| radionuclide scan | An exam that produces pictures (scans) of internal parts of the body. The patient is given an injection or swallows a small amount of radioactive material. A machine called a scanner then measures the radioactivity in certain organs. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| ventilation-perfusion scan | A lung function test, especially useful for pulmonary embolism, employing an inhaled radionuclide for ventilation and an intravenous radionuclide for perfusion; their respective distributions in the lung are recorded scintigraphically. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cat scan | <investigation, procedure, radiology> A special radiographic technique that uses a computer to assimilate multiple X-ray images into a 2 dimentional cross-sectional image. This can reveal many soft tissue structures not shown by conventional radiography. Scans may also be dynamic in which a movement of a dye is tracked. Cuts may be 5 or 10 mm apart or, in some instances even further apart. A special dye material may be injected into the patients vein prior to the scan to help differentiate abnormal tissue and vasculature. The machine rotates 180 |
| meckel scan | <radiology> Agent: Tc-99m pertechnetate, prep: pentagastrin -- increase acid production, cimetidine -- block secretion of acid, glucagon -- decrease bowel activity see also: Meckel diverticulum (12 Dec 1998) |
| vq scan | <investigation> A nuclear medicine test that involves the inhalation of a radioactive gas and the injection of a radioactive compound into the bloodstream. A special camera measures the radioactive compound and generates a image of the lungs. Comparisons are made between the images generated. Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed using this procedure. (27 Sep 1997) |
| PET scan | Positron Emission Tomography. A scanning device which uses low-dose radioactive sugar to measure brain activity. This is a limited-use diagnostic tool. (16 Dec 1997) |
| MRI scan | A special imaging technique used to image internal stuctures of the body, particularly the soft tissues. An MRI image is often superior to a normal X-ray image. It uses the influence of a large magnet to polarize hydrogen atoms in the tissues and then monitors the summation of the spinning energies within living cells. Images are very clear and are particularly good for soft tissue, brain and spinal cord, joints and abdomen. These scans may be used for detecting some cancers or for following their progress. Acronym: MRI (11 Nov 1997) |
| MUGA scan | This noninvasive test uses radioactive tracers to delineate the hearts chambers and major vessels. It may be used to detect a heart attack, heart muscle function and coronary artery disease. The patient receives a radioactive tracer by injection (into a vein) and then the heart is imaged using a gamma camera. The heart is imaged before and after exercise. This test may be used to detect and evaluate atrial septal defect, dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, Lyme disease (secondary), mitral stenosis and superior vena cava syndrome. (27 Sep 1997) |
| CT scan | <investigation, procedure, radiology> A special radiographic technique that uses a computer to assimilate multiple X-ray images into a 2 dimentional cross-sectional image. This can reveal many soft tissue structures not shown by conventional radiography. Scans may also be dynamic in which a movement of a dye is tracked. Cuts may be 5 or 10 mm apart or, in some instances even further apart. A special dye material may be injected into the patients vein prior to the scan to help differentiate abnormal tissue and vasculature. The machine rotates 180 |
| scan | A type of imaging, for example ultrasound, MR, CT, scintigram. (16 Dec 1997) |
| scan rate | <microscopy> The number of horizontal-scan lines per frame and vertical scans per second that are repeated in video, for example, 525/60, 625/50. In 525/60, 2: 1 interlaced video, the V scan is repeated at the field rate (which is half of the frame rate for 2: 1 interlaced video) so that 525 H scans take place 30 times a second. The H-scan rate is therefore 525 x 30 = 15.75 kHz. With 525/60, 1: 1 interlace, the H-scan rate would be twice this value. (05 Aug 1998) |
| sector scan | In ultrasonography, a system in which the transducer or transmitted ultrasound beam is rotated through an angle, resulting in a pie-shaped image. (05 Mar 2000) |
| slow scan | <microscopy> A system of video scanning in which the time used to read each line has been increased in comparison to standard video. The bandwidth needed to faithfully transmit or record the signal is reduced in inverse ratio to the scanning time. Slow scan allows the video signal to be transmitted over a telephone line, or line scans to be registered on a chart recorder. (19 Jan 1998) |
| nuclear bone scan | A nuclear medicine test that involves the introduction of a radioactive compound into the blood stream. The radioactive compound acts as a tracer and allows for the imaging of the bony skeleton. (27 Sep 1997) |
| nuclear heart scan | This noninvasive test uses radioactive tracers to delineate the hearts chambers and major vessels. It may be used to detect a heart attack, heart muscle function and coronary artery disease. The patient receives a radioactive tracer by injection (into a vein) and then the heart is imaged using a gamma camera. The heart is imaged before and after exercise. This test may be used to detect and evaluate atrial septal defect, dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, Lyme disease (secondary), mitral stenosis and superior vena cava syndrome. (27 Sep 1997) |