| A | B |
|---|
| Abduction | Moving the part of the body away from the midline of the body or away from the body |
| Adduction | Moving the part of the body toward the midline of the body or toward the body |
| Angiogram | Record (x-ray) of the blood vessels |
| Anteroposterior | A patient is usually supine (on one's back) and the x-ray is aimed from above the anterior of the body with a beam passing to the posterior |
| Arteriography | An x-ray image of an artery is obtained after injecting a radiopaque substance directly into the artery |
| Arthrography | Dye or air, or both, is injected into a joint, and x-rays are taken of the joint |
| Betatron | Machine used in radiotherapy to deliver a dose of radiation to a patient |
| Brachytherapy | Treatment using radiation with an implanted source of radiation (shot distance from the site of treatment) |
| Cholangiography | Dye is injected intravenously and directed by the liver into the bile ducts |
| Cholecystography | A radiopague substance is given orally; the substance collects in the gallbladder, and x-rays are taken of the gallbladder and the bile ducts |
| Cineradiography | Process of using motion picture techniques to record a series of x-ray images |
| Computed tomography | Process of recording x-ray images of the body in a cross-sectional view; a computer is used and a series of pictures are taken all around a section of the body |
| Echocardiography | Process of recording sound waves as they bounce off of the heart |
| Eversion | Turning outward |
| Extension | Lengthening or straightening a flexed limb |
| External beam radiation | Radiation applied using a distant source |
| Flexion | Bending a part of the body |
| Gallium scan | Radioisotopes are injected intravenously; scan has an affinity for tumors and non-neoplastic lesions such as abscesses |
| Fluorescence | The emission of glowing light that results from exposure to and absorption from x-rays |
| Fluoroscopy | Process of using x-rays to produce a fluorescent image on a screen; major advantage is that organs can be observed in motion |
| Hysterosalpingogram | Record (x-ray) of the uterus and fallopian tubes |
| Half-life | The time required for a radioactive substance (radionuclide) to lose half of its radioactivity by disintegration; important to know in order to determine how long the radioactive substance will emit radioactivity when in the body |
| Interstitial therapy | Radioisotopes are surgically inserted into a tumor |
| Interventional radiology | Therapeutic procedures that are performed by a radiologist |
| Intracavitary therapy | Radioisotopes are placed within a body cavity adjacent to a tumor |
| Inversion | Turning inward |
| In vitro | Experiments performed in a test tube (glass); outside of a living organism |
| In vivo | Experiments performed within a living organism |
| Ionization | The separation of stable substances into charged particles called ions |
| Irradiation | Administering radiation treatment to a patient |
| Lateral decubitus | Lying down on the side with the x-ray beam horizontally positioned |
| Lethal | Pertaining to that which is deadly or fatal |
| Linear Accelerator | A large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for the treatment of deep-seated tumors |
| Lymphangiography | An x-ray of lymphatic vessels and nodes is obtained after injection of dye into the lymphatic system of the feet or hands |
| Magnetic resonance imaging | A magnetic field and radio waves are used to form sagittal, coronal, and axial images of the body |
| Megavoltage | High-energy radiation generated by a machine and used in curative x-ray therapy for cancer |
| Mucositis | Inflammation of a mucous membrane (mucosa) |
| Myelogram | Record (x-ray) of the spinal cord |
| Myelography | The process of recording the spinal cord (not used much because of the availability of MRI) |
| Myelosuppression | Suppressing the formation of bone marrow tissue |
| Nuclear medicine | Medical specialty that studies the uses of radioactive substances in diagnosis and treatment of disease |
| Oblique | The x-ray tube is positioned at an angle from the perpendicular plane |
| Orthovoltage | Low-energy radiation used in palliative radiation therapy and superficial skin cancers |
| Palliative | Relieving symptoms, but not curing |
| Positron emission tomography | Radioactive substances are given intravenously and then emit positrons, which create a cross-sectional image of the metabolism of the body |
| Posteroanterior | A patient is upright with her/his back to the x-ray machine and the film to the chest |
| Prone | Lying on the belly (face down) |
| Pyelogram | Record (x-ray) of the renal pelvis of the kidney |
| Radioimmunoassay | Test that combines the uses of radioactive chemicals and antibodies to detect minute qualities of substances in a patient's blood |
| Radioisotope | A radioactive form of an element (radioisotopes of an element have similar structure but with different weights and charges) |
| Radiolucent | Permitting the passage of x-rays (rays shine through) |
| Radionuclide | A radioactive chemical element that gives off energy in the form of radiation |
| Radiopaque | Obscuring or obstructing the passage of x-rays |
| Radioresistant | A tumor that is not easily treated by (is resistant to) radiation therapy |
| Radiopharmaceutical | Pertaining to the combination of a radioisotope and a drug |
| Radiotherapy | Treatment using x-rays or other forms of radiation |
| Radiosensitive | A tumor that responds to radiation therapy |
| Recumbent | Lying down (may be prone or supine) |
| Roentgenology | Study of x-rays |
| Scintillation scanner | Machine used to detect the presence of radiopharmaceuticals in the body |
| Sonogram | Record of sound (echoes emitted from the body after ultrasound waves are introduced) |
| Supine | Lying on the back (face up) |
| Scintigraphy | Process of recording images of the radioactivity distributed in tissues after administration of a radiopharmaceutical |
| Therapeutic | Pertaining to treatment (therapy) |
| Tomography | Process of using x-rays to produce a series of images showing the body in depth |
| Tracer studies | Radionuclides are used as tags, or labels, attached to chemicals and followed as they migrate through the body |
| Ultrasound | Diagnostic technique that projects and retrieves high-frequency sound waves as they echo off of parts of the body |
| Ultrasonography | Process of using ultrasound waves in the body to produce sound echoes that are recorded as an image |
| Uptake | The rate of absorption of a radionuclide into an organ or tissue |
| Urography | The process of recording x-ray images of the urinary tract after the introduction of contrast material |
| Venography | An x-ray image of veins after introducing contrast medium intravenously |
| Ventilation/perfusion studies | Radiopharmaceutical is inhaled and injected and its passage through the respiratory tract is imaged |
| Xerostomia | Condition of dryness in the mouth |
