Medical Imaging...benefits, risks, and the future
- Keerthi Nalabotu
- Jun 15, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 26, 2020
A woman sits in the corner, and starts praying. The room is occupied by a few others like her. Her headaches still haven’t left, and at times, she’s even felt dizzy.
She could never understand why. After all, she was a very healthy woman with a good diet and hygiene. Her name was called up next, and she entered the room where her life would change forever. You may be wondering … what happened? Well, a CT scan happened. The scan revealed that the woman had a rather medium sized tumor inside her brain. If this scan hadn’t been done, and the woman came in a few weeks or even days later, something terrible could have happened. So, this of course, is a pretty common hypothetical situation, but it summarizes the gist of how useful medical imaging technology can really be.
Let’s start with the basics: What is Medical Imaging?
Medical Imaging can be defined as technology used to view inside a body for a variety of purposes. Now, there are a multitude of different kinds of imaging technologies which will be very briefly described here.
Types of Imaging:
X-rays
CT scans
Nuclear Medicine Scans
MRI scans
Ultrasounds
What are Medical X-rays?
Medical X-rays use ionizing radiation to produce images. X-ray beams are sent into the body where they may be either absorbed or scattered. The x-rays are then detected by a computer or film. Within Medical X-rays there are a few subcategories:
Radiography: single image is produced using the x-ray imaging.
Mammography: radiography used to look at internal breast structures
Fluoroscopy: x-ray imaging is tracked live time throughout the body, and is seen through a screen (often needed for placing devices in the body).
- High radiation is used.
4. CT scan: uses multiple pictures of the same area in the body to create a cross-section. - Good for imaging of bones and hard structures in the body
- A lot of radiation is used for this method.
There are 2 main advantages of x-ray imaging.They help medical professionals and surgeons when performing tumors or blockages in the body and they also help to diagnose disease. However there are many more risks and disadvantages:
May cause damage to DNA
Increased susceptibility to cancer
Skin problems and hair loss
Tissue effects
Younger people are more prone to radiation
Women may be more prone to radiation
May develop cataracts ( clouding of vision/natural eye lens which may cause vision loss)
What is a MRI?
The next type of Medical Imaging is MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging. MRI’s are used for taking images of internal structures of the body. Electric fields and radio waves are used for this form of imaging. A temporary electric field is created around the person’s body and radio waves are sent into the body and received by a transmitter which makes images. The MRI may last up to 90 minutes, depending on which part of the body is being looked at. There are many types of MRI’s and only a few are discussed below;
fMRI (functional MRI)-- used to show which parts of the brain are active, by looking at the oxygen level.
Angiography ( used to view blood flow)
Spectroscopy ( has been used for multiple reasons ranging from assessing tumors to chemical composition of tissues)
MRI’s are advantageous since there is no radiation involved and they are very useful when looking at fat, water, and other soft organs or tissues. There are no known disadvantages of MRI’s but it is known to cause body heating, and due to its strong magnetic field, it may attract magnetic items. It may be harmful to people who have metal implants within their body.
What are Ultrasounds?
Lastly, we have ultrasounds. Ultrasounds use high frequency sound waves to show real time movement within the body. Usually, a gel is placed on the area of interest, and a transducer (probe) is placed directly on top. The amount of time and strength it takes for the sound waves to reach the area are the parameters through which the image is produced. There are many uses for ultrasounds a few of which are listed here:
Used for fetal ultrasounds (during pregnancy),
Abdominal ultrasounds (to view the tissue and muscle in the area)
Echocardiogram (to view the heart)
Bone sonometry (to conclude how fragile the bones are)
No radiation is used during ultrasounds which is good. Long term health risks aren’t known, however, tissue problems afterwards have been noticed.
So, those were the three main types of medical imaging techniques that are used, Medical X-rays, MRI’s, and Ultrasounds.
What about the future?
In the future, we can expect much different technologies. Even today, all over the world we can see how technology is shaping every industry as we know it. From manufacturing to meat processing machines and robots are slowly taking their course. Even medical treatments have been altered for the better. As surgeries become more and more AI and machine based, surgeries have become easier and more precise. We can expect the same for medical imaging. In the future, AI and Machine Learning may shape Medical Imaging for the better. They may become more precise and detailed allowing for better diagnosis and treatment. One thing is for sure; however it may change, Medical Imaging will always be an important factor in the healthcare system.
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