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Abscess
- A localized collection of pus in any part of the
body, usually surrounded by inflamed tissue.
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- Anesthetic
- An agent that causes loss of sensation with or
without the loss of consciousness.
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- Angiography,
Angiogram
- Technique that shows up blood vessels on an X-ray.
It is done by injecting X-ray dye (contrast) into the blood vessel.
An angiogram is a picture of one or more blood vessels which are
filled with X-ray dye. Angiography usually refers to arteries; venography
is the study of veins using X-ray dye.
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- Arteriogram
- An X-ray of an artery after the injection of dye.
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- Aspirate,
aspiration
- Withdrawal of a fluid from the body by suction,
usually though a needle or syringe.
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- Arthrography,
Arthrogram
- The visualization of a joint by X-ray after the
injection of dye into the joint.
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- Barium
- This is a chalky liquid which outlines various
parts of the digestive tract on an X-ray. It can be drunk in flavored
form to study the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. It can
be used as an enema to study the large bowel. It is inert and is
not absorbed by the body.
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- Biopsy
- The removal and examination of a piece of tissue
taken the body for diagnostic purposes.
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- Capitation
- A payment mechanism in which a provider is paid,
in advance, a set fee for medical services regardless of the amount
or intensity of medical services rendered to a patient.
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- Colon
- The large intestine.
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- Computerized
tomography
- Also known as CT scans or CAT scans (for Computer
Assisted Tomography). This technique uses X-rays to generate computerized
images (pictures) of all parts of the body. The technique can create
pictures in 2D and 3D.
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- Conscious
sedation
- Intravenous medication used to help relax you
during a procedure, without putting you to sleep. Usually associated
with procedures which are anxiety-producing for the patient.
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- Contrast
or contrast media
- A radiopaque substance used during an X-ray exam
(or some MRI exams) to provide visual contrast in the pictures of
different tissues and organs. Can be given orally or intravenously
(by injection).
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- Coronary
angiography
- This is a study of the blood vessels which supply
the muscle of the heart (coronary arteries). By threading a long
narrow flexible catheter through an accessible blood vessel (usually
in the groin or arm), the individual coronary arteries are injected
with a small quantity of X-ray dye, which helps radiologists look
for blockages (stenoses). Cardiac catheterization refers
to the technique of performing coronary angiography, whereby catheters
are threaded into the heart and coronary arteries.
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- Cyst
- A sac or vesicle in the body.
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- Diagnosis-related
groups (DRG)
- A federal system of classification of diseases
into groups. This is used by Medicare Part A under the prospective
payment system to determine the payment to hospitals for inpatient
services.
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- Doppler
- An ultrasound method of examining blood vessels.
No X-rays are involved.
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- Dye
(contrast)
- A radiopaque substance used during an X-ray exam
to provide contrast in the different tissues and organs. "Dye"
usually refers to the contrast media given intravenously.
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- Echocardiography
- A painless study using ultrasonic waves to visualize
structural and functional abnormalities of the heart.
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- Faculty
- Staff physicians with academic appointment at
a medical school. The Beth Israel Deaconess appointments are with
Harvard Medical School.
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- Fallopian
tube
- A pair of slender ducts through which ova pass
from the ovaries to the uterus in the female reproductive system
of humans and higher mammals.
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- Fee-for-service
(FFS)
- A payment mechanism in which a provider is paid
for each service rendered to a patient.
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- Fellow
- A fully-liscensed physician seeking additional
specialized training.
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- Gatekeeper
- A primary care provider who coordinates the utilization
and delivery of medical services.
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- Gallbladder
series
- A series of X-rays of the gallbladder, taken after
the gallbladder has been outlined with a special X-ray dye. The
dye is taken by mouth the night prior to the study.
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- Gamma
camera
- See Nuclear medicine, below.
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- Health
maintenance organization (HMO)
- A type of managed care plan in which the patient
must receive all medical services from within the plan's staff of
employed providers or network of participating providers.
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- Histologic
- Pertaining to the study of microscopic structures
of tissue.
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- Infuse
- To introduce a solution into the body through
a vein.
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- Intern
- A physician in the first year of training.
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- I.V.
- Intravenous. Literally, means through a vein.
"An IV" (pronounced "eye-vee") often refers
to a particular kind of injection apparatus: a bottle of fluid is
held up on a small pole, and gravity causes the fluid to flow down
through a flexible tube, through a needle, and into the patient's
vein.
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- Magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI)
- This technique uses radio waves and a strong magnetic
field to generate images of the body in 2D and 3D.
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- Mammography,
Mammogram
- A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It is used
to detect breast cancer and other abnormalities of the breast.
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- Managed
care organization
- A health insurance plan relying on a gatekeeper
to coordinate the utilization and delivery of medical services.
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- Medicaid
- Social Security Act of 1935, provides a contribution
of federal funds for a state health insurance plan for persons with
limited income
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- Medicare
- Under the Social Security Act of 1935, this is
a federal health insurance plan for elderly people (over the age
65) and qualified disabled people.
