Selected conditions or diseases chosen for appraisal in programs which seek to assess the quality of medical care because it is believed that the quality of care given for the tracers is typical or representative of the quality of care given generally or to all diseases.
A substance, often a radioactive one, injected into a substance in the body, so that doctors can follow its passage round the body.
In radiology, radioactive isotope introduced into& body to allow biological structures to be seen as part of diagnostic X-ray techniques.
A substance used to mark and indicate the course of a chemical or biological process inside the body. A radioactive tracer refers to an element (called a radioisotope) that has the same atomic number as another with a different atomic weight. Radioisotopes exhibit spontaneous decomposition, which gives off radiation in the form of gamma rays. These rays can be detected with special instruments. Radioactive tracers are attached to biological compounds and injected into the body, where an image of their path can be produced.
A substance that is introduced into the body and whose progress can subsequently be followed so that information is gained about metabolic processes. Radioactive tracers, giving off radiation that can be detected on a scintigram or with a gamma camera, are used for a variety of purposes, such as the investigation of thyroid disease or possible brain tumors.
A compound introduced into the body, the progress of which can subsequently be followed and information obtained about the body’s metabolic activities. Radioactive tracers are compounds labelled with radionuclide which give off radiation. This can be measured with a gamma camera or a scintigram. The information is used in the investigation of suspected tumours in the brain or malfunctioning of the thyroid gland.
A radioactive isotope, capable of being incorporated into compounds, that when introduced into the body “tags” a specific portion of the molecule so that its course may be traced. This is used in absorption and excretion studies, in identification of intermediary products of metabolism, and in determination of distribution of various substances in the body. Radioactive carbon (UC), calcium (42Ca), and iodine (131I) are examples of tracers commonly used.
A compound comprising a radioisotope is introduced into the organism and subsequently monitored to acquire insights into diverse physiological functions within the body.
A radioactive substance is administered into the body to track its distribution, processing, and subsequent elimination.
A radioactive form of an element that, due to its distinctive physical characteristics, can be identified in very small amounts. This makes it useful for tracking the chemical actions of the element’s non-radioactive form. This application of isotopes is known as a tracer study, with the radioactive isotope serving as the tracer.