Unit 1 - Chapter 20 - Radiology + Nuclear Medicine Flashcards
what is radiology
the medical specialty concerning the study and application of x-rays and other technologies to produce and interpret images of the human body for the diagnosis of disease
what are x-rays
invisible waves of energy that are produced by an energy source to help in diagnosis and treatment of disease
what is nuclear medicine
the medical specialty that uses radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
what are radionuclides
radioactive substances that emit high speed particles and energy containing rays from the interior of their matter
what are the names of the 3 types of particles/rays that radionuclides emit
- alpha particles
- beta particles
- gamma rays
what are gamma rays
used effectively as a diagnostic label to trace the path and uptake of chemical substances in the body
what is a radiologist
a physician who specializes in the practice of diagnostic radiology
what is a nuclear medicine physician
a physician that specilaizes in diagnostic radionuclide scanning procedures
what are radiologic technologists
radiographers, nuclear medicine technologists, sonographers
what are the 6 characteristics of x-rays
- ability to cause exposure of a photographic plate
- ability to penetrate different substances to varying degrees
- invisibility
- travel in straight lines
- scattering of x-rays
- ionization
what do radiopaque substances (bone)do
absorb most of the x-rays they are exposed to, allowing only a few to reach the x-ray plate
what do radiolucent substance do
permits passage of most of the x-rays
what is digital radiography
a form of x-ray imaging in which digital x-ray detectors are used instead of traditional photgraphic film
what is mammography
low dose x-rays to visualize breast tissue
what is ct scan (computerized tomography)
beaming x-rays at multiple angles through a section of the patients body
what does an upper gi series involve
oral ingestion of barium sulfate )radiopaque substance) so that the esophagus, stomach and duodenum can be visualized
what does a small bowel follow through involve
traces the passage of barium sulfate (radiopaque substance) in a sequential manner as it moves through the small intestine
what is a double contrast study
one that uses both a radiopaque and radiolucent contrast medium
what is an angiography
x-ray image of blood vessels and heart chambers is obtained after contrast is injected through a catheter into the appropriate heart vessel or heart chamber
what is a cholangiography
x-ray imaging after injection of contrast into bile ducts
what is a digital subtraction angiography
x-ray image of contrast-injected blood vessels is produced by taking two x-ray pictures and using a computer to subtract obscurring shadows from the second image
what is a hysterosalpingography
x-ray record of the endometrial cavity and fallopian tubes is obtained after injection of contrast material through the vagina and into the endocervical canal
what is a myelography
x-ray imaging of the spinal cord after injection of contrast agent into the subarachnoid space surrounding the spinal cord
what is a pyelography
x-ray imaging of the renal pelvis and urinary tract
what are digital imaging techniques used for
to enhance conventional and fluroscopic x-ray techniquesw
what is fluroscopy
the use of x-rays and a fluroescent screen to produce real time video images
what is radiofrequency ablation
destruction of tumors and tissues
what is ultrasonography
uses high frequency inaudible sound waves that bounce off body tissues