Both MRI and CT Scans are diagnostic tools used to help medical professionals get a glimpse inside before they make their diagnosis. Though the end goal is the same, each imaging method goes about achieving it in different ways. Let’s take a look at MRIs and CT Scans and how they are fundamentally different in the world of diagnostic imaging.
What To Expect From A Closed-Bore MRI
Most people have some idea what an MRI is, but not everyone has undergone an MRI exam before. If you have an MRI scheduled in the future for the first time, or if you’re just curious, then you will mostly likely want to know what you should expect to happen. So, for those of you undergoing a closed-bore MRI, here is some information that will help you understand what is going to happen.
5 Tips For Identifying Osteoporosis
Around the world, around one in three women and one in five men will experience a fracture caused by weak bones. The root of these dangerous fractures is osteoporosis—a disease that affects over 10 million Americans. Oftentimes, osteoporosis is not diagnosed until a person sustains an injury like a fracture. Because of that, we’re helping you identify early signs of osteoporosis so you don’t have to wait until the worst happens to begin treating it.
What is an IVP: Preparation, Procedure, & Results
An IVP, or intravenous pyelogram, is an x-ray test that provides pictures of the kidneys, urethra, bladder, and ureters. An IVP can measure the size, shape, and position of the urinary tract and evaluate what is collected inside the kidneys. During this test, a dye called contrast material is injected into the arm and then multiple x-rays are taken at different intervals.
What Is ACR Accreditation & Why Does It Matter?
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Signs & Symptoms Of Breast Cancer
5 Renowned Radiologists and Their Contributions To Our Industry
Radiology as a medical specialty is a relatively young field. It’s beginnings can be traced to 1895 after the first x-ray machine was invented. Radiology can simply be defined as the science of radiation and radiation imaging. According to Dr. Catherine Phillips MD, “most people believe a radiologist only does x-rays, but, actually, they are responsible for imaging in all modalities. That includes x-rays, CT scans, MRI’s, PET scans, and much more.”
These diagnostic imaging tests are invaluable to the treatment of countless diseases and conditions. Physicians can use these highly detailed images of the body to pinpoint exactly what is wrong with a patient, or how a specific disease is affecting a patient's soft tissues. As a science, radiology is largely dependent on technological advancement. For that reason, there are a quite a few famous radiologists throughout history who have made important contributions to the field.
Let’s look at a few of these “founding fathers” and the history of radiology timeline:
1. Wilhelm Rontgen (1895):
Wilhelm Rontgen, a Dutch/German physicist, and mechanical engineer are responsible for the founding invention of radiology. In 1895 Rontgen discovered x-ray radiation and its ability to produce images of bones. He was intrigued by this new type of ray and found that it’s properties allowed him to see through non-transparent objects. He performed the first x-ray test on his wife, Anna Bertha Ludwig. From these x-ray experiments in Rontgen’s modest laboratory, the entire field of radiology was born. Rontgen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.
2. Ian Donald (1956):
Ian Donald was a Scottish obstetrician and physician who was the first person to use ultrasound imaging in medicine. Donald served in the Royal Air Force during World War II where he developed a keen interest in radar and sonar. This interest would push him to use these sciences for medical ultrasound purposes. The ultrasound uses sound waves to create real-time images of internal body structures. While most notably it is used to view fetal development in pregnant women, it can also be used to view tendons, muscles, joints, and internal organs.
3. Godfrey Hounsfield & Allan Cormack (1971):
Hounsfield and Cormack were the two electrical engineers who invented the x-ray computed tomography (CT) scan in 1971. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1979 for this important contribution to the field. The CT scan uses a combination of x-rays and computer software to create cross-sectional images of specific portions of the body. This invention further established radiology as a cutting edge, hi-tech field of science. The CT scan can produce highly detailed images of the brain, lungs, heart, and other internal organs. Ct scans help diagnose and treat a wide array of diseases from cancer to brain injury.
4. Raymond Vahan Damadian (1979):
Damadian invented the first commercial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine in 1979. The MRI scan is different from the CT scan and other radiological procedures in that it does not use x-rays at all. The MRI uses magnetic fields, radio waves, and field gradients to generate images of internal organs. MRIs are becoming more and more popular in medicine today. They are one of the most prescribed imaging tests and are used to diagnose tumors, brain injury, aneurysms, blocked blood vessels, spinal injuries, tendon and muscle problems, and much, much more.
