Medical Imaging Computer Science Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of key vocabulary terms and definitions drawn from the lecture on Medical Imaging Computer Science, covering historical milestones, computer architecture, programming languages, storage, networking, imaging systems, and radiology-specific informatics concepts.

Abacus

Ancient Chinese calculating tool using beads on rods; earliest known calculator.

Analog

Continuously varying signal or quantity, opposite of digital’s discrete values.

ADA

Programming language approved by the U.S. Department of Defense, used for military and AI software.

ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit)

CPU component that performs arithmetic and logical operations.

Application Program

Software written in a high-level language to perform user-specific tasks, e.g., Word or Excel.

Assembler

Program that translates symbolic machine-oriented instructions into binary machine code.

Assembly Language

Low-level, symbolic language using mnemonics like LD, SUB, PT for machine instructions.

ASCC / Mark I

Harvard’s 1944 electromechanical general-purpose computer, slow and prone to malfunction.

Bandwidth

Maximum data transfer rate between two network points, affecting image transmission speed.

Basic (BASIC)

Beginner-friendly interpreted programming language developed at Dartmouth in 1964.

Binary Number System

Base-2 system using only digits 0 and 1; fundamental to computer operation.

Bit

Single binary digit, 0 or 1; smallest data unit.

Bit Depth

Number of bits used to represent grayscale; e.g., 16-bit mammography allows 65,536 shades.

Bootstrapping

Initial small program that loads the operating system when a computer is powered on.

Broadband

High-speed, always-on Internet access technologies such as DSL, cable, fiber, wireless.

Browser (Web)

Software for retrieving and displaying HTML-formatted web pages.

Bus

Electrical pathways connecting CPU, memory, and peripherals inside a computer.

Byte

Group of 8 bits representing one character.

Cable Modem

Broadband device delivering Internet via cable-TV lines.

CAD (Computer-Aided Detection)

Software that highlights suspicious regions of medical images for radiologist review.

CD (Compact Disc)

Optical storage medium using pits and lands read by laser; ~800 MB capacity.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Primary chip that executes instructions and controls computer operations.

Client (Network)

Computer that requests services or data from a server.

Cloud Storage

Internet-based service (e.g., Dropbox) providing off-site data storage and access.

COBOL

High-level language for business data processing with strong file-handling features.

Colossus

1943 British computer built to decode German codes; first fully operational electronic computer.

Compiler

Program that translates high-level source code into machine language before execution.

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)

Technology used to manufacture low-power RAM and other chips.

Control Unit

CPU part that directs data flow and instruction execution.

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)

Vacuum-tube display technology once common in monitors; bulky and brightness degrades.

CT (Computed Tomography)

First large-scale radiology computer application creating cross-sectional images.

C Language

Middle-level programmer’s language blending high-level features with low-level control.

Data File

Digital file containing information (not program code); e.g., images, spreadsheets.

Decimal System

Base-10 numbering system using digits 0-9; everyday arithmetic.

Digital

Representation using discrete coded values, typically 0 and 1.

DICOM

Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine; standard for storing and transmitting medical images.

Disk Jukebox

Automated multi-disc optical storage device holding hundreds or thousands of CDs/DVDs.

Display Screen (Monitor)

Output device showing soft-copy images; includes CRT and LCD types.

DR (Digital Radiography)

X-ray imaging system producing images directly in digital form.

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

Common main memory that requires refreshing; slower but cheaper than SRAM.

Dual-Energy Subtraction

Radiography technique acquiring two exposures at different energies to separate tissue types.

EEPROM

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory reprogrammed by electric impulses.

Edge Enhancement

Image processing that sharpens boundaries, aiding fracture detection.

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC)

1946 first general-purpose electronic computer with 18,000 vacuum tubes.

EPROM

Erasable PROM cleared by ultraviolet light for reprogramming.

Fiber Optic Line

Glass-fiber cable transmitting data as light pulses at very high speeds.

