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