tracer

tracer
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 or radioactive substance that can be injected in the region of a tumor (melanoma, breast, etc.) to map the flow of lymph from the tumor to its nearest nodal basin; used in sentinel node detection. 3. A colored substance ( e.g., a dye) used as a t. to follow the flow of water. 4. An instrument used in dissecting out nerves and blood vessel s. 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]

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trac·er 'trā-sər n a substance used to trace the course of a process specif a labeled element or atom that can be traced throughout chemical or biological processes by its radioactivity or its unusual isotopic mass

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n.
a substance that is introduced into the body and whose progress can subsequently be followed so that information is gained about metabolic processes. Radioactive tracers, which are substances labelled with radionuclide, give off radiation that can be detected on a scintigram or with a gamma camera. They are used for a variety of purposes in nuclear medicine. See MUGA scan, positron emission tomography, SPECT scanning.

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trac·er (trāsґər) 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.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • tracer — [ trase ] v. <conjug. : 3> • XVe; tracier XIIe; lat. pop. °tractiare, class. trahere « tirer, traîner » I ♦ V. tr. 1 ♦ Vx Suivre à la trace, poursuivre. 2 ♦ (mil. XVIe) Indiquer et ouvrir plus ou …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Tracer — may refer to: *Histochemical tracer, a substance used for tracing purposes in histochemistry, the study of the composition of cells and tissues *Isotopic tracer, a substance with an isotope that has been enriched to a greater level than that… …   Wikipedia

  • tracer — Tracer. v. act. Tirer les premieres lignes d un dessein, d un plan, sur le papier, sur la toile, sur le terrein. Tracer un plan. tracer un dessein. tracer une allé, un parterre, un fort, un bastion, des travaux &c. tracer de la tapisserie. tracer …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Tracer — Tra cer, n. One who, or that which, traces. [1913 Webster] 2. A person engaged (esp. in the express or railway service) in tracing, or searching out, missing articles, as packages or freight cars. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 3. An inquiry sent out (esp …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tracer — Tracer, Inuestigare, Vestigare. Que les gens de village dient tracher. Tracer aussi est grossierement peindre et desseingner les traicts qu on doibt suyvre à faire quelque ouvrage à l esguille sur cannevas ou au pinceau sur autre chose, Delineare …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Tracer — [tre̱ißer; aus engl. tracer = Aufspürer] m; s, : Bezeichnung für radioaktive Markierungsstoffe, mit deren Hilfe u.Tracera. biochemische Vorgänge im Organismus verfolgt werden können …   Das Wörterbuch medizinischer Fachausdrücke

  • tracer — (n.) c.1500, one who tracks or searches, agent noun from verb form of TRACE (Cf. trace) (n.1). Meaning bullet whose course is made visible is from 1910 …   Etymology dictionary

  • tračer — trȁčer m DEFINICIJA reg. onaj koji trača ETIMOLOGIJA vidi trač …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • tracer — A form (Form 1510, Mail Loss/Rifling Report) that customers fill out to locate delayed or undelivered mail …   Glossary of postal terms

  • tracer — ► NOUN 1) a bullet or shell whose course is made visible by a trail of flames or smoke, used to assist in aiming. 2) a substance introduced into a system so that its subsequent distribution can be followed from its colour, radioactivity, or other …   English terms dictionary

  • tracer — [trās′ər] n. 1. a person or thing that traces; specif., a) a person whose work is tracing drawings, designs, etc. on transparent paper b) a person whose work is tracing lost or missing articles, persons, etc. c) an instrument for tracing designs… …   English World dictionary

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