Canadian Medical Guide > Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment > Investigative Techniques Terms and Definitions
Investigative Techniques
Medical Definition: | Investigative techniques used in pre-clinical and clinical research, epidemiology, chemistry, immunology, genetics, etc. They do not include techniques specifically applied to DIAGNOSIS; THERAPEUTICS; anesthesia and analgesia, SURGERY, OPERATIVE, and DENTISTRY. |
Guide Notes: | not used for indexing CATALOG: do not use |
Animal Experimentation - The use of animals as investigational subjects. | |
Animal Identification Systems - Procedures for recognizing individual animals and certain identifiable characteristics pertaining to them; includes computerized methods, ear tags, etc. | |
Artifacts - Any visible result of a procedure which is caused by the procedure itself and not by the entity being analyzed. Common examples include histological structures introduced by tissue processing, radiographic images of structures that are not naturally present in living tissue, and products of chemical reactions that occur during analysis. | |
Autoanalysis | |
Autopsy - Postmortem examination of the body. | |
Biological Assay - A method of measuring the effects of a biologically active substance using an intermediate in vivo or in vitro tissue or cell model under controlled conditions. It includes virulence studies in animal fetuses in utero, mouse convulsion bioassay of insulin, quantitation of tumor-initiator systems in mouse skin, calculation of potentiating effects of a hormonal factor in an isolated strip of contracting stomach muscle, etc. | |
Biomedical Enhancement - The use of technology-based interventions to improve functional capacities rather than to treat disease. | |
Body Weights and Measures - The systems of measurement applied to the height, weight, length, area, etc., of the human and animal body or its parts. | |
Brain Mapping | |
Calibration - Determination, by measurement or comparison with a standard, of the correct value of each scale reading on a meter or other measuring instrument; or determination of the settings of a control device that correspond to particular values of voltage, current, frequency or other output. | |
Calorimetry - The measurement of the quantity of heat involved in various processes, such as chemical reactions, changes of state, and formations of solutions, or in the determination of the heat capacities of substances. The fundamental unit of measurement is the joule or the calorie (4.184 joules). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) | |
Cementation - The joining of objects by means of a cement (e.g., in fracture fixation, such as in hip arthroplasty for joining of the acetabular component to the femoral component). In dentistry, it is used for the process of attaching parts of a tooth or restorative material to a natural tooth or for the attaching of orthodontic bands to teeth by means of an adhesive. | |
Centrifugation - Process of using a rotating machine to generate centrifugal force to separate substances of different densities, remove moisture, or simulate gravitational effects. It employs a large motor-driven apparatus with a long arm, at the end of which human and animal subjects, biological specimens, or equipment can be revolved and rotated at various speeds to study gravitational effects. (From Websters, 10th ed; McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) | |
Chemistry, Analytical - The branch of chemistry dealing with detection (qualitative) and determination (quantitative) of substances. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) | |
Clinical Laboratory Techniques - Techniques used to carry out clinical investigative procedures in the diagnosis and therapy of disease. | |
Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques - A chemistry-based technology in which sets of reactions, for solution or solid-phase synthesis, are used to create molecular libraries for analysis of compounds on a large scale. | |
Constriction - The act of constricting. | |
Containment of Biohazards - Provision of physical and biological barriers to the dissemination of potentially hazardous biologically active agents (bacteria, viruses, recombinant DNA, etc.). Physical containment involves the use of special equipment, facilities, and procedures to prevent the escape of the agent. Biological containment includes use of immune personnel and the selection of agents and hosts that will minimize the risk should the agent escape the containment facility. | |
Dermatoglyphics - The study of the patterns of ridges of the skin of the fingers, palms, toes, and soles. | |
Diet - Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal. This does not include DIET THERAPY, a specific diet prescribed in the treatment of a disease. | |
Dilatation - The act of dilating. | |
Drug Administration Routes - The various ways of administering a drug or other chemical to a site in a patient or animal from where the chemical is absorbed into the blood and delivered to the target tissue. | |
Drug Administration Schedule - Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience. | |
Embryo Research - Experimentation on, or using the organs or tissues from, a human or other mammalian conceptus during the prenatal stage of development that is characterized by rapid morphological changes and the differentiation of basic structures. In humans, this includes the period from the time of fertilization to the end of the eighth week after fertilization. | |
Epidemiologic Methods | |
Equipment Design | |
Equipment Failure - Failure of equipment to perform up to standards. The failure may be due to defects or improper use. | |
Equipment Failure Analysis - Determination of reliability and maintainability of equipment. | |
Equipment Reuse - Further or repeated use of equipment, instruments, devices, or materials. It includes additional use regardless of the original intent of the producer as to disposability or durability. It does not include the repeated use of fluids or solutions. | |
Equipment Safety - Freedom of equipment from actual or potential hazards. | |
Ergometry - Any method of measuring the amount of work done by an organism, usually during EXERTION. Ergometry also includes measures of power. Some instruments used in these determinations include the hand crank and the bicycle ergometer. | |
Evaluation Studies - Studies determining the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies. For drugs and devices, CLINICAL TRIALS; DRUG EVALUATION; and DRUG EVALUATION, PRECLINICAL are available. | |
Fetal Research - Experimentation on, or using the organs or tissues from, a human or other mammalian conceptus in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, this corresponds to the period from the third month after fertilization until birth. | |
Food Analysis | |
Genetic Techniques - Chromosomal, biochemical, intracellular, and other methods used in the study of genetics. | |
Hardness Tests | |
Human Experimentation - The use of humans as investigational subjects. | |
Immersion - The placing of a body or a part thereof into a liquid. | |
Immunologic Techniques | |
Indicator Dilution Techniques - Methods for assessing flow through a system by injection of a known quantity of an indicator, such as a dye, radionuclide, or chilled liquid, into the system and monitoring its concentration over time at a specific point in the system. (From Dorland, 28th ed) | |
Interferometry - Measurement of distances or movements by means of the phenomena caused by the interference of two rays of light (optical interferometry) or of sound (acoustic interferometry). | |
Intubation - Introduction of a tube into a hollow organ to restore or maintain patency if obstructed. It is differentiated from CATHETERIZATION in that the insertion of a catheter is usually performed for the introducing or withdrawing of fluids from the body. | |
Irrigation - The washing of a body cavity or surface by flowing solution which is inserted and then removed. Any drug in the irrigation solution may be absorbed. | |
Isotope Labeling - Techniques for labeling a substance with a stable or radioactive isotope. It is not used for articles involving labeled substances unless the methods of labeling are substantively discussed. Tracers that may be labeled include chemical substances, cells, or microorganisms. | |
Manometry - Measurement of the pressure or tension of liquids or gases with a manometer. | |
Materials Testing - The testing of materials and devices, especially those used for implants, prostheses, sutures, adhesives, etc., for hardness, strength, durability, safety, and efficacy. | |
Methods | |
Microscopy - The application of microscope magnification to the study of materials that cannot be properly seen by the unaided eye. | |
Models, Animal - Non-human animals, selected because of specific characteristics, for use in experimental research, teaching, or testing. | |
Neoplasm Transplantation - Experimental transplantation of neoplasms in laboratory animals for research purposes. | |
Oscillometry - Measurement of oscillations of any kind. In medicine it is used in studying cardiovascular and respiratory physiology. (Dorland, 28th ed) | |
Parabiosis - The experimental joining of two individuals for the purpose of studying the effects of one on the other. | |
Perfusion | |
Physical Conditioning, Animal - Physical conditioning of domestic, laboratory, and zoo animals. Includes exercising of animals. | |
Physical Stimulation | |
Physiognomy | |
Prosthesis Fitting - The fitting and adjusting of artificial parts of the body. (From Stedman's, 26th ed) | |
Radiometry - The measurement of radiation by photography, as in x-ray film and film badge, by Geiger-Mueller tube, and by SCINTILLATION COUNTING. | |
Rheology - The study of the deformation and flow of matter, usually liquids or fluids, and of the plastic flow of solids. The concept covers consistency, dilatancy, liquefaction, resistance to flow, shearing, thixotrophy, and VISCOSITY. | |
Sound Spectrography - The graphic registration of the frequency and intensity of sounds, such as speech, infant crying, and animal vocalizations. | |
Substance Abuse Detection - Detection of drugs that have been abused, overused, or misused, including legal and illegal drugs. Urine screening is the usual method of detection. | |
Technology, Pharmaceutical - The application of scientific knowledge or technology to pharmacy, pharmacology, and the pharmaceutical industry. It includes methods, techniques, and instrumentation in the manufacture, preparation, compounding, dispensing, packaging, and storing of drugs and other preparations used in diagnostic and determinative procedures and in the treatment of patients. | |
Technology, Radiologic - The application of scientific knowledge or technology to the field of radiology. The applications center mostly around x-ray or radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes but the technological applications of any radiation or radiologic procedure is within the scope of radiologic technology. | |
Toxicity Tests - An array of tests used to determine the toxicity of a substance to living systems. These include tests on clinical drugs, foods, and environmental pollutants. | |
Weightlessness Countermeasures - Techniques and routines designed to prevent or reverse unwanted effects of weightlessness experienced during actual and simulated space flight, including physiologic changes related to removal of gravitational loading. Specific measures include creation of artificial gravity, exercise, low-level lower body negative pressure, and use of anti-deconditioning devices. (From Nicogossian, Space Physiology and Medicine, 2d ed, pp294-297) | |
Weightlessness Simulation - Condition under normal Earth gravity where the force of gravity itself is not actually altered but its influence or effect may be modified and studied. (From ASGSB Bull 1992;5(2):27) |
Investigative Techniques Medical Definitions and Terms
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