Medical Imaging--10 Things You Probably Didn't Know

While most people are probably familiar with medical imaging basics, there are some things which they may either not be aware of or have a wrong impression about; they may even entertain some myths and misconceptions. After all, radiology is a specialized field that has not been around for very long, historically speaking. In fact, it wasn't too long ago that medical imaging consisted primarily (if not exclusively) of X-rays. The last 30 to 40 years, however, have seen tremendous strides in this area of medicine.

You may know that medical imaging today involves much more than X-rays, but are you familiar with the following 10 facts?

1. There is no radioactive material in X-ray machines. Some people are afraid to get near or be exposed to X-ray machines but this fear is mostly unfounded. X-rays are a special kind of electromagnetic radiation produced by cathode tubes. The radiation is only present while the machine is running but there is no radioactive material to speak of, in "contrast" to, say, PET scanners, which do use radioactive substances. Additionally, X-ray machines do not produce radioactive waste like nuclear reactors.

2. MRI machines can seriously harm you if mistakes are made during its operation. Forgetting, for example, to tell your doctor or imaging center about anything metallic that may be embedded in your body could be a huge mistake. The magnets inside MRIs are ridiculously powerful--enough, in fact, to rip a piece of metal out of/from your body. While the metal is in motion past or inside your body, significant cutting/abrasive internal damage can occur. If, for example, a pair of small forceps were to be mistakenly left inside your abdomen (as has been known to happen during lengthy surgical procedures), the results could be catastrophic during an MRI. For that reason, even tattoos that may contain metallic-particle paints could be a problem when getting an MRI. Also, devices (e.g., pacemakers) put in your body for your good health can be damaged by magnetic resonance imaging.

3. You should get and regularly update a "radiation from medical imaging total exposure" logbook. Such records may greatly help your physician decide if additional medical imaging are in your best interest. If truth be told, medical imaging (like antibiotics) have been known to be over-prescribed. You should keep track of how much radiation you are being exposed to in a lifetime, including from dental exams.

4. Most X-rays today use digital technology rather than the expensive, heavy, silver-based films of the past. This has not only saved on imaging costs, but it also allows for easier storage, better accessibility (since they can now be stored electronically) and even better imaging quality--or so some experts posit.

5. A radiologist isn't just an expert in imaging equipment result interpretation--he/she is in fact a licensed medical doctor. That's right, radiologists go to medical school where they choose to specialize in their field, the same as cardiologists, otorhinolaryngologists (ENTs), gynecologists, etc.

6. You should insist on being given a lead apron/belt to wear around your waist (so as to protect your reproductive organs) when being X-rayed. Sometimes imaging center staff (who are often very busy) can overlook this very important precaution. Some parts of the body appear to be more sensitive than others to radiation exposure--this is especially true of these organs.

7. Imaging technology can also be used to treat diseases. This is the case, for example, in the use of radiation therapy to treat cancer.

8. Some radiologists are especially trained not just in diagnosing disease but also treating them. This happens to be the case for Interventional Radiologists. Although this is a fairly new field (comparatively speaking), it is an area that is being relied upon more and more with each passing year. This is especially true for, among other things, less invasive (compared to traditional surgery) laser surgical procedures and medical imaging-guided interventions.

9. We are no longer obligated to expose patients to dangerous radiation in order to get very detailed, anatomically accurate medical imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) and sonography, for example, can be used to look at very secluded parts of the human body, as well as things that can best be studied while still in motion (i.e., blood still coursing through arteries/veins, the heart pumping, the lungs expanding, etc.).

10. We can now see things with medical imaging which were hitherto difficult to capture. The moving functions and anatomical parts alluded to in # 9 are good examples. But imaging made possible by positron emission tomography (PET) is perhaps even more impressive. Using radioactive markers, it is possible to see if a part of the body is using, say, more glucose than other parts. Such occurrence, for example, may indicate the presence of a tumor even in places that had previously been hard to image (like the brain).

Conclusion

For sure, medical imaging has come a long way in just the last 50 years. The many options available allow for the consideration of all possible variables: cost, time restrictions, the need to protect fetuses, the reduction of radiation whenever possible, etc. More importantly, we can now see better and more inclusively inside the human body. This can allow for quicker, more accurate treatment plans. Consequently, this leads to more efficiency, fewer mistakes being made, and more lives being saved.

Copyright, 2014. Fred Fletcher. All rights reserved.

References & Resources

1. http://ulf.org/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri

2. http://info.iowaradiology.com/mri-safety-%E2%80%93-practical-points-for-patients-and-providers

3. http://www.beaumont.edu/files/imce/pdfs/Wallet%20Card%20with%20dose%20table%203.19.10.pdf.

4. http://www.acr.org/Quality-Safety/Radiology-Safety/Patient-Resources/About-Radiology

5. http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/leadgarmentsfaq.html

6. http://www.naturalnews.com/022073_tattoos_health_skin.html