5. Ronald Nutt and David Townsend (1998):
Townsend and Nutt are considered the inventors of the PET-CT scanner. This scan uses Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computerized Tomography (CT) simultaneously to add a precise anatomic localization to functional imaging. PET scans use radioactive pharmaceutical injections. As the injected substance interacts with the electrons of the body, both positron and electron are annihilated and two gamma photons are produced. These photons move in opposite directions of one another, and the PET scan detects them and uses these photons to create the three-dimensional diagnostic image. The PET-CT scanner uses CT technology to then combine with PET scan and locates tumors, etc. precisely.
Radiology has come a long way from Dr. Rontgen’s laboratory. The simple x-ray image of his wife’s hand provided the groundwork for the high-tech nuclear medicine techniques and 3D images of today’s radiologists. Radiology history shows us that over the course of one hundred years the field has not only changed and improved drastically, but it has also revolutionized diagnostic medicine. Who knows where radiology technology will be in another hundred years.
Identifying & Treating Traumatic Brain Injury In Children
Unfortunately, traumatic brain injuries are all-too-common among children. Because of the prevalence, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of traumatic brain injury in children, including what it is, how to identify TBI in children, your role as the parent in helping children cope after TBI and understanding options for treatment of a traumatic brain injury in children.
Yoga For Bone And Spine Health
September is National Yoga Month, and seeing as it’s right around the corner we felt it right to talk a little about how yoga can help improve your bone and spine health. Maintaining your bone health is vital, particularly as we age, and not doing so can mean the loss of bone density and, eventually, osteoporosis. Frequent exercise and even yoga can help strengthen your bones, your spine, and your muscles as well. Here are some more specifics on how yoga can help build your bone and spine health.
Diagnostic Radiology: 7 Imaging Scans You Can Get At Our BICRAD Locations
Before choosing a radiology center for your imaging needs, you should check for certain things: whether they hire board-certified radiologists, if they are an American College of Radiology accredited facility, and the range of services they offer. At Bay Imaging Consultants (BICRAD), we don’t believe in providing anything less than top notch care, whatever your radiology need, we can cover it!
Top 5 Risk Factors For Heart Disease
The heart disease statistics are staggering, and while there isn’t always a way to change genetically predisposed risk factors for heart disease, there are risk factors for heart disease associated with lifestyle choices that can radically increase your odds of developing a cardiovascular disease. Here are the top 5 risk factors for heart disease, that you can actually do something about.
Rural VS Urban Mammogram Screening Rates Vary Widely In These 9 States
Annual mammograms are so often stressed for women over 45 — yet, despite the huge push for early detection methods, there are many factors that affect a women’s likelihood of getting a mammogram screening, especially in rural areas of the country. Here are 9 states with the biggest disparity of screening between women living in rural versus metropolitan areas.
Staying Aware Of Breast Cancer In Men
Although breast cancer is extremely rare in men, it can also affect them. Lack of awareness makes breast cancer extremely dangerous for men, who often do not consider their symptoms to be signs of breast cancer until the disease is more advanced. This is why we wanted to take a moment to discuss breast cancer in men, including which risk factors and symptoms to be aware of.
The Different Types Of Ultrasounds: 2D, 3D, and 4D
Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
Why Your Imaging Center Asks You To Wear A Gown For Your Scan
Being asked to change into a gown before an imaging scan can be annoying and while some may think this is a bit of an arbitrary task, or that it’s simply a way to ensure sanitation or image quality, there is in fact a much more serious reason behind why your imaging center asks you to wear a gown: to prevent injury.
How To Offer The Best Breast Cancer Support Possible
Breast cancer is a tricky subject to discuss and when it affects one of your family members, it can be even more difficult to process. The good news is you’re not alone, and with just a little bit of research and dedication, you could find that knowing how to support someone with cancer is not as difficult as it may seem to be at first. Here are 3 simple ways you can provide better breast cancer support, starting today.
How Does Getting A Mammogram With Breast Implants Work?
Medical Research Studies You Can Take At BICRAD
Whatever you reason is for wanting to participate in a medical research study, BICRAD, in collaboration with the John Muir Clinical Research Center, is happy to conduct two different studies to determine whether lung cancer can be detected earlier and if early detection can lead to improved survival rates. Read more to learn if you’re eligible to participate.
5 Reasons Why BICRAD Has The Best Radiology Specialists
When you’re in need of an imaging test, you want to make sure that the clinic you choose has the best radiology specialists in your area. At Bay Imaging Consultants, our radiologists are not only extensively qualified, they’re also trained and ready to meet with you directly. Here are five reasons why we believe our clinics are home to the best radiology specialists.