Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Electrodiagnosis

    The use of electrical and electronic devices for diagnostic purposes. This technique is helpful in almost all branches of medicine, but particularly in investigating the function of the heart, nerves, and muscles.  

  • Electrodermal testing

    A technique used in complementary and alternative medicine to measure electromagnetic energy in the skin and to apply that information to diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes.  

  • Therapeutic electrode

    An electrode used for introduction of medicines through the skin by ionization.  

  • Surface electrode

    An electrode placed on the surface of the skin or exposed organ.  

  • Subcutaneous electrode

    An electrode placed beneath the skin.  

  • Standard hydrogen electrode

    The standard reference electrode against which all others are measured. Its assigned electrode potential is 0.000 V.  

  • Solid-state membrane electrode

    An electrode in which the sensing membrane is made of a single crystal or pressed pellet containing the salt of the ion to be sensed.  

  • Saturated calomel electrode

    One of two practical reference electrodes, used with a mercurous chloride (calomel) paste in pH and other potentiometric instruments. The other is the silver/silver chloride electrode. The calomel electrode has been the standard secondary reference electrode used in the laboratory since the introduction of the pH electrode.  

  • Reference electrode

    A chemical electrode whose cell potential remains fixed and against which an indicator electrode is compared. The most common reference electrode is the silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) electrode.  

  • Positive electrode

    An anode; the pole opposite a cathode.