chapter 20 Flashcards
What is the medical specialty concerned with the study of x-rays and other imaging technologies?
Radiology
Radiology involves producing and interpreting images of the human body for diagnosis of disease.
What are x-rays?
Invisible waves of energy
X-rays are used in medical imaging to visualize the internal structures of the body.
What is nuclear medicine?
Use of radioactive substances in the diagnosis of disease
It involves the use of radionuclides for imaging and treatment.
Name the personnel involved in radiology and nuclear medicine.
- Radiologist
- Nuclear physician
- Radiologic technologists
- Radiographers
- Nuclear medicine technologists
- Sonographers
List characteristics of x-rays.
- Expose photographic plates
- Penetrate substances
- Invisible
- Travel in straight lines
- Scatter
- Ionization
What are some diagnostic techniques used in radiology?
- X-Ray studies
- Digital radiography
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Contrast studies
- Fluoroscopy
- Ultrasound
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
What does ‘abduction’ refer to in patient positioning?
Movement away from the midline
What does ‘adduction’ refer to in patient positioning?
Movement toward the midline
Fill in the blank: _______ obstructs the passage of x-rays.
Radiopaque
Fill in the blank: _______ permits the passage of x-rays.
Radiolucent
What are radionuclides?
Radioactive forms of elements used in nuclear medicine
What is a radioimmunoassay (RIA)?
Test that uses radioactive chemicals and antibodies to detect hormones and drugs in blood
What is the purpose of a scintiscanner?
Detection instrument that produces pictures (scintiscans) from gamma rays emitted by radiopharmaceuticals
What is positron emission tomography (PET)?
Use of positron-emitting radioactive substances to create a cross-sectional image of cellular metabolism
What does ‘in vitro’ mean?
Process performed outside a living organism
What does ‘in vivo’ mean?
Process performed within a living organism
What is the half-life of a radioactive substance?
Time required for it to lose half its radioactivity by disintegration
What is computed tomography (CT)?
Diagnostic x-ray procedure that produces a cross-sectional image of a specific body segment
What is an ultrasound transducer?
Handheld device that sends and receives ultrasound signals
Which term refers to a patient lying on their back?
Supine
Which term refers to a patient lying face down?
Prone
Name one application of SPECT.
- Detects liver tumors
- Cardiac ischemia
- Diseases of bone and spine
What does ‘uptake’ refer to in nuclear medicine?
Rate of absorption of a radionuclide into an organ or tissue
What is the significance of a gamma camera?
Machine to detect gamma rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals
