Glossary

Glossary of Terms

MRI - Stands for magnetic resonance imaging. An cardiovascular scan that uses magnets and waves to image the heart.

Myocardium - The cardiac muscle that forms the walls between the chambers of the heart.

Nuclear Medicine - A type of imaging that uses a radioactive tracer to diagnose problems usually relating to blood flow.

Pericardium - A tissue that surrounds the heart that stabilizes heart. The pericardium is located at the top of the heart.

Plasma - A yellowish component of blood comprised of proteins and electrolytes.

Pulmonary Artery - The only artery that carries deoxygenated blood because this artery carries blood to the lungs.

Pulmonary Vein - After the a replenishment of oxygen, the blood comes back to the heart through the pulmonary vein.

Right Atrium - The upper chamber of the heart that collects blood and after contracting, pumps blood into the right ventricle.

Right Ventricle - The chamber of the heart that pumps blood into the pulmonary artery.

Sonar - Technology that uses reflecting sound waves to detect underwater objects.

Superior vena cava - A major vein that brings blood from the upper body into the right atrium.

Systole - A stage in the heartbeat where the muscles are pumping blood. The muscles of the ventricles contract in this stage.

Tesla - A unit of magnetic intensity.

Tracer - An essential component of nuclear medicine that is pumped into the patient's bloodstream to diagnose blood flow.

Ultrasound - A noninvasive and safe imaging procedure that uses sound waves to image the heart.

Veins - A type of vessel that brings blood towards the heart.

Ventricle - A chamber of the heart that receives blood from the atrium and pumps blood out of the heart.

X-ray - High energy waves that are in the electromagnetic spectrum.