Imaging Diagnostics and X-ray Technologies

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to imaging diagnostics, focusing on X-ray technologies and their applications in medicine.

X-ray diagnostics

A medical imaging technique that uses X-rays to view the internal structures of the body.

Computed Tomography (CT)

A non-invasive imaging method that uses X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.

Photoelectric absorption

The dominant interaction of X-rays with matter at lower energies, where X-rays are absorbed by atoms and release photoelectrons.

Half-value layer (HVL)

The thickness of a material that reduces the intensity of X-rays to half of its original value.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A nuclear medicine procedure that measures metabolic activity in body tissues using radioactive tracers.

Scattering

The process where X-ray photons change direction after interacting with matter, affecting image quality.

Radionuclide diagnostics

A type of imaging that uses radioactive isotopes to evaluate the function of organs and tissues.

Attenuation coefficient

A measure representing how easily X-rays can pass through different materials, depending on the material's composition.

Bremsstrahlung radiation

X-ray radiation produced when electrons are decelerated by the electric field of atomic nuclei.

Ionization

The process through which an atom or molecule acquires a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons.

Radionuclide

A radioactive isotope used in medical imaging to trace and diagnose conditions within the body.

Radiopharmaceuticals

Chemical compounds containing radioactive isotopes used in diagnosis and treatment in nuclear medicine.

Electromagnetic waves

A range of waves including X-rays and gamma rays used in various forms of medical imaging.

Contrast agent

A substance used in imaging studies to enhance the visibility of structures in the body.

Luminescence

The emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation.

Brachytherapy

A type of radiation therapy where a radioactive source is placed directly inside or near the tumor.

Therapeutic ratio

The ratio of cancer cells killed to normal cells killed during radiation therapy.

Thermal energy

Energy that originates from heat, used in imaging techniques such as thermography.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

An imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues.

Ultrasound (US)

A medical imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of organs inside the body.