#radiology

• Acro-osteolysis — A destructive pathological process characterized by the progressive bone resorption, decalcification, or dissolution of the terminal (distal) phalanges of the fingers and toes. This severe skeletal structural phenomenon can be congenital or acquired, observed on X-rays as a shortening or disappearance of the phalangeal tufts, and is encountered as a major symptom in systemic sclerosis, secondary hyperparathyroidism, occupational chronic exposure to vinyl chloride, or rare genetic syndromes (such as Hajdu-Cheney syndrome).
• Actinogenic — Producing, generating, or emitting rays or radiation, particularly within the luminous, ultraviolet, or x-ray spectrum. In applied physics and chemistry, the term describes substances, devices, or phenomena capable of acting as structural sources of radiant energy, possessing the property to trigger photochemical reactions or molecular transformations in the surrounding environment via the emitted flux.
• Actinogenic — Producing, generating, or emitting rays or radiation, particularly within the luminous, ultraviolet, or x-ray spectrum. In applied physics and chemistry, the term describes substances, devices, or phenomena capable of acting as structural sources of radiant energy, possessing the property to trigger photochemical reactions or molecular transformations in the surrounding environment via the emitted flux.
• Actinogenesis — A physical process, natural or artificial, through which rays or radiations are generated, produced, and emitted, particularly within the short-wave electromagnetic spectrum, such as ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, or gamma rays. This structural phenomenon constitutes a subject of study in nuclear physics and radiology, being essential for understanding the emission mechanisms of radiant sources, celestial bodies, or technological devices used in industrial medical imaging.
• Actinotherapy — A therapeutic method and branch of medical radiology that utilizes for curative purposes the physicochemical properties of luminous, ultraviolet, infrared, or X-ray and gamma radiations emitted by radioactive bodies. This structural clinical procedure is applied in dermatology, oncology, and medical rehabilitation to destroy pathological tissues or stimulate cellular regeneration.
• Adenography — An imaging method or radiological investigation technique that allows the structural visualization and detailed examination of the glandular system or lymph nodes. This medical procedure is typically performed by introducing a radiopaque contrast medium into the efferent lymphatic vessels, followed by taking successive X-rays to detect abnormalities such as tumors, structural blockages, or chronic inflammation.
• Aerocystography — A radiological method for investigating the urinary bladder consisting of performing radiographs after the bladder cavity has been distended by insufflating a controlled amount of air or another sterile gas. This imaging examination highlights the contour of the bladder walls, detecting radiolucent tumors, calculi, or diverticula, functioning as a negative contrast medium.
• Aeromammography — A historical radiological method or experimental imaging technique for examining the mammary gland, consisting of performing radiographs after the controlled introduction or insufflation of air or another sterile gas as a negative contrast medium into the periglandular tissues or milk ducts, used to highlight tumors before the advent of modern digital mammography.
• Aerosialography — A radiological method of clinical investigation consisting of the examination of salivary glands and their excretory ducts by controlled injection of a small volume of air or gas as a negative contrast medium, followed by successive radiographs. This structural procedure enables the visualization of anatomical shapes, non-stereotypical salivary stones, or potential obstructions without using liquid iodinated substances.
• Amidotrizoate — An iodinated organic compound with an aromatic structure, clinically used as a water-soluble, high-osmolality radiological contrast agent, also known as diatrizoate. Due to the high number of iodine atoms in its molecule, it strongly absorbs X-rays, facilitating clear structural visualization of blood vessels, the urinary tract (urography), and the gastrointestinal system during diagnostic imaging investigations.
• Amniography — A specialized clinical or historical radiological method of examining the uterine cavity and the fetus, consisting of injecting a radiopaque contrast medium directly into the amniotic fluid, followed by X-rays. It was used to delineate fetal contours, locate the placenta, or detect macroscopic malformations prior to the widespread use of modern ultrasound.
• Angio — A shortened form used colloquially in clinical environments for angiography or angio-MRI / angio-CT, or a primary scientific combining element indicating a direct link to blood vessels (arteries, veins) or lymphatic vessels. As an independent lexical entity in medical jargon, it denotes the high-resolution imaging investigation capable of structurally visualizing the lumen and circulatory flow of the vascular system.
• Angiocardiograph — A high-performance medical device used in radiology and interventional cardiology for the visualization and structural recording of images of the heart cavities and great blood vessels. This complex apparatus integrates advanced X-ray or digital fluoroscopy scanning systems, allowing real-time capturing of the transit of an injected contrast medium, making it essential for diagnosing stenoses and cardiac malformations.
• Angiiopardiopneumography — A highly specialized radiological imaging investigation method that allows the structural visualization and recording, using a contrast medium, of the cardiac cavities, great vessels, and the entire pulmonary vascular network. This complex clinical procedure is utilized for the detailed evaluation of cardiopulmonary hemodynamics and the precise diagnosis of severe conditions such as massive pulmonary thromboembolism or complex congenital vascular malformations.
• Angioencephalography — A radiological imaging investigation method consisting of the visualization and structural recording of the cerebral vascular system, by injecting a radiopaque contrast medium into the carotid or vertebral arteries. This complex clinical procedure is essential in neurology and neurosurgery for detecting intracranial aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and vascular occlusion zones responsible for strokes.
• Angiofluoroscopy — A radiological imaging investigation method that allows the dynamic, real-time visualization on a fluorescent or digital screen of bloodstream flow and vessel structure following the injection of a contrast medium. This clinical structural procedure is widely used in interventional radiology and cardiovascular surgery for guiding catheters, placing stents, and immediately monitoring vascular lumen patency during operations.
• Angiographic — Relating to angiography, belonging to angiography, or performed through the radiological visualization of blood vessels with a contrast medium. In a clinical and structural context, this descriptor defines images, protocols, diagnostic signs, or interventional procedures based on the detailed rendering of anatomy and circulatory dynamics within the vascular lumen.
• Angiography — A radiological, invasive or minimally invasive imaging investigation method used for the visualization and structural recording of the lumen of blood vessels (arteries, veins) or lymphatic vessels, through the injection of a radiopaque contrast medium. This well-defined clinical procedure allows the precise detection of stenoses, occlusions, aneurysms, or vascular malformations, while also constituting the technical basis for interventional radiology procedures.
• Angioplasty — A minimally invasive surgical intervention within interventional radiology and cardiology, used for the widening, restoration, or structural reconstruction of the lumen of a narrowed or occluded blood vessel. The procedure is well-defined by introducing a catheter equipped with an inflatable balloon at its tip, which is inflated at the stenosis level to dilate the vascular wall, frequently accompanied by the permanent placement of a metallic stent to maintain circulatory patency.
• Angiotomy — A specialized surgical intervention consisting of the incision, cutting, or operative opening of the wall of a blood vessel (artery or vein). This well-defined structural procedure is utilized as an essential initial step in interventional radiology and vascular surgery to allow the introduction of catheters, the extraction of thrombi (thrombectomy), or the direct exploration of an obstructed circulatory lumen.