Radiology, interventional
The use of image guidance methods to gain access to the deepest
interior of most organs and organ systems. Interventional radiology includes the use of balloons, catheters, microcatheters, stents, therapeutic embolization (deliberately clogging up a blood
vessel), and more. The specialty of interventional radiology overlaps with other surgical arenas, including interventional cardiology, vascular surgery, endoscopy, laparoscopy, and other minimally invasive techniques, such as biopsies. Specialists performing interventional radiology procedures today include not only radiologists but also other types of physicians, such as general surgeons, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, gynecologists, and urologists.
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- Radiolucent
Permeable to one or another form of radiation, such as X-rays. Radiolucent objects do not block radiation but let it pass. Plastic is usually radiolucent. The opposite of radiolucent is radiopaque.
- Radiomimetic
Imitating radiation. A radiomimetic drug is one that imitates the effects of radiation as in the case of chemicals such as nitrogen mustards which are used in cancer chemotherapy. The “mimetic” part of “radiomimetic” comes from the Greek verb “mimeisthai” meaning “to imitate” and from “mimos” meaning “mime.” (The English word “mime” also comes from […]
- Radionuclide
An unstable form of a chemical element that radioactively decays, resulting in the emission of nuclear radiation. Also called a radioisotope.
- Radionuclide scan
A nuclear medicine examination in which a minute amount of radioactive material is labelled to commonly found substances in the body such as iodine or phosphate. As those radioactive substances go to their normal positions in the body, images of bones, thyroid tissue, and other organs are created. Also called an isotope scan.
- Radionuclide stress test
A procedure that involves injecting a radioactive isotope, typically thallium or cardiolyte, into the patient’s vein after which an image of the patient’s heart becomes visible with a special camera. The radioactive isotopes are absorbed by the normal heart muscle. Nuclear images are obtained in the resting condition, and again immediately following exercise. The two […]