Radiology is
the branch or specialty of medicine that deals with the study and application
of imaging technology like x-ray and radiation to diagnose and treat diseases.
Radiologist direct an array of imaging technologies such as
ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine, position emission
tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to patients. Radiology is
the performance of medical procedures with the help of imaging technologies
like MRI, CT, and Ultrasound etc. The acquirement of medical imaging is usually
carried out by the radiographer or radiologist technician.
Diagnostic Radiology
Diagnostic radiology helps health care professionals to see
the structures inside your body. By the help of these imaging, the radiologist
or radiographer or other physicians can often:
- Diagnose the cause of your symptoms.
- Monitor how well your body is reacting to a treatment you are receiving for your disease or condition.
- Screen for all different types of illnesses, like as breast cancer or heart diseases.
The
Most common Types of Radiology include:
- Computed Tomography, also known as a CAT scan (Computerized axial Tomography)
- CT Angiography
- Fluoroscopy with scanning, including upper GI and barium enema
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography
- Mammography
- Nuclear Medicine, which includes bone scan, thyroid scan and thallium cardiac stress test
- Plain X-Rays
- Position Emission Tomography also known as PET Imaging or a PET Scan
- Ultrasound
Explore
or Interventional Radiology:
Doctors use Interventional radiology as a help guide when
inserting catheters, wires and other small instruments and tools into your
body.
Doctors or Physicians can use this technology to diagnose
conditions in almost any part of your body. Some of these conditions include
cancers or tumors, blockage in your blood vessel and veins, fibroids in the
uterus, back pain, gallstones and gallbladder problems and thyroid disorder.
Radiographer or Radiologist who perform these kinds of
procedure gets one or two years extra training after they have finished their
medical schooling and basic radiology training.
Examples of Explore or Interventional Radiology are:
- Angiography or Angioplasty and Stent Placement
- Catheter Embolization
- Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
- Needle biopsies of different organs like lungs and thyroid
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Uterine Artery Embolization
- Feeding Tube Placement
- Injecting Cancer Treatments at the site of the Tumor
