Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Interbody cage
A hollow, tube-shaped device placed between adjacent vertebral bodies in spinal fusion surgeries to improve or enhance bony fusion (“arthrodesis”). The cage is filled with either a bone graft or with bone graft substitutes.
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Photoelectric interaction
The interaction between x-rays and matter that completely absorbs the incoming photon. In radiology, photoelectric absorption is the cause of image contrast as well as increasing patient exposure.
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Dielectric interaction
A term used to quantitate the electrical polarity or dipole moment of a molecule.
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Intent
A state of mind that reflects one’s aims, goals, or objectives. Intent is the key element of and basis for lawsuits brought against plaintiffs in a court of law.
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Intensivist
A medical professional who specializes in the care of patients in intensive care units, e.g., patients with acute respiratory failure, heart failure, kidney failure, liver failure, sepsis, bleeding, and other severe illnesses.
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Intensity modulated radiation therapy
A form of radiation therapy in which tumors are localized three dimensionally and then treated with small beams of radiation adjusted for the tumor’s size, unique shape, and location. This-therapy is used to treat 1. tumors that have been previously treated with external beam radiotherapy, 2. tumors for which external beam radiation is also planned,…
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Temporal average intensity
The amount of therapeutic ultrasonic energy delivered to tissues over a given time. The temporal average intensity is calculated by multiplying the spatial average intensity by the percent duty cycle (e.g., 20 w/cm2 X 50% duty cycle = 1 w/cm2 TAI). The temporal average intensity is meaningful only during the application of pulsed ultrasound.
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Spatial average intensity
The measure of power per unit area of ultrasound application, expressed in watts per square centimeter (w/cm2). The spatial average intensity is calculated by dividing the ultrasonic output, expressed in watts, by the effective radiating area of the sound head (e.g., 20 wattts /10 cm2 sound head = 2.0 w/cm2 SAI)
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Signal intensity
The relative brilliance of a radiographic image, radioactive tracer, or biological marker.
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Intein
An internal sequence or segment of a protein that may be spliced out of the larger molecule after it is translated, leaving the remaining segments (the “exteins”) to rejoin and form a new protein.
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