Angiocardiography 

(cardiac catheterization)

A specialized diagnostic procedure in which a catheter (a hollow flexible tube) is introduced into a large vein or artery, usually of an arm or a leg, and then threaded through the circulatory system to the heart. 

Used to obtain information about the structure and function of the heart chambers, valves, and great vessels. 

Pressurs within the chambers ofhte heart can be measured, as can oxygen concentration, saturation, and tension. 

Immediately after the injection of the contrast medium, a series of X-ray films allowing visualization of th heart is taken. 

Types: right sided, left-sided, and selectie coronary artery angiocardiography. 

The injection of a radiopaque contrast medium into an arterial blood vessle (carotide, femoral, or branchial) to make visualizaiton of the cerebral vascular system via X-ray possible. 

Shows if there are cerebral ciruclaiton abnormalizes such as occlusions or aneurysms, vascular and nonvascular tumros as well as hematomas and abscesses. 

Barium Enema (BE)

(lower GI series)

Infusion of a radiopaque constrat medium, barium sulfate, into the rectum. The contrast medium is retained in the lower intestinal tract while X-ray films are obtained of the lower GI tract. 

For the most definitive results, the colon should be empty of fecal material. 

Barium Swallow

(upper GI tract)

Oral administration of radiopaque constrast medium, barium sulfate, which flows into the esophagus as the person swallows. 

(views esophagus, stomach, duodenum)

Cholangiography

(intravenous)

(IVC)

Cholangiography

(percutaneous transhepatic)

(PTC, PTHC)

An examination of the bile duct structure, using a needle to pass directly into an intrahepatic bile duct to inject a contrast medium. 

Special procedures and care are required before, during, and after this procedure. 

Cholangiopancreatography

(endoscopic retrograde)

(ERCP)

A procedure that examines the size and filling of the pancreatic and biliary ducts through direct radiographic visualization with a fiberoptic endoscope. 

During this procedure, a fiberoptic scope passes through the patient's esophagus and stomach into the duodenum. 

The ampulla of Vater (a comon passageway that connect the comon bile duct and the pancreatic duct to the duodenum) is located. 

Cholecystography 

(oral)

Visualization of the gallbladder through X-ray following the oral ingestion of pills containing a radiopaque iodinated dye. 

Not as accurate as the gallbladder ultrasound

Computed Axial Tomography 

(CT, CAT)

(CT scan)

A painless, noninvasive diagnostic X-ray procedure using ionization radiation that produces a cross-sextional image of the body;

also called computed tomography

is an analysis of a two-dimensional view of the tissue being evaluated as obtained from X-ray beams passing through successive horizontal layers of tissue. 

CT of the abdomen, brain and lymphoid tissue 

Digital Subtraction Angiography 

(DSA)

X-ray images of blood vessels only, appearing without any background due to the use of a computerized digital video subtraction process. 

The person undergoing this procedure will need to be well hydrated and consume no solid food for two hours prior. 

Candidates for a DSA:

Transient ishemic attacks (TIAs)

Intracranial tumors

Serial follow-up for individuals with known stenoses in teh carotid artery

Postoperative aneurysm

is a diagnostic precedure for studying the strcture and motion of the heart. It is useful in evaluating structural and functional changes in a variety of heart disorders. 

Ultrasound waves pass through the heart via a transducer, bounce off tissues of varying densities and are reflexted backward to the transducer, creating an image on the graph. 

is an X-ray of the uterus and the fallopian tubes by injecting a contrast material into these structures. 

The contrast medium is inected through a cannula inserted into the cervix. 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

(MRI)

A noninvasive scanning procedure that provides visualization of fluid, soft tissue, and bony structures by using electromagnetic energy. 

The process of taking X-rays of the soft tissue of the breast to detect various benign and/or malignant growth before they can be felt. 

First mammogram is recommended between 35 and 39

Introduction of contrast medium into the lumbar subarachnoid space through a lumbar puncture to visualize the spinal cord and vertebral canal through X-ray examination. 

