Biomedical Terminology: Unit 4: Chapter 20

Radiology

Medical speciality concerned with the study of x-rays and other technologies to produce and interpret images of the human body for diagnosis

X-Rays

Invisible waves of energy

Nuclear Medicine

Use of radioactive substances in the diagnosis of the disease (look at the physiology of the body)

ECHO

Abbreviation for Echocardiography

MR, MRI

Magnetic Resonance, magnetic resonance imaging abbreviation

PET/VT

Positron Emission Tomography, Computed tomography Abbreviation

SPECT

Single photon emission computed tomography (Abbreviation); 3D image is produced; intravenous injection of a radioactive tracer is done and it helps detect liver tumors, cardiac ischemia, diseases of bone and spine.

CT

Diagnostic x-ray procedure that produces a cross-sectional image of a specific body segment

Radiolucent

Permitting the passage of X-rays (will show up black on the x-ray)

Contrast Studies

Radiopaque materials are injected (ex: barium sulfate) to obtain contrast with surrounding tissue when shown on x-ray film

Gamma Camera

Machine to detect gamma rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals

Gamma Rays

High-energy rays emitted by radioactive substances in tracer studies

White

The more dense something is (ex:bones), the more ____ it shows on the x-ray

Half-life

Time required for a radioactive substance to lose half of its radioactivity by disintegration

Interventional Radiology

Therapeutic or diagnostic procedures performed by a radiologist

In Vitro

Process, test, or procedure performed, measured, or observed outside of a living organism

In Vivo

Process, test, or procedure is performed, measured or observed within a living organism

Ionization

Transformation of electrically neutral substances into electrically charged particles

MRI

Use of magnetic field and radio waves to produce sagittal, coronal, and axial images of the body

PET

Use of positron emitting-radioactive substances given intravenously to create a cross-sectional image of cellular metabolism

Radioimmunoassay (RIA)

Test that combines radioactive chemicals and antibodies to detect minute quantities of substances in a patient’s blood

Radioisotope

Radioactive form of an element; radionuclide

Radiolabled compound

Radiopharmaceutical; used in nuclear medicine studies

Radiology

Medical speciality concerned with the study of x-rays and their use in diagnosis of disease

Radionuclide

Radioactive form of an element; radioisotope (alpha, beta, gamma)

Radiopaque

Obstructing the passage of x-rays

Radiopharmaceutical

Radioactive drug used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes

Scan

Image of an area, organ, or tissue of the body obtained from ultrasound, radioactive tracer studies, CT, or MRI

Scintigraphy

Diagnostic nuclear medicine test using radiopharmaceuticals and gamma cameras to create images

SPECT

Radioactive tracer is injected intravenously and a computer reconstructs a 3D-image based on a composite of many views

Tagging

Attaching a radionuclide to a chemical and following its path in the body

Tracer Studies

Use of radionuclide tags attached to chemicals and followed as they traveled through the body

Ultrasonography

Diagnostic technique that projects and retrieves high frequency sound waves as they echo off body parts

Ultrasound Transducer

Handheld device that sends and receives ultrasound signals

Uptake

Rate of absorbance of a radionuclide into an organ or tissue

Ventilation-perfusion studies

Ventilation and perfusion of a radiopharmaceutical followed by an imaging its passage through the respiratory tract

Fluor/o

Luminous (Root)

is/o

Same (Root)

Lateral Decubitus

Lying down on the side

Radi/o roentgen/o

X-rays (2) (Root)

Son/o

Sound (Root)

Therapeut/o

Treatment (Root)

Vitr/o

Glass (Root)

Viv/o

Life (Root)

-gram

Record (suffix)

-lucent

to shine (suffix)

-opaque

Obscure (suffix)

Cine-

Movement (prefix)

echo-

A repeated sound (prefix)

Ultra-

Beyond (prefix)

Scintiscanner

Gamma camera detection instrument produces picture (scintiscan)

Posteroanterior (PA)

X-Ray positioning where the posterior source is to anterior detector (Front of the person is facing the detector)

Anteroposterior (AP)

X-Ray positioning where the anterior source is posterior detector (Back is to the detector)

Oblique View

X-Ray positioning where the source is in a slanted direction at angle from perpendicular plane

Eversion

Turning outward

Prone

Lying on belly face down

Recumbent

Lying down (prone or supine)