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tracer

tracer

2 6.7
A small radioactive substance injected to show how blood or organs work
  • noun
  • /ˈtreɪsər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : radiotrazador
  • The doctor injected a radioactive tracer into the patient to monitor their metabolic processes.
  • radioactive tracer
  • metabolic tracer
  • isotope tracer

We want to do tracer studies to assess the lipid energy model, more risk assessment studies.

Examples

  • Moreover, no adverse effects attributed to the affibody tracer were observed.

    Academic text (2017)

  • In agricultural areas, pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer concentrations are used as tracers to evaluate contamination.

    Academic text (2008)

  • We'll track it just as we would any radioactive tracer.

    Fantastic Voyage (1966)

  • It's also used to map flow of a tracer in the bloodstream and other tracks through the body.

  • Carbon is a particularly useful tracer for examining questions about nutrient use for several reasons.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A number of these were of particular interest as tracers for sources of contamination.

    Academic text (2008)

  • In the next section, I discuss the methods by which rates of tracer oxidation can be quantified.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Now, one of the features of PET scans is it's very expensive to create the nuclear tracer that's used as part of the study.

  • And here we use medical isotopes and make tracers for imaging and therapy.

  • A patient is first injected with a tracer—specific biological molecules carrying a positron-emitting isotope.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

label
vstracer
  • Specialized
3 9.1

A radioactive marker added to a molecule so scientists can follow it

is used inside the body for metabolic or biological studies rather than just chemistry
radionuclide
vstracer
  • Specialized
2 8.6

An atom that gives off radiation and is used in medicine or science

is the applied use of such atoms inside the body to study living processes
radiotracer
vstracer
  • Specialized
6.6

A small radioactive substance doctors or scientists inject to show how parts of the body work

is focused on studying metabolic or other biological processes inside the body
radiochemical
vstracer
  • Specialized
8.1

A chemical labeled with a radioactive atom used in research or medicine

is the practice of introducing such material into the body to study biology

Compounds

tracer bullet
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A bullet that leaves a bright trail so you can see its path

tracer bullet
  • Jargon
7.0

A small quick test in software that checks if core parts work together

How Detectable

tracer
  • Specialized
2 6.7
radiotracer
  • Specialized
6.6

Surface Forms

tracer singular
tracers plural

Morphology

tracer = trace (semi-transparent) = trace + er

Formed regularly from 'trace' + '-er' meaning 'something that traces', but the medical sense 'radioactive substance introduced to trace processes' is a technical extension that may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Tracer comes from the word trace, which means 'to follow' or 'to make a mark'. So a radioactive tracer is a substance that 'marks' the path of blood or a drug so doctors can see where it goes.