Radiotracer
Imagine you're trying to find a leak in your house's plumbing system, but all the pipes are hidden behind walls. You might add a brightly colored dye to the water and watch where it appears to identify the leak's exact location. Similarly, a radiotracer works by introducing a radioactive nuclide into the body, which acts like the dye, allowing doctors to trace its path and identify specific areas of concern, such as blockages or abnormalities within the body's 'plumbing' system. Just as the dye reveals the leak in your home by becoming visible at the leak site, the radiotracer highlights areas in the body where it accumulates, helping diagnose medical issues.
Practice Version
Radiotracer: A radioactive nuclide introduced into an organism for diagnostic purposes, whose pathway can be traced. Radiotracer. A radiotracer is a substance that helps doctors see how organs and tissues are functioning by tracing its movement inside the body using special imaging techniques.