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- Millirad
- A unit of measuring radiation dose equal to one
thousandth of a RAD.
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- Myelogram
- An X-ray of the spinal cord after the injection
of a radiopaque substance into the subarachnoid space.
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- NSAID
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, such as
aspirin, Motrin, Indocin, and other pain-killers. These are distinct
from cortisone, which is an antinflammatory steroid.
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- Nuclear
medicine
- Dozens of different examinations are performed
in the Nuclear Medicine Department. The patient gets an intravenous
injection of a minute trace of radioactive material which attaches
to a certain type of molecule. The type of radioactive tracer and
the type of molecule vary, depending on which part of the body is
to be examined. Scans are obtained with a gamma camera,
which unlike some other radiology devices does not itself emit radiation.
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- Out-of-network
- Providers who do not participate in the network
of a managed care plan.
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- Participating
provider
- A provider who contracts with a health insurance
plan to provide medical services.
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- Preferred
provider organization (PPO)
- A type of managed care plan in which the patient
may receive medical services from the plan's network of participating
providers, or may receive medical services from out-of-network providers.
In the latter case, the patient may be responsible for a larger
share of the bill.
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- Primary
care provider (PCP)
- A provider, often a general practitioner, familty
practitioner, or internist, responsible for the coordination and
general medical care of a patient.
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- Provider
- A hospital or health care facility, or a physician,
nurse, physical therapist or other individual involved in providing
medical care services to patients.
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- Pyelogram,
IV Urogram, IVP
- An X-ray of the pelvis, showing the kidney and
associated structures, after injection of a radiopaque dye.
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- RAD
- An acronym for Radiation Absorbed Dose. A unit
which measures radiation in terms of the absorbed dose. For radiologic
proceedures it is equivalent to the REM (see below), and the two
units are used interchangeably.
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- Radiation
Therapy
- Here, large doses of X-rays are used to treat
cancer by killing cancer cells. This treatment is not usually
part of a radiology department, and treatment is given by physicians
who are specialized in this field (radiation oncologists).
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- Radiologic
technologist
- A person trained in the technique of producing
an image with the use of X-rays.
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- Radiologist
- A physician who interprets X-ray images to diagnose
disease. In addition to interpreting the original kinds of X-ray
films, today's radiologists use a variety of other modalities such
as MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine.
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- Radiology
- In general, "radiology" refers to medical
imaging techniques, employing advanced computers and other complex
equipment, that allow doctors to see inside a patient's body. Although
the word "radiology" implies radiation, not all of the
techniques actually use radiation. And although radiology is most
commonly used for diagnosis, sometimes it's used therapeutically
-- that is, for treatment. (By the way, the "radiation therapy"
that some cancer patients get does not fall within the
Beth Israel Deaconess Radiology Department, which uses much smaller
amounts of radiation than that.)
Most of the actual imaging is carried out by
highly trained people called "technologists." The images
of the inside of the body that the technologist generates might
be pieces of film, such as X-rays, or they might be computer pictures
that are viewed on a monitor. The pictures are then analyzed by
specially trained doctors called "radiologists."
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- Radiopaque
- Anything that does not allow the penetration of
X-rays.
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- REM
- An acronym for Roentgen Equivalent Man. A unit
which measures radiation in terms of the energy involved (the same
as RAD), weighted by a factor related to the type of radiation.
For the types of radiation used in radiologic procedures this factor
is equal to one, so the REM is equivalent to the RAD.
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- Roentgen,
Wilhelm Conrad
- Scientist who discovered X-rays in 1895. Received
Nobel prize in 1901.
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- Scan
- Term used to describe the computerized images
(pictures) generated by CT, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine
studies. These might be referred to as a "CT scan," "MR
scan," "thyroid scan," "bone scan," and
so forth.
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- SPECT
- An acronym for Single Photon Emission Computed
Tomography. A nuclear medicine procedure in which the gamma camera
rotates around the patient and takes pictures from many angles,
which a computer then uses to form a tomographic (cross-sectional)
image. The calculation process is similar to that in X-ray Computed
Tomography (CT) and in Positron Emission computed Tomography (PET).
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- Stereotactic
- The technique of viewing objects from two slightly
different angles to give a perception of depth.
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- Titration,
titrate
- Adusting the concentration of a solution (such
as an injectable drug) so that the smallest possible amount (or
lowest concentration) of the active ingredient is used that will
achieve the desired effect.
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- Transducer
- An instrument which converts electrical energy
into mechanical energy. Also acts as a transmitter and receiver
of ultrasound information.
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- Ultrasound
- This technique uses sound waves to make pictures
of the body organs. Since no ionizing radiation (X-rays) are used,
it is ideal for looking at pregnant women and their fetuses, but
also has many other uses. It is often used for the neck, abdomen,
pelvis, and soft tissues including blood vessels in the arms and
legs.
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- Upper
GI Series
- An X-ray exam of the upper part of the digestive
tract.
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- Vascular
- Referring to a person's system of blood vessels:
arteries, veins, and capillaries.
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