Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical imaging technique: Encephalography is a radiographic procedure for examining the brain. It involves replacing some of the cerebrospinal fluid with a gas (such as oxygen or air) to improve X-ray contrast, producing an image called an encephalogram.

Usage

• Encephalography is a diagnostic tool used primarily in neurology to visualize the brain's ventricles and subarachnoid spaces.
• It is a historical technique, largely superseded by modern methods like CT and MRI scans.

Examples

• The neurologist ordered an encephalography to investigate the cause of the patient's hydrocephalus.
• Pneumoencephalography, a specific type of encephalography, was once a common but uncomfortable procedure.

Advanced Usage

• Pneumoencephalography: A specific form of encephalography where air is used as the contrast medium. This term is often used interchangeably with encephalography in historical contexts.
  • Pneumoencephalography was the standard for detecting brain tumors before the advent of CT scanning.

Variants and Related Words

• Encephalogram (n): The X-ray image or record produced by encephalography.
  • The encephalogram revealed an abnormality in the ventricular system.
• Electroencephalography (n): A different, more common procedure that records electrical activity of the brain (EEG). This is distinct from radiographic encephalography.

Synonyms

• Pneumoencephalography: Specifically denotes the use of air as the contrast agent.
• Ventriculography: A related procedure often involving direct injection of contrast into the brain's ventricles.

Notes

• Encephalography is considered an obsolete or rarely used technique in contemporary medicine. When the term is encountered in modern texts, it often refers to its historical use or is part of the compound term "electroencephalography" (EEG), which is fundamentally different.

Noun

1. roentgenography of the brain after spinal fluid has been replaced by a gas (usually oxygen); produces an encephalogram