Radiology Words to Know

Health professionals seem to have a language all their own. To increase your understanding, here are some common radiology terms.

Anterior & Posterior: front & back

Artifact: something artificial that may appear on an image that is not a part of the body

Barium: a chalky liquid some patients drink to coat the inside of the organs so that they will show up on an X-ray

Baseline: initial images that can be used for comparison later

Biopsy: the removal of tissue for diagnostic examination

Densitometry: a method for imaging thickness or mass

Gantry: the frame of a CT with a large opening for the patient

Hematuria: blood in urine

Hypertension: high arterial blood pressure

Interventional Radiologist: a radiologist who uses images as guides in performing procedures

IVP: a special radiologic exam of the urinary tract

Micro & Macro: small & large

Myelogram: imaging to evaluate abnormalities of the spinal cord

Nuclear Medicine: radiology procedures that use very small amounts of radioactive substances to examine organ function and structure

Oblique: diagonal

Radiologist: a physician who uses radiologic images of organs, bones and body structures for diagnosis

Radiopharmaceutical: a material used in nuclear imaging to highlight a system or structure

Supine & Prone: laying face up & laying face down

Technologist: a medical professional who is specially trained in using diagnostic imaging equipment