

radiolucent

the substance, such as air or nitrogen gas, allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film.

radiopaque

the substance does not allow x-rays to pass through and appears white or light gray on the resulting film.

rales

also known as crackles, are abnormal crackle-like lung sounds heard through a stethoscope during inspiration (breathing in).

recumbent

any position in which the patient is lying down.

rhonchi

coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring. These sounds are usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways (singular, rhonchus).

Sims’ position

the patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the .

single photon emission computed tomography

(SPECT) is a type of nuclear imaging test that produces 3D computer-reconstructed images showing perfusion through tissues and organs.

speculum

an instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity, especially the vagina, to facilitate inspection of its interior.

sphygmomanometer

blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. This force is measured using a sphygmomanometer.

stethoscope

an instrument used to listen to sounds within the body.

stridor

an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box).

transesophageal echocardiography

(TEE) is an ultrasonic imaging technique used to evaluate heart structures.

ultrasonography

commonly referred to as ultrasound or diagnostic ultrasound, is imaging of deep body structures by recording the echoes of sound wave pulses that are above the range of human hearing.

urinalysis

the examination of the physical and chemical properties of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements.