click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Lesson 14-Vocab
Diagnostic Procedures
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| acupuncture | a traditional Chinese medical practice using very thin acupuncture needles inserted into specific points of the body to restore the flow of qi. |
| albuminuria | the presence of the protein albumin in the urine. |
| alternative medicine | a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used in place of these treatments. |
| arthrocentesis | a surgical puncture of the joint space to remove synovial fluid for analysis to determine the cause of pain or swelling in a joint. |
| auscultation | listening for sounds within the body and is usually performed through a stethoscope. |
| bacteriuria | the presence of bacteria in the urine. |
| basic metabolic panel | (BMP, or Profile 8) is a group of eight specific blood tests that provide important information about the current status of the patient’s kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, and calcium levels. |
| biofeedback | a patient-guided treatment that teaches individuals to control muscle tension, pain, body temperature, brain waves, and other bodily functions through relaxation, visualization, and other cognitive control techniques. |
| bruit | an abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery. |
| calciuria | the presence of calcium in the urine. |
| complementary medicine | a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used to supplement these treatments. |
| complete blood count | (CBC) is a series of tests performed as a group to evaluate several blood conditions. |
| computed tomography | (CT), sometimes referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a scan that uses a thin, fan-shaped x-ray beam that rotates around the patient to produce multiple cross-sectional views of the body. |
| craniosacral therapy | the use of gentle touch to help the body release tension, stress, and trauma to correct restrictions resulting from stress on the central nervous system. |
| creatinuria | an increased concentration of creatinine in the urine. |
| echocardiography | an ultrasonic diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the structures and motion of the heart. |
| endoscope | a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end. |
| fluoroscopy | the visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen. |
| glycosuria | the presence of glucose in the urine |
| guided imagery | or visualization, is a type of treatment in which a patient follows verbal prompts to envision a specific, peaceful location in detail, distancing him- or herself from any pain or stress the patient is currently experiencing. |
| hematocrit | (Hct) describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells. |
| hematuria | the presence of blood in the urine. |
| homeopathy | involves the use of substances created from plant or mineral products diluted a thousand-fold in water or alcohol to treat symptoms and diseases. |
| hyperthermia | an extremely high body temperature, usually caused by prolonged exposure to environmental heat. |
| hypothermia | an abnormally low body temperature. |
| integrative medicine | a model of health care based on both allopathic and alternative medicine. |
| interventional radiology | the use of radiographic imaging to guide a procedure such as a biopsy. |
| ketonuria | the presence of ketones in the urine. |
| laparoscopy | the visual examination of the interior of the abdomen with the use of a laparoscope that is passed through a small incision in the abdominal wall. |
| lithotomy position | the patient is lying on the back, face up, with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups. |
| magnetic resonance imaging | (MRI) uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer and converted into images of any plane through the body. |
| mindfulness meditation | focuses on becoming aware of thoughts and emotions and their physiological responses, as well as accepting them and maintaining a calm, constant awareness. |
| naturopathy | also known as naturopathic medicine, is a combination of nutrition, medicinal supplements and herbs, water therapy, homeopathy, and lifestyle modifications used to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms and diseases. |
| neuromuscular therapy | (NMT) is a form of massage that uses soft-tissue manipulation focusing on applying pressure to trigger points to treat injuries and alleviate pain. |
| nuclear imaging | the use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes. |
| ophthalmoscope | an instrument used to examine the interior of the eye. |
| otoscope | an instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane. |
| percussion | a diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers. |
| perfusion | the flow of blood through an organ |
| pericardiocentesis | the puncture of the pericardial sac for the purpose of removing fluid. |
| phlebotomy | also known as venipuncture, is the puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood. |
| positron emission tomography | (PET), also known as PET imaging, combines computed tomography with radionuclide tracers, usually inserted into a vein, to produce enhanced images of selected body organs or areas. |
| prone position | the patient is lying on the abdomen face down. |
| proteinuria | the presence of an abnormal amount of protein in the urine. |
| pyuria | the presence of pus in the urine. |
| radiolucent | the substance, such as air or nitrogen gas, allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film. |
| radiopaque | the substance does not allow x-rays to pass through and appears white or light gray on the resulting film. |
| rales | also known as crackles, are abnormal crackle-like lung sounds heard through a stethoscope during inspiration (breathing in). |
| recumbent | any position in which the patient is lying down. |
| rhonchi | coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring. These sounds are usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways (singular, rhonchus). |
| Sims’ position | the patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the back. |
| single photon emission computed tomography | (SPECT) is a type of nuclear imaging test that produces 3D computer-reconstructed images showing perfusion through tissues and organs. |
| speculum | an instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity, especially the vagina, to facilitate inspection of its interior. |
| sphygmomanometer | blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. This force is measured using a sphygmomanometer. |
| stethoscope | an instrument used to listen to sounds within the body. |
| stridor | an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box). |
| transesophageal echocardiography | (TEE) is an ultrasonic imaging technique used to evaluate heart structures. |
| ultrasonography | commonly referred to as ultrasound or diagnostic ultrasound, is imaging of deep body structures by recording the echoes of sound wave pulses that are above the range of human hearing. |
| urinalysis | the examination of the physical and chemical properties of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements. |