Medical term:

tracer


tracer

 [trās´er]
1. a means or agent by which certain substances or structures can be identified or followed, as a radioactive tracer.
2. a mechanical device by which the outline of an object or the direction and extent of movement of a part may be graphically recorded; see also tracing.
3. a dissecting instrument for isolating vessels and nerves.
radioactive tracer a radioactive isotope replacing a stable chemical element in a compound (said to be radiolabeled) and so able to be followed or tracked through one or more reactions or systems by means of a radiation detector; used especially for such a compound that is introduced into the body for study of the compound's metabolism, distribution, and passage through the body.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

trac·er

(trās'ĕr),
1. An element or compound containing atoms that can be distinguished from their normal counterparts by physical means (for example, radioactivity assay or mass spectrography) and can thus be used to follow (trace) the metabolism of the normal substances.
See also: tracing (2).
2. A colored or radioactive substance that can be injected in the region of a tumor (for example, melanoma, breast) to map the flow of lymph from the tumor to its nearest nodal basin; used in sentinel node detection.
See also: tracing (2).
3. A colored substance (for example, a dye) used as a tracer to follow the flow of water.
See also: tracing (2).
4. An instrument used in dissecting out nerves and blood vessels.
See also: tracing (2).
5. A mechanical device with a marking point attached to one jaw and a graph plate or tracing plate attached to the other jaw; used to record the direction and extent of movements of the mandible.
See also: tracing (2).
[M.E. track, fr. O. Fr. tracier, to make one's way, fr. L. traho, pp. tractum, to draw, + -er, agent suffix]
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

tracer

(trā′sər)
n.
An identifiable substance, such as a dye or a radioactive isotope, that is introduced into a biological or mechanical system and can be followed through the course of a process, providing information on the pattern of events in the process or on the redistribution of the parts or elements involved. Also called label.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

tracer

Imaging A substance, such as a radioisotope, used in imaging procedures
McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

trac·er

(trā'sĕr)
1. An element or compound containing atoms that can be distinguished from their normal counterparts by physical means (e.g., radioactivity assay or mass spectrography) and can thus be used to follow (trace) the metabolism of the normal substances.
2. A colored substance (e.g., a dye) used as a tracer to follow the flow of water.
3. An instrument used in dissecting out nerves and blood vessels.
4. A mechanical device with a marking point attached to one jaw and a graph plate or tracing plate attached to the other jaw; used to record the direction and extent of movements of the mandible.
See also: tracing (2)
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

tracer

1. A biochemical that has been tagged with a radioactive atom so that its destination can be determined.
2. A length of nucleic acid tagged with a radioactive atom that can be used to find and identify samples of its complementary strand.
Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

tracer

any rare ISOTOPE, for example radioactive forms such as 14C, which is administered in some way to organisms so that its fate may be subsequently followed within the organism or in the products of its METABOLISM.
Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

trac·er

(trā'sĕr)
1. A mechanical device with a marking point attached to one jaw and a graph plate or tracing plate attached to the other jaw; used to record direction and extent of mandibular movements.
2. An element or compound containing atoms that can be distinguished from their normal counterparts by physical means (e.g., radioactivity assay or mass spectrography) and can thus be used to follow (trace) metabolism of normal substances.
3. Colored or radioactive substance that can be injected in region of a tumor (e.g., melanoma, breast) to map lymph flow from tumor to its nearest nodal basin; used in sentinel node detection.
Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012

Latest Searches:
Vion - viomycin - viologens - viologen - violet - violescent - violaceum - violaceous - violacein - violacea - Viokase - Viogen - Vioform - Viocin - vinylidene - vinylene - vinylbenzene - vinyl - Vinson - vinorelbine -
- Service manuals - MBI Corp