Radiology
Content
RADIOLOGY for HEALTH
oleh
What is Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that uses a special
type of testing (imaging) to look at and treat internal
parts of the body. Some of the commonly known tests
are :
• X-Rays
• Ultrasound
• CT (Computed Tomography)
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
What is Radiology
Radiology is at the forefront of technological advances in clinical
medicine. The ability to produce pictures of the human body
using many different techniques has revolutionised the practice
of medicine over the past hundred years.
Radiologists are central members of the multidisciplinary
clinical care team and play an important role in the diagnosis
and treatment.
Radiology offers tremendous scope for a varied career in cutting
edge technology, clinical medicine, teaching and research and is
becoming more highly sub-specialised as imaging technology
increases in its sophistication and complexity.
I think I need a radiology test.
How do I get one?
• To have a radiology test you will need to obtain a
referral from a doctor, specialist or other health
professional who has taken your thorough
medical history and examined you.
• Radiology tests are one part of your overall
medical care, and you may need to have other
non radiology tests before your doctor or other
health professional can decide if you need a
radiology test to help find out what is wrong, or
to reassure you that everything is normal.
Radiology Professional
The different types of radiology professions
available :
• The Radiologist
• The Radiographer
• The Sonographer
• The Radiology Nurse
Three types of radiology
Diagnostic imaging uses plain X-ray radiology, computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and
nuclear medicine imaging techniques to obtain images that are then interpreted to aid in the diagnosis of disease.
Interventional radiologists treat as well as diagnose disease using imaