Introduction to Imaging and Radiologic Sciences

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamentals of radiography, imaging sciences, historical milestones in medicine, and specialized radiologic disciplines.

Radiation

Energy that is transmitted by waves through space or through a medium (matter), such as light energy from the sun or heat energy from a stove.

Energy

The capacity to operate or work, which exists in forms such as mechanical, electrical, heat, nuclear, and electromagnetic.

Ionization

Any process by which a neutral atom gains or loses an electron, acquiring a net charge and the ability to disrupt the composition of matter and life processes.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography

A nonionizing form of radiation that creates images by recording reflected sound waves.

Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)

The use of electrical energy to image the electrical activities of the heart.

Thermograms

Images produced using the body’s naturally emitted heat energy to demonstrate conditions such as changes in circulation.

Nuclear Medicine Technology

A field involving the introduction of radioactive substances that emit gamma radiation from their nuclei to produce images of anatomic structures and physiologic actions.

Gamma Radiation

A form of electromagnetic energy emitted from the nuclei of atoms that has the ability to ionize atoms.

X-rays

Man-made electromagnetic radiation created when electrons moving at high speed are suddenly stopped; also referred to as roentgen rays.

Radiography

The making of records (radiographs) of internal structures of the body by passing x-rays or gamma rays through the body to act on sensitized film or a digital imaging plate.

Hippocrates

A Greek physician (c. 460-370 BC) known as the father of Western medicine who emphasized rational and natural explanations for disease.

Hippocratic Oath

Ethical guidelines for physicians covering physician-patient relationships, patient privacy rights, and the use of treatment for curative purposes.

William Harvey

Seventeenth-century scientist (1578-1657) who laid the foundation for modern medicine by describing the function of the heart and blood circulation.

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek

Seventeenth-century scientist (1632-1723) who first described bacteria.

Edward Jenner

Eighteenth-century scientist (1749-1823) who developed the vaccine to prevent smallpox.

Louis Pasteur

Nineteenth-century scientist (1822-1895) who developed the germ theory of infection and the process of pasteurization.

Robert Koch

Nineteenth-century scientist (1843-1910) who developed tuberculin as a test for tuberculosis.

Florence Nightingale

The mid-1800s figure (1820-1910) who developed the foundations for modern nursing.

Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen

The discoverer of x-rays on November 8, 1895, using a Crookes tube and barium platinocyanide; winner of the first Nobel Prize in physics in 1901.

Sir Alexander Fleming

The scientist who discovered penicillin in 1928.

Jonas Salk

The scientist (1914-1995) who developed the vaccine to control and prevent poliomyelitis.

Francis Crick and James Watson

The scientists who discovered the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in 1953.

Human Genome Project (HGP)

A 13-year project completed in 2003 with the goals of identifying all genes in human DNA and determining base pair sequences.

Radiologic Technologist

A person qualified to use x-rays or radioactive substances for diagnostic or therapeutic medical purposes.

Radiologist

The interpreting physician who specializes in the use of x-rays and other imaging technologies.

Mammography

Radiologic examination of the breast used for the early detection of cancer.

Registered Radiologist Assistant (R.R.A.)

An advanced-level radiographer who extends the capacity of the radiologist by performing procedures like GI studies and evaluating images.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A nuclear medicine procedure that creates sectional images demonstrating the physiologic function of various organs and systems.

Radiation Oncology

The use of high-energy ionizing radiation to treat primarily malignant tumors (cancer).

Medical Dosimetrist

A professional involved in treatment planning and dose calculations for radiation therapy.

Computed Tomography (CT)

Recording a predetermined plane in the body using an x-ray beam processed by a computer to display sectional planes on a monitor.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A nonionizing imaging technique that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to generate sectional images of anatomy.

Technologist

An individual skilled in a practical art who applies knowledge to practical and theoretic problems in the field.

Technician

An individual who performs procedures requiring attention to technical detail, working under the direction of another health care provider.

Therapist

A specialist who carries out treatments designed to correct or improve the function of a particular body part or system.

Health Information Services

The department responsible for the management of health information, which does not involve direct patient contact.