medical imaging

Magnetoencephalography

• Measures the magnetic fields produced in the brain

• Used for studying brain function and diagnosing disorders (including epilepsy)

Preparation

• Removal of metal objects, adding electrodes, avoid certain medications

Pro

• Non-invasive, High Resolution

Con

• Expensive, Noise, Bad at deep structures

Fluoroscopy

• Moving X ray to obtain real time images of internal structure

• Usually used for guidance and visualization

• Visualizing blood vessels, placing orthopedic implants, studying gastrointestinal stuff, watching bodily processes

Preparation

• Remove metal and clothing, maybe fast

Pros

• Real-time, minimal invasion, versatility, good guidance

Cons

• Radiation, soft tissue contrast, contrast agent accessibility

Echocardiogram

Usage

• Ultrasound of the heart used to diagnose disease, assess structure, and assess function of the heart

Preparation

• Minimal, maybe sedative

Pros

• Real time, non-invasive, no radiation, low cost and portable

Cons

• Image quality, throat injuries, sedative and anesthetic, contrast agents

TEM

Usage

• High resolution imaging of thin specimen, biological structure and molecules

Preparation

• Creating and staining thin slices

Pros

• Really good and magnified images, atomic and molecular scale

Cons

• Expensive, limited samples and prep, electron beam damage

fMRI

• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is used to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow and oxygenation levels.

• It is commonly used in neuroscience research and clinical settings to study brain function, cognition, and neurological disorders.

Preparation

• Metal objects, staying still

Pros

• Non-invasive, no radiation, detailed

Cons

• Expensive, motion noise, discomfort, limited temporal resolution

Electroencephalography

Use

• Electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes on the scalp.

• Diagnose epilepsy, assess brain function in comatose patients, and evaluate sleep disorders, study brain dynamics, cognitive processes, and neurological conditions.

Preparation

• Wash hair, remove metal objects

Pros

• Non invasive, painless, real time

Cons

• Lower resolution, noise, low anatomical info

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Use

• Using Magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of internal structures and used for diagnosing neurological, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular disorders → brain anatomy, function, connectivity

Preparation

• Remove metal, sedatives, sometimes fasting

Pros

• High resolution, wide application, distinguishing, multiplanar

Cons

• Claustrophobia, time consuming, expensive

Positron Emission Tomography

Use

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is used to visualize metabolic and biochemical processes in the body

• oncology for cancer staging, treatment planning, and monitoring response to therapy

• diagnosing brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, and in cardiology for assessing myocardial viability and perfusion

Preparation

• Fasting, tracers, less exercise

Pros

• Fast, painless, post op, best for cysts and tumors, molecular abnormalities

Cons

• Ionizing radiation, expensive, limited spatial resolution, glucose in tracer

Photoacoustic imaging

Uses

• Visualise tissue structure and function

• Studying tumors and blood movement

Preparation

• maybe not eating

Pros

• Nonionizing

• Non-invasive

• Better penetration

• compatible

Cons

• difficult to see deep tissues

• high cost

scanning electron microscope

Uses

• Using electron to find surface structure of cells

Preparation

• Dehydration and coating with conductive material

Pros

• Detail 3d image

• Surface of stuff

Cons

• Expensive, may alter sample properties, vacuum based (not completely natural)

Thermography

Uses

• Records infrared radiation to detect inflammation, vascular disorders, and injuries, primarily breast cancer, by creating a temperature map

Preparation

• Minimal, remove jewelry and don’t do things that change temperature (chiropractic, hot bath, etc.)

Pros

• Real-time, early stage, inexpensive, non-invasive and painless, no harmful radiation

Cons

• Limited accuracy and spatial resolution, environment, may not work for obese patients

Tilt3d

Uses

• Fluorescence microscopy for biological samples using tilted lasers

  • 3d visualisation of cellular structures

• Good to look at sub-cellular structures

Preparation

• Cultured labelled and on slide

• Imaging biological samples

Pros

• 3d imaging of biological samples with depth penetration

  • multicoloured imaging

Cons

• Advanced

Ultrasound

Use

• Using high frequency sound waves to visualize internal body structure

• For pregnancy, cardiology, gastro, and musculoskeletal

  • Blood flow, Texture, tumors, fetal development

Preparation

• Minimal

• Maybe drink water

Pros

• Non-invasive, painless, no radiation, real time, portable, cheap

Cons

• Limited tissue penetration, image quality iffy, obscured by bone = bad

Volume Rendering

Use

• To create 3d representations of CT or MRI

• Visualization, diagnosis, surgical planning

Preparation

• CT or MRI

Pros

• 3d visualization, Interactive exploration, Better diagnostics

Cons

• Specialized software

• Lots of computing

X-Rays

Use

• X ray beams to visualize internal body structures

• Fractures, bones, joins, lungs, foreign objects

Preparation

• Minimal preparation

• No metal

Pros

• Accessible, quick, real-time, anyone

Cons

• Not good for soft tissue

Elastography

Uses

• Tissue stiffness testing for liver fibrosis, breast lesions, and tumors (scar tissue)

• Complement other diagnostic imaging

• Vibrations

preparation

• Avoid alcohol for liver

• Remove metal

pros

• non-invasive without ionizing radiation or contrast agents, lowers need for biopsy

cons

• supplementary

• limited availability

Computed Tomography

• Cross sectional x rays

• Trauma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders

• Planning

Preparation

• Sometimes fasting

• Contrast agents

• Remove metal

Pros

• High resolution, excellent spatial resolution, quick diagnosis and treatment, great tissue contrast

Cons

• Ionizing radiation, Allergic reaction from contrast, expensive, not tendons and ligaments

SPECT

uses

• Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is a system that creates 3D images of a patient’s body using tracers and creating images

• Gamma decays of the tracer are subsequently detected by the SPECT cameras, forming images of the area

• Typically bloodstream, seizure, dementia

preparation

• no preggo

pro

• 3d

• cheap

con

• low resolution

• some small radiation

Nuclear medicine

• visualize physiological processes for organ function, abnormality

  • PET and SPECT

• may need to fast or something

• high sensitivity for abnormalities and whole body imaging, non invasive

• exposure to ionizing radiation from tracer, maybe allergic reaction, less resolution

FNIR

• Oxygenation of the blood by shooting near infrared light

• neurological disorder and funcitoning

• not dangerous, relatively inexpensive

• developing technology