File Extension

Suffix (e.g., .DOC) identifying file type and associated program.

Flash Drive

Portable USB solid-state storage device holding several GB of data.

FORTRAN

1956 IBM scientific computing language (FORmula TRANslation).

Gigabyte (GB)

Approx. 1 billion bytes; measures large storage capacities.

GHz (Gigahertz)

One billion cycles per second; denotes processor clock speed.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Sealed magnetic storage with spinning platters; internal or external.

Hardware

Physical components of a computer system, visible equipment.

Hexadecimal System

Base-16 numbering (0-9, A-F); used in assembly-level coding.

High-Level Language

User-friendly programming language close to English, e.g., Java, BASIC.

Herman Hollerith

Inventor of 1890 census tabulating machine; founder of company that became IBM.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

Primary language for formatting web pages.

Image Flip

Processing function that reorients medical images for proper display.

Image Inversion

Switching black-white values to improve visualization of structures.

Imaging Informatics

Radiology subspecialty studying management and exchange of medical image information.

Ink-Jet Printer

Nonimpact printer spraying charged ink drops; quiet, inexpensive, color capable.

Integrated Circuit (IC)

Chip containing many transistors; hallmark of third-generation computers.

Interpreter

Program translating and executing high-level code line by line interactively.

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network; digital phone line up to 5× faster than dial-up.

Java

1995 language popular for web applications and cross-platform software.

Kilobyte (KB)

1024 bytes; small unit of data measurement.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

Flat-panel monitor technology, bright, thin, long-lived, common in radiology.

LAN (Local Area Network)

Network connecting computers within a limited area, such as a hospital.

LOGO

Educational programming language designed for children.

Lossless Compression

Image compression that allows exact restoration of original data.

Lossy Compression

Compression that discards some data to reduce file size, not perfectly reversible.

Macro (Programming)

Recorded or written set of commands automating repetitive tasks in applications.

Magnetic Tape

Sequential storage medium used for large-system backups and archives.

Main Memory

Working RAM where current programs and data reside for quick access.

Mammography (Digital)

Imaging modality requiring high-resolution (~5 MP) monitors for microcalcification detection.

Megabyte (MB)

Approx. 1 million bytes; measures medium-sized files.

MIPS

Millions of Instructions Per Second; metric of processor speed.

Modem

Device converting digital signals to analog (and back) for transmission over phone lines.

Motherboard

Main circuit board housing CPU, memory, and expansion slots.

Nearline Storage

Archive tier where data are quickly retrievable but not immediately online.

Network

Interconnected computers sharing data and resources.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

Method dividing programs into objects with related data and functions.

Operating System

System software managing hardware resources and providing services to applications (e.g., Windows).

Optical Storage

CD, DVD, Blu-ray media read by laser; archival data devices.

Output Hardware

Devices translating computer results for humans: monitors, printers, plotters.

PACS

Picture Archiving and Communication System; digital acquisition, storage, and distribution of medical images.

Pascal (Language)

1971 educational general-purpose language with English-like syntax.

Patient Motion Pixel Shift

Processing correction aligning images to reduce misregistration artifacts.

Pentium

Intel microprocessor family for high-performance PCs.

Personal Computer (PC)

Single-user microcomputer central to modern applications, including medical imaging.

Pixel

Smallest picture element in a digital image matrix.

Program (Computer)

Ordered set of instructions directing computer operations.

PROM

Programmable Read-Only Memory written once by user, non-erasable.

RAID

Redundant Array of Independent Disks; multiple drives acting as one for speed and reliability.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Volatile primary storage allowing equal-time data access anywhere.

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Non-volatile memory prewritten by manufacturer, contains firmware.

Region of Interest (ROI)

Selected area of image used for quantitative pixel analysis.

Registers

High-speed CPU storage locations holding data for immediate use.

Resolution (Monitor)

Number of pixels displayed; higher resolution shows more image detail.

Router

Network device directing data packets between separate networks.