Glossary

Radiology: The branch of the health sciences dealing with radioactive substances and radiant energy and with the diagnosis and treatment of disease by means of both ionizing (e.g., x-rays) and nonionizing (e.g., ultrasound) radiation.

Radioisotope: An isotope, which is radioactive; one having an unstable nucleus and emitting characteristic radiation during its decay to a stable form. Radioisotopes have important diagnostic and therapeutic uses in clinical medicine and research.

Radioactivity: The quality of emitting or the emission of corpuscular or electromagnetic radiations consequent to nuclear disintegration, a natural property of all chemical elements of atomic number above 83, and possible of induction in all other known elements.

Half-life: The time required for the decay of half of a sample of particles of a radionuclide or elementary particle.

Biological half-life: The time required for a living tissue, organ, or organism to eliminate one half of a radioactive substance, which has been introduced into it.

Radiation: Energy transmitted by waves through space or through some medium; usually referring to electromagnetic radiation when used without a modifier

Gamma camera: A scanner that detects the movement of a radiopharmaceutical, emitting gamma radiation during it’s movement through the human body.

Radiopharmaceutical: a radioactive pharmaceutical, nuclide, or other chemical used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.