magic-bullet approach [Gk, magikos, sorcerer; Fr, boulette, small ball; L, ad, toward, prope, near] , 1. a therapeutic or diagnostic method that makes use of a specific relationship between a drug and a disease or organ. 2. (in clinical medicine) the administration of a specific drug to cure or ameliorate a given disease or condition. 3. (in traditional diagnostic radiology) the administration of a specific contrast medium to facilitate the radiographic visualization of a given organ, such as the IV injection of a specific dye for renal studies. 4. (in nuclear medicine) the administration of a specific radionuclide tagged to an appropriate carrier to provide a scintillation camera image of a given organ or structure, such as the use of a substance containing phosphate and technetium for bone scanning.
