Radical prostatectomy
A surgery procedure that removes the entire prostate gland plus some surrounding tissue. During the procedure the pelvic lymph nodes may also be sampled for a biopsy. The goal is to remove the cancer entirely and prevent its spread to other parts of the body.
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- Radiculopathy
Any disease of the spinal nerve roots and spinal nerves. Radiculopathy is characterized by pain that seems to radiate from the spine, extending outward to cause symptoms away from the source of the spinal nerve root irritation. Causes of radiculopathy include deformities of the discs between the vertebrae. Patients with diabetes can be affected by […]
- Radio frequency identification
(RFID) A system for remotely storing and retrieving data. An RFID tag may be a little sticker that can be attached to an object. The tag contains an antenna that enables it to receive and respond to a radiofrequency query from an RFID device called a transceiver. Most RFID tags in use today do not […]
- Radioactive
Emitting energy waves due to decaying atomic nuclei. Radioactive substances are used in medicine as tracers for diagnosis and in treatment to kill cancerous cells.
- Radioactive iodine
An isotope of the chemical element iodine that is radioactive. Radioactive iodine is used in diagnostic tests as well as in radiotherapy of an hyperactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), most often due to Graves’ disease. For hyperthyroidism, Radioactive iodine is administered in capsule form on a one- time basis. It directly radiates thyroid tissues, thereby destroying […]
- Radioactive tracer
A radioactive molecule that can be sent through the body’s circulatory or urinary system, with its progress followed by a radiation-sensitive machine.