scintillation scanning


scanning

 [skan´ing] 1. close visual examination of a small area or of different isolated areas.2. any of several diagnostic radiologic techniques, including tomography" >computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and tomography" >positron emission tomography.3. a manner of utterance characterized by somewhat regularly recurring pauses.brain scanning see brain scanning.MUGA scanning (multiple gated acquisition scanning) equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography.radioisotope scanning production of a two-dimensional record or image of the gamma rays emitted by a radioactive isotope concentrated in a specific organ or tissue of the body, as brain, kidney, or thyroid gland.scintillation scanning the process resulting in a scintiscan.thallium scanning production of a scintillation scan involving the use of thallium 201; see also thallium scan.total body scanning use of tomography" >computed tomography to examine a cross section of the entire body. The scanner produces an image of tissue density in a complete cross section of the part of the body being scanned. Total body scanning does not require the injection of a radiopaque substance, nor is there a need for use of a radioactive material to produce a record of the findings. The total body scanner is particularly useful in visualizing organs in the retroperitoneal space, for example, the pancreas, liver, spleen, and ovaries, and the abdominal section of the aorta.