Is accomplished on a tilt table to visualize the spinal cord in various positions. 

Aids in the diagnosis of adhesions and tumors and of intervertebral disc abnormalities. 

Positron Emission Tomography

(PET)

PET scan is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging method that demonstrates the biological function of the body before anatomical changes take place. The scan produces computerized radiographic images of the body structures when radioactive substances (positrons) are administered to the patient

A computerized radiographic technique that emplys radioactive substances to examine the metabolic activity of various body structures. 

Pyelography 

(Intravenous) 

IVP

Also known as intravenous pyelogram or excretory urogram, this radiographic procedure provides visualization of the entire urinary tract; that is, the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. 

A contrast dye is injected intravenously and multiple X-ray films are taken as the medium is cleared from the blood by the glomerular filtration of the kidney. 

The delivery of ionizing radiation to accomplish one or more of the following: 

Destruction of tumor cells

Reduction of tumor size 

Decrease in pain

Relief of obstruction

To slow or stop the spread of cancer cells. 

Will destory rapidly multiplying cells. 

Types: external and internal 

The treatment of neoplastic disease by using X-rays or gamma rays, usually from a cobalt source, to deter the growth of malignant cells by decreasing the rate of cell division or impairing DNA synthesis. 

Also called radiotherapy 

is an examination that determins the position, size, shape and physiological function of the thyroid gland through the use of radionuclear scanning. 

Useful in diagnosing:

Neck or substernal masses

Thuroid nodules (thyroid cancers are typically cold)

Cause of hyperthroidism

Evaluating metastic turmos with an unknown primary site. 

is the process of recording the emission of radioactive waves using a gamma camera (scanner) after an intravenous injection of a radionuclide material into the particular part of the body being studied. 

Bone scan: a bone can invovles the intravenous injection of a radionuclide materal absorbed by bone tissue. (the degree of uptake of the radionuclide is directly related to the metabolism of the bone) 

Brain scan: Nuclear scanning of cranial content two hours after an intravenous injection of radioisotopes. 

Liver scan: A noninvasive scanning technique that enables the visualization of the shape, size, and consistency of the liver after the IV injection of a radioactive compound. (taken up by liver's Kupffer cells)

Lung scan: The visual imagining of the distribution of ventilation or blood flow in the lungs by scanning the lungs after th epatient has been injected with or has inhaled radioactive material. 

Spleen scan: a noninvasive scanning technique that enables teh visualization of the shape, size and consistency of the spleen after the IV injection of radioactive red blood cells. 

Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography

(SPECT)

SPECT is a nuclear imaging procedure that shows how blood flows to tissues and organs. 

It uses computed tomography and a radioactive material that can be detected by a gamma camera. 

The radiopharmaceutical substance is injected into the patient before the SPECT scan. The gamma camera rotates around the patient's body, and the image is transmitted from the camera to a computer screen for interpretation. 

A variation of computerized tomography (CT) scanning in which gamma camera deterctors rotate around the patient's body, collecting data. The data summarized into a three-dimensional representation. 

An X-ray technique used to construct a detailed cross section, at a predetermined depth, of a tissue structure. 

Useful for identifying space-occupying lesions 

Ultrasonography

(ultrasound)

(sonogram)

This is a procedure in which sound waves are transmitted into the body structure as a small transducer is passed over the patient's skin. 

Types: abdominal, obstetrical, pelvic, renal, thyroid echogram ultrasound 

The filming with a movie camera of the images that appear on a fluorescent screen, especially those images of body structures that have been injected with a nontoxic radiopaque medium for diagnostic purposes; 

also called cinefluorography. 

Computed Tomography

(CT)

An electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength emitted by the nucleus of an atom during a nuclear reaction.

Also called gamma radiation. 

Abbreviation for radiation absorbed dose; 

the basic unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation. 

An allied health professional trained to use X-ray machines and other imaging equipment to produce images of the internal structures of teh body; 

also known as a radiologic technologist. 

The study of the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of X-rays; 

also known as roentgenology. 

Radionuclide 

(radioisotope)