- densitometer
- 1. An instrument for measuring the density of a fluid. SYN: densimeter. 2. An instrument for measuring, by virtue of relative turbidity, the growth of bacteria in broth; useful in microbiologic assay of nutrients and antibiotics, phage studies, etc. 3. An instrument for measuring the density of components ( e.g., protein fractions) separated by electrophoresis or chromatography, utilizing light absorption or reflection. 4. An electronic instrument for measuring the blackening of radiographic film by x-ray exposure; used for film sensitometry, bone densitometry, measurement of line spread function (microdensitometer). 5. An instrument for measuring the extent to which a material absorbs or reflects light. [L. densitas, density, + G. metron, measure]
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den·si·tom·e·ter .den(t)-sə-'täm-ət-ər n an instrument for determining optical, photographic, or mass density <diagnose osteoporosis using an X-ray bone \densitometer>* * *
den·si·tom·e·ter (den″sĭ-tomґə-tər) [L. densus dense + -meter] 1. an apparatus for determining the density of a liquid. Called also densimeter. 2. an instrument for determining the degree of darkening of developed photographic or x-ray film by means of a photocell which measures light transmission through a given area of the film. 3. an instrument for determining the density of deposits on electrophoresis strips and chromatographic plates by measuring light absorbancy.
Medical dictionary. 2011.