imaging

1 of 2

noun

im·​ag·​ing ˈi-mi-jiŋ How to pronounce imaging (audio)
: the action or process of using specialized techniques (such as ultrasound, tomography, or radiography) to produce an image of something that is not visible to the naked eye (such as internal bodily organs or the Earth's subsurface)
Brain imaging of patients with vascular dementia typically show small strokes or poor blood supply deep in the brain, at the natural terminal … of the blood vessel.Renee Meyer
Buried under sand, the layout of a city some 4,000 years old has been revealed before anyone lifted a trowel. To build the map of [the city], … archaeologists used geomagnetic imaging, which measures Earth's magnetic force.National Geographic
often used before another noun
imaging equipment
a thermal imaging camera
A computed tomography scan … is an imaging test that lets doctors see inside a person's body.NBCNews.com
see also magnetic resonance imaging

imaging

2 of 2

present participle of image

Examples of imaging in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
What started as a hospital network has grown into a comprehensive health system that includes primary and specialty care at more than 40 medical group locations, urgent care centers, ambulatory surgery and imaging centers, and dialysis clinics across Southern California. Jessica Peralta, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025 Prior to the actual surgery, detailed imaging was completed, which included MRI, fluoroscopy and endoscopy so doctors knew what each twin's anatomy looked like. Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025 Medical imaging aims to save lives by helping to promptly diagnose patients and quickly determine the most effective treatments for them, which is known to help increase the likelihood of better outcomes. Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 The researchers also achieved 3D imaging. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imaging

Word History

Etymology

Noun

image entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imaging was in 1921

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imaging. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

imaging

noun
: the action or process of using specialized techniques (such as ultrasound, tomography, or radiography) to produce an image especially of an internal body part or organ
advances in clinical diagnostic imaging
Brain imaging has identified numerous regions of altered structure or activity in the brain during major depression, suggesting disordered neurocircuitry in a variety of structures …J. John Mann, The New England Journal of Medicine
often used before another noun
imaging modalities
The advent of rapid imaging techniques has made magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) an attractive technology in the evaluation of pulmonary vascular disorders.Eric G. Honig et al., Scientific American Medical Bulletin
see also magnetic resonance imaging

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