B - Glossary of Terms

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B - Glossary of Terms

Back scatter radiation	X-rays that have interacted with an object and are deflected backward. This increases the objects radiation exposure and fogs the film.
Backup timer	A phototimer that controls the maximum exposure in a radiographic tube.
Ball and socket joint	freely movable type of synovial joint eg the shoulder or hip joint.
Balloon angioplasty	an imaging procedure in which a balloon-tipped catheter is guided into an artery and advanced to a blockage or narrowing in a blood vessel. The balloon is then inflated to open the vessel, deflated and removed.
Bandpass	Th number of times per second that the electron beam can be modulated.
Barium (Ba)	(ba-re-um) A metallic, alkaline, earth element; BA, atomic no. 56, atomic wt. 137.327. Barium sulphate (BASO4) is a heavy, white, insoluble compound and is used as a contrast medium in radiography because of its high radiopacity.
Barium enema	The use of radiopaque barium contrast in a radiographic examination to image the colon, and define the anatomy of the large bowel and rectum.
Barium sulphate	(ba-re-um) (BASO4) is a heavy, white, insoluble compound and is used as a contrast medium in radiography because of its high radiopacity.
Barrier	Protective shields of radiation absorbing material. The thickness of the material depends on its absorbing qualities, the source of radiation and distance from source to protection area. A commonly used material is lead.
Basal cells	The stem cells that mature as they migrate to the surface of the epidermis.
Basal ganglia	A group of deeply seated interconnected neurons, including the caudate, the globus pallidus, and the putamen.
Basal nucleus	(ba´sal noo´kle-us) a mass of nerve cell bodies located deep within a cerebral hemisphere of the brain; also called basal ganglion.
Base	Area that serves as a mechanical support for the active phosphor layer in a radiographic intensifying screen: Used to hold the emulsion layer of radiographic film.
Base density	The optical denisty inherent in the base of the film.
Base Plus Fog	The density of the film which has received no exposure and has been processed normally. The actual density is due to the film base opacity and any inherent fog due to age, storage conditions or processing.
Baseline	Initial.
Baseline mammography	A womans first radiographic examination of her breasts, used for comparision with all future mammograms.
Base plus fog (B+G)	The average density from an unexposed area of the strips.
Basilar artery	the artery that originates from the junction of the two (Left & Right) vertebral arteries and runs along the dorsal clivus (base of the skull), anterior to the brainstem, before dividing in a terminal bifurcation into the two posterior cerebral arteries.
Battery cell	Each zinc-copper plate formation in a voltaic pile.
Basion	(ba'se-on) Centre of anterior margin of foramen magnum
Beam angle	The angle between the central axis of the radiation beam and the plane of the radiographic film.
Beam axis	The central line representing maximal ultrasound or X-ray intensity.
Beam divergence	The angle of the beam of radiation as it emerges from the X-ray tube or gamma ray source.
Beam limiting device	A device that provides a means of restricting the size of an X-ray field.
Beam penetrabiltiy	The ability of an X-ray beam to penetrate tissue.
Beam restrictor	A device that restricts the size of the X-ray field to only the anatomic structures of interest.
Becquerel (Bq)	Special name for the SI units of radioactivity. One becquerel is equal to disintegration per second.
Belly	The thickest circumference of a skeletal muscle.
Bence Jones protein	Abnormal substance typically found in the blood of patients with multiple myeloma
Benign	(be-nin) Not malignant.
Beta particle (B particle)	Ionising radiation with characteristics of an electron, emitted from the nucleus of a radioactive atom.
Bi	(bi) Prefix signifying two or twice, eg bilateral is both sides.
Bifid	Latin bis = double, and findo = to split
Bifurcate	(bi´fur-k-ate) Forked; divided into two branches.
Bifurcation	(bifur-ka-shun) Division into two branches; point of division.
Bilateral	(bilat'er-al) Two sided; pertaining to two sides
Bile	A liver secretion that is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder and released through the common bile duct into the duodenum. It is essential for the absorption of fats.
Bile ducts	Tubular structures in the liver that carry bile, a greenish-yellow fluid secreted by the liver, to aid in the digestion of fat and transport waste out of the liver.
Biliary tract	Also called the biliary system .Includes the gallbladder and tubular structures called ducts that course through the liver. Bile, a greenish-yellow fluid secreted by the liver, is stored in the gallbladder and released into the bowel through bile ducts to help the small intestine digest fat and carry away waste.
Bilirubin	(bil´´e-roo´bin) Bile pigment derived from the breakdown of the heme portion of hemoglobin.
Binary number system	A number system with only two digits, 0 and 1.
Bio	(bi'o) Prefix signifying in relation to life eg biology is the science of dealing with living organisms.
Biochemistry	Chemical reactions at the molecular level.
Biopsy	(bi-op-se) Process of removing tissue from living patients for diagnostic examination or a specimen obtained by biopsy.
Bipennate	(bi-pen´=at) Latin bis = double, and pinna = feather, hence converging from 2 sides; Denoting muscles that have a fibre architecture coursing obliquely on both sides of a tendon.
Biplane imaging	A configuration of pairs of serial changers used with two orthogonal X-ray sources.
Bipolar	A magnet that has two poles.
Bismuth	(biz'muth) Metallic element, the salts of which are used chiefly in medicine. Bismuth salts are radiopaque.
Bit	The smallest unit of measure in computer storage capacity.
Bladder	The musculomembraneous sac used for urine collection from the kidneys (via the ureters) and discharged through the urethra.
Blood	(The fluid connective tissue that circulates through the cardiovascular system to transport substances throughout the body.
Blood brain barrier	A specialized mechanism, not a structure, that inhibits the passage of certain materials from the blood into brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid.
