scintigraphy
[sin-tig´rah-fe] production of two-dimensional images of the distribution of radioactivity in tissues after internal administration of a
radiopharmaceutical imaging agent, the images being obtained by a scintillation camera. adj.,
adj scintigraph´ic.
exercise thallium scintigraphy myocardial perfusion using thallium 201 as a tracer and performed in conjunction with an exercise stress test.
gastroesophageal scintigraphy scintigraphy of the esophagus and stomach. A radioisotope is introduced into the stomach and scintillation measurements are taken over both the esophagus and the stomach; usually used to determine the degree of
gastroesophageal reflux.
gated blood pool scintigraphy equilibrium radionuclide scintigraphy.
infarct avid scintigraphy that performed following myocardial infarction to confirm infarction as well as detect, localize, and quantify regions of myocardial necrosis. A radiotracer that concentrates in these regions, usually technetium 99mTc pyrophosphate, is administered intravenously and images are obtained with a gamma camera. For maximal sensitivity, the study is performed between 24 and 72 hours after infarction.
myocardial perfusion scintigraphy that performed using a radiotracer that traverses the myocardial capillary system and enters myocardial cells; after the radionuclide, usually thallium 201, is introduced into the bloodstream, regional myocardial blood flow and cell viability are assessed using immediate and delayed images. Scintigraphy is frequently combined with an exercise stress test (see
exercise testing) in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.