X-rays Glossary of Medical Terms

Adam: A street name for 3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine. See: Ecstasy .
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Background radiation: Radiation that comes from environmental sources including the earth's crust, the atmosphere, cosmic rays, and radioisotopes . Natural sources of radiation account for the largest amount of radiation exposure received by most people each year with medical and occupational sources accounting for only a fraction of that exposure. It is currently believed that radon , a gas produced by radium decay within rock, constitutes the major source of background radiation throughout many parts of the US. The buildup of radon in inadequately ventilated homes may pose a long-term health hazard. The deleterious effects of background radiation, estimated as causing 1-6% of spontaneous genetic mutation , rise with dose.
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Bone: Bone is the substance that forms the skeleton of the body. It is composed chiefly of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate . It also serves as a storage area for calcium, playing a large role in calcium balance in the blood.
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Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).
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Cell: The basic structural and functional unit in people and all living things. Each cell is a small container of chemicals and water wrapped in a membrane .
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Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen . The chest contains the lungs , the heart and part of the aorta . The walls of the chest are supported by the dorsal vertebrae , the ribs , and the sternum .
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Chest X-ray: Commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs, but can also detect abnormalities in the heart, aorta, and the bones of the thoracic area. Metallic objects, such as jewelry are removed from the chest and neck areas for a chest x-ray to avoid interference with x-ray penetration and improve accuracy of the interpretation.
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CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them into pictures on a screen. CT stands for computerized tomography.
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Effective dose: The dose of a drug that will achieve the desired effect.
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Environmental Protection Agency: The US government agency founded to "protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment--air, water, and land--upon which life depends." The Environmental Protection Agency is known as the EPA.
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Hospital: It may seem unnecessary to define a "hospital" since everyone knows the nature of a hospital. A hospital began as a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young.
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Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease, appears in a particular population or area. In disease epidemiology, the incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period. The incidence is distinct from the prevalence which refers to the number of cases alive on a certain date.
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Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular condition or circumstance. For example, certain medications are indicated for the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy while others are contraindicated .
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Lower GI series: Short for lower gastrointestinal series. A series of x-rays of the rectum , colon and lower section of the small intestine taken after the patient has a barium enema . Barium is a white, chalky substance that coats the organs so they will show up on the x-ray. Also called a barium enema or a barium enema x-ray.
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Lumbar: Referring to the 5 lumbar vertebrae which are situated below the thoracic vertebrae and above the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column. The 5 lumbar vertebrae are represented by the symbols L1 through L5. There are correspondingly 5 lumbar nerves.
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Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon dioxide from and bring oxygen to the blood. There is a right and left lung.
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Mammogram : An X-ray of the breast with the breast in a device that compresses and flattens it. There are two basic mammogram tests -- screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms.
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Medical physics: The science of human health and radiation exposure. Medical physics, also called health physics, is devoted to radiation safety. The international professional body for health physics, the Health Physics Society, notes that:
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Oncology: The field of medicine devoted to cancer .
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Organ: A relatively independent part of the body that carries out one or more special functions. The organs of the human body include the eye , ear , heart , lungs , and liver .
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Pharmacy: A location where prescription drugs are sold. A pharmacy is, by law, constantly supervised by a licensed pharmacist.
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Progeny: The children and other descendants. For example one might say that the progeny of someone with a genetic (inherited) condition such as Huntington disease are themselves at risk for the disease.
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Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease. See also: Irradiation .
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Radiation oncology: Also called radiation therapy or radiotherapy, radiation oncology is the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing. A specialist in radiation therapy is called a radiation oncologist, a radiation therapist or radiotherapist.
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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.
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Radiologist: A physician specialized in radiology , the branch of medicine that uses ionizing and nonionizing radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
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Radiology: The branch of medicine that uses ionizing and nonionizing radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
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Radon: A radioactive element formed as a gas during the breakdown of radium.
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Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of the body by gathering information with a sensing device.
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Skin: The skin is the body's outer covering. It protects us against heat and light, injury, and infection. It regulates body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. Weighing about 6 pounds, the skin is the body's largest organ. It is made up of two main layers; the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.

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Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects the spinal cord. The spine can be categorized according to level of the body: i.e., cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back). See also vertebral column. 2) Any short prominence of bone. The spines of the vertebrae protrude at the base of the back of the neck and in the middle of the back. These spines protect the spinal cord from injury from behind.
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Thoracic: Pertaining to the chest.
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Uncertainty: You may be uncertain why "uncertainty" deserves a place in a medical dictionary but some would say that uncertainty is a key element in medicine.
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Upper GI series : A series of x-rays of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine (upper gastrointestinal, or GI, tract) that are taken after the patient drinks a barium solution. (Barium is a white, chalky substance that outlines the organs on the x-ray.)
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Uranium: A metallic element that is used as nuclear fuel and is highly toxic and radioactive. Exposure to radiation from uranium can occur in various ways. The breakdown of uranium products creates radon daughters. These can attach to dust particles and, if workers inhale the dust, the particles lodge in their lungs, where they release high doses of radiation. This is believed to be why Navajo uranium miners face a risk of lung cancer that is 28 times normal.
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X-ray: 1. High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-rays possess the properties of penetrating most substances (to varying extents), of acting on a photographic film or plate (permitting radiography), and of causing a fluorescent screen to give off light (permitting fluoroscopy). In low doses X-rays are used for making images that help to diagnose disease, and in high doses to treat cancer . Formerly called a Roentgen ray. 2. An image obtained by means of X-rays.
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