The end of the 19th century witnessed one of the monumental moments of innovation, the discovery of the X-ray machine by Wilhelm Rontgen. Doctors were eventually able to see the different organs lying beneath the human skin. But how does it work? When the light rays skim through the body, tissues underneath the skin absorb a certain amount of energy that leaves shadows on a photography film. Well, the story does not just end there!
During the image capture using X-ray, all the organs appeared as though they were piled one on top of the other. It was therefore challenging to read the photographic films and make out what they entailed. This finally changed when Godfrey Hounsfield came up with a CT scan, also known as Computerized Tomography. This brought a whole new dimension into the medical field.
CT scanners are unique in that a rotating ring is used to capture photo images. This can be done from different angles. A computer then distinguishes the body organs by separating signals from blood cells, bones and various organs. An image can be created ranging from a thickness of one millimeter to ten. The inside of the body is shown in cross-section. During scanning, a table slides a patient's body into a ring where more image slices are captured. They are stacked together by the computer which eventually produces 3D pictures of internal organ images.
The eventual result is an advanced resolution picture that clearly depicts the inside of the body. Unlike a usual X-ray, the outlines of scans are clearer, allowing for abnormalities to be seen. For the picture to be even better, contrast agents, or X-ray agents, are used. A good example is the use of iodine solution injected into the blood. It reveals blood vessel outlines thereby showing clots clearly. When Barium is taken in a drink or eaten while mixed with meat, it readily outlines digestive systems to reveal tumors in the process.
While X-rays are touted to radiate small amounts of ions that are known to damage cells, it has immense benefits which largely outweigh risks that may be involved.
MRI and CT Scans
CT scans are important as they show organs, blood vessels and bones. However, they are unable to reveal more of the soft tissues within the body. On the other hand, MRI shows more than bones and tissues. Since it exhibits powerful magnetic forces and radio waves, it readily produces 3D images. Water molecules in the body are pulled by the magnets. As they rotate, they point towards one direction.
The waves knock them out of their positions for a brief moment and they bounce right back. When this happens, they release energy that is picked by detectors. Positions of the internal organs can then be clearly seen.
SPECT AND PEC SCANS
At the moment, there is nuclear medicine that doctors are using to inspect given parts of the inner body. Patients swallow, inhale or are injected with little amounts of radioactive substances that lead to the lighting of tissues. Medics do this when they wish to detect any anomalies in circulatory systems of patients. SPECT, or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography scans, have become ideal for many functions. PET Scans, or Emission Computed Tomography, is another option for inspecting internal body organs. It uses tracers from radioactivity resulting into positrons as opposed to gamma rays. PEC tracers often light tissues through use of lots of energy. Eventually it reveals any underlying conditions like tumors.
