-
the identification of a disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs, symptoms, history, test and procedures
diagnosis
-
"WNL" is an abbreviation for what?
within normal limits
-
the predicted outcome of a disease
prognosis
-
having a short and relatively severe course
acute
-
the disease exists over a long period of time
chronic
-
objective or definitive, evidence of an illness or diordered function that are perceived by an examiner such as fever, a rash, or evidence established by radiologic or lab testing
signs
-
subjective evidence as perceived by the patient such as pain
symptoms
-
rhythmic expansion of an artery that occurs as the heart beat, may be felt with a finger
pulse
-
the number of pulse beats per minute
pulse rate
-
the number of breaths per minute... rise and fall of the patient's chest is observed while counting the number of breaths and noting the ease with which breathing is accomplished
respiration rate
-
instruments used to measure temperature
thermometor
-
has a specifically designed probe tip at the external opening of the ear canal
tympanic thermometer
-
the pressure exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the walls of the arteries and veins and the chambers of the heart
blood pressure
-
higher reading (normal reading is 120) due to ventricular contraction
systolic pressure
-
lower reading (normal reading is 80), occurs when the ventricles relax
diastolic pressure
-
what are the 4 impt technizes useful for physical examination?
- 1. inspection: the examiner uses the eyes and ears to observe and listen to the patient
- 2. palpation: the examiner feels the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts with the hands
- 3. percussion: the examiner taps the body with the fingertips or fist to evaluate the size, border and consistency of internal organs and to determine the amount of fluid in a body cavity
- 4. auscultation: the examiner listens for sounds within the body to evaluate the heart, blood vessels, lungs, intestines or other organs, or to detect the fetal heart sound (performed most commonly with a stethoscope)
-
was the predominant means of diagnostic imaging for many years, with x-rays providing fil images of internal structures
radiography
-
substances that don't permit the passage of x-rays
radiopaque
-
describes substances that readily permit the passage of x-rays
radiolucent
-
uses ionizing radiation to produce a detailed image of a cross section of tissue, similar to what i would see if the body or body part were actually cut into sections
- computed tomography (CT)
- formerly known as computed axial tomography (CAT)
-
image produced from a computed tomography (CT)
tomogram
-
non-invasive technique for visualizing internal structures that creates images based on the magnetic properties of chemical elements with the body and uses a powerful magnetic field and radiowave pulses rather than ionizing radiation such as x-rays; produces superior soft-tissue resolution for distinguishing adjacent structures
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
-
the process of imaging deep structure sof the body by sending and receiving high-frequency sound waves tha tare reflected back as echoes from tissue interfaces; very safe because non invasive and doesn't use ionizing radiation; many medical applications including imaging of the fetus
sonography
-
method of viewing the x-ray image directly in real time so that motion can be seen and radiography provides a permanent record of the image at a particular point in time
fluoroscopy
-
administered to a patient orally, into a vein or by having the patient breathe the material in vapor form; for nuclear scans
radio pharmaceuticals
-
combines tomography and radioactive substances to produce enhanced images of selected body structures, especially the heart, blood vessels and the brain; radioactive materials using this method are very short lived so patients are exposed to very small amounts of radiation
positron emission tomography (PET)
-
the treatment of tumors using radiation to destroy cancer cells; may be applied by directing a beam of radiation toward the tumor with a machine that delivers radiation doses many times higher in intensity than those that are used for diagnosis or the radiation may be introduced throguh the bloodstream or surgically implanted
- radiotherapy
- aka radiation oncology
-
treatment of disease using chemical agents
chemotherapy
-
|
|