Blood clot	A thickened mass of blood.
Blood coagulation	Also called blood clotting. A process in which blood changes from a free-flowing liquid to a semi-solid gel.
Blood oxygenation	The level of oxygen in the blood.
Blood thinning agents	Also known as blood thinners. Medicine used to prevent blood clots from forming or getting larger.
Body habitus	The general size and shape of a patient.
Bolus	(bo´lus) A moistened mass of food that is swallowed from the oral cavity into the pharynx.
Bone	A solid, rigid, ossified connective tissue forming an organ of the skeletal system.
Bony labyrinth	(lab´u1-rinth) A series of chambers within the petrous part of the temporal bone associated with the vestibular organs and the cochlea. The bony labyrinth contains a fluid called perilymph.
Bore	The center of the cylindrical shaped magnet (often referred to as a doughnut) within an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.
Bougi	(boo-zhe) tapering instrument used to dilate tubular passages
Bougienage	Passage of an instrument through a tubular structure to increase its caliber (as in the treatment of a stricture of the esophagus).
Bowel	The part of the digestive system distal to the stomach, consisting of the small and large intestines, that digest and eliminate food.
Brachial	(bra´ke-al) Pertaining to the arm (shoulder-elbow). eg brachialgia is pain in the arm
Brachial plexus	(bra´ke-al plek´sus) A network of nerve fibers that arise from spinal nerves C5-C8 and T1. Nerves arising from the brachial plexuses supply the upper extremities.
Brachiocephalic trunk	The first branch of the arch of the aorta which further divides into the right common carotid and right subclavian arteries.
Brachiocephalic vein	Two veins formed at the root of the neck from the union of the ipsilateral internal jugular vein and the subclavian veins. The two brachiocepalic veins later combine to form the superior vena cava.
Brachiocubital	(brake-o-ku'bit-al) Pertaining to arm and forearm.
Brachy	(brak'e) Prefix meaning short, eg brachyfacial is a short broad face.
Brachycephalic	(brake-se-fal'ik) A head of short broad type.
Brachytherapy	(bray-key-therapy) A type of radiation therapy used to treat cancer, involving the placement of a radioactive material, either temporarily or permanently, directly inside the body.
Brady	(brad'e-) prefix meaning slow eg bradycardia means abnormal slowness of the heart
Brain	The enlarged superior portion of the central nervous system located in the cranial cavity of the skull.
Brain herniation	An often fatal condition that results when brain tissue, fluid or blood vessels are pushed outside the skull.
Brain stem	The portion of the brain consisting of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain.
Branchial	Associated with the entrance to the digestive system.
Breast	A "modified sebaceous gland" in the superficial tissues of the anterior chest wall. Consists of a variable mixture of glandular tissue, fat, and supporting connective tissue (Cooper's ligaments).
Breast coil	A wire coil placed around the breast that sends and receives radio waves within the magnetic field of an MRI unit to create images.
Bregma	(breg'mah) Point on surface of cranium at junction of coronal and sagittal sutures.
Bremsstrahlung X-ray	An X-ray resulting from interaction of the projectile electron with a target nucleus, braking radiation.
Brevis	Latin = short, brief.
Brightness gain	The ability of an image intensifier to increase the illumination level of an image.
Bronchi	The large air passages that lead from the trachea (windpipe) to the lungs.
Bronchiectasis	(brongke-ek'ta-sis) Dilation of a brionchus or bronchi, often caused by infection.
Bronchial tree	(brong´ke-al) The bronchi and their branching bronchioles.
Bronchiole	(brong´ke-=ol) A small division of a bronchus within the lung.
Bronchitis	(brong-kI-tis) Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the two subdivisions of the trachea that conveys air to and from the lungs.
Bronchoscope	An instrument for examination of the trachea and bronchi.
Bronchoscopy	Visual inspection of the inside of the trachea and the bronchial passages of the lungs, using a rigid or flexible tube.
Bronchus	(brong´kus) A branch of the trachea that leads to a lung.
Bronchus intermedius	On the right, the segment of bronchus between the origin of the upper lobe bronchus (of the lung) and the bifurcation into the middle and lower lobe bronchi.
Bruit	An abnormal sound heard when listening with a stethoscope over an organ or blood vessel such as the carotid artery in the neck. Often a sign of a stenosis.
Buccal cavity	(buk´al) Latin bucca = cheek; The mouth, or oral cavity.
Bucky	A moving grid; the movement is designed to blur the image of the lead strips of the grid in radiographs.
Bucky factor (B)	The ratio of incident radiation to transmitted radiation through a grid, the ratio of patient dose with and without a grid.
Bucky slot cover	A protective cover that automatically shields the Bucky slot opening during fluoroscopic examinations when the Bucky tray is at the foot of the table.
Budd-Chiari syndrome	A blockage of one or more hepatic veins, which carry blood from the liver back toward the heart.
Buffer	Acetate added to the fixer to maintain a constant pH.
Buffering agent	An alkali compund in the developer that enhances the action of the developing agent by controlling the concentration of hydrogen ions.
Bulbourethral glands	(bul´´bo-yoo-re´thral) A pair of glands that secrete a viscous fluid into the male urethra during sexual excitement; also called Cowper's glands.
Bulla	A thin-walled air "cyst" within the lung, found in patients with emphysema.
Bundle of His	See atrioventricular bundle
Bursa	(bur´sa) Greek = a purse, hence a flattened sac containing a film of fluid (synovial fluid). Bursae are located at friction points, as around joints, over which tendons can slide without contacting bone.
Bursitis	(bur-si'tis) Inflammation of a bursa.
Buttocks	(but´oks) The rump or fleshy masses on the posterior aspect of the lower trunk, formed primarily by the gluteal muscles.
Byte	A group of eight bits, represents one character or digit.

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