Medical Imaging Lesson

Medical Imaging: Techniques used to view the inside of the human body for diagnosis and treatment.

  • Essential for detecting disease, monitoring treatment progression and guiding surgeries

X-rays: Pass through the body and absorbed at different rates by different tissues.

  • Detects fractures, infections and lung diseases.

  • Bones absorb more x-rays, appear white

  • Soft tissues absorb fewer x-rays, appear dark

Pros: Quick, inexpensive and widely available

Cons: Exposure to radiation, limited soft tissue detail

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves are emitted by a probe. Waves create images.

Pros: Noninvasive, safe and realtime imaging

Cons: Exposure to radiation, limited resolution for deep structure, operator-dependent

CT Scans: Xrays combined with computers to create cross-sectional images

Pros: detailed images, good at dectcing trauma and internal conditions

Cons: Higher radiation, expensive

MRI: Strong magnetic field and raido waves used to generate images of the bodies SOFT tissue

Pros: No radiation, high detail and good for SOFT TISSUE

Cons: Expensive, takes longer, not good for patients with metal implants

BEST FOR EXAMINING SOFT TISSUE

Fluroscopy: Uses continous xray images to create real-time moving images of inside the body

Pros: Real-time images, useful for guiding procedures

Cons: Radiation, not as detailed as others

Biophotonics: Uses light (photons) to study biological matierals and processes

Pros: High resolution, non invasive, real time cellular imaging

Cons: Requires specialized equipment, research-orientated

Benefits:

  • Non-invasive techniques minimizes need for surgery

  • Early dectection: Allows early diagonosis for diseases

  • Safe and Effective: Most techniques have few side-effects or risks

Ethical Consideration:

  • Techniques like xray and ct scans expose patients to radiation

  • Medical images are private (they should be protected to prevent misuse)

  • Cost and accesibility: some technqiues like MRIs and PETs are expensive and not accesible to everyone.

TECHNIQUES THAT USE RADIATION

  • XRAY

  • CT SCANS

  • FLUROSCOPY