In order to provide a better image for the clinicians, molecular imaging can be combined with CT or MRI images so when the images are put together, the PET or SPECT images will be related to the anatomical structures obtained from the CT or MRI images. These two techniques generate images that reveal the metabolism of the body, or the behaviour of certain particles, but cannot generate images of the anatomical structures. In 1976 the first SPECT and PET scanners were developed going through 5 generations until what is in the market today. PET and SPECT are types of nuclear imagine techniques that provide physicians with information about how tissues and organs are functioning. Two specific technologies are used in nuclear medicine, namely POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET) and SINGLE PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (SPECT). AIPES has developed a comprehensive tool on nuclear medicine. Molecular imaging allows for an earlier diagnosis.Ĭombining molecular imaging with CT or MRI images can provide clinicians with superior images. Some conditions initially have a physiological effect, rather than an anatomical change in the body. Unlike other ionizing radiation techniques, which can only generate anatomical images, this technique generates functional images. These accumulate in a specific part of the body in a controlled way. Molecular Imaging is a diagnostic tool where metabolic processes can be visualised by administering small amounts of radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients. Technological improvements in CT such as dose modulation acquisition techniques and iterative reconstruction algorithms dramatically reduce the required X-Ray dose, improve hospital efficiency and clinical effectiveness and reduce costs. Abdominal aortic aneurysms (CT angiography).Organs in the pelvis, chest and abdomen.Contrast agents are commonly used in combination with CT scans to perform angiographies and other specific tissue examinations. The resulting images provide greater information than regular X-rays, allowing doctors to examine individual slices within the 3-D images. The first CT scanner for medical use dates from 1972. This produces detailed cross-sectional internal images. COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT)Īlso commonly referred to as a CT scan, Computed Tomography is an imaging technique that combines multiple X-ray images taken from different angles. X-ray radiation can generate three kinds of medical images conventional X-ray imaging, angiography and fluoroscopy.Ĭonventional X-ray imaging generates an image of a localised part of the body, which will be analysed for anatomical abnormalities.Īngiography uses X-rays in combination with a contrast agent (chemical substances used to enhance specific structures in images) in order to visualise blood vessels, particularly the coronary arteries.įluoroscopy uses X-rays to visualise the internal structure in real-time, providing moving images of the interior of an object, such as hearts beating or throats in the process of swallowing. These are absorbed at different levels depending on the density of the tissue. X-rays use ionizing radiation to produce images of a person’s internal structure by sending beams through the body. X-rays were discovered in 1895 and first used to image human tissue in 1896. X-rays are the oldest and most commonly used medical imaging technique. In medical sector this phenomenon is used to create images, both anatomical (X-ray, CT) and physiological, or functional, images (Nuclear Medicine – PET and SPECT). Ionizing radiation is a physical phenomenon based on directing high energy particles (photons) to an object. The value of imaging in improving the effectiveness of treatment throughout the care pathway should be captured and used. It contributes to better, more accurate diagnoses from the outset and, through ongoing monitoring and measuring, allows for improved care decisions and more effective treatments and outcomes. Imaging technology is an essential component of the care pathway, adding value at every stage where it is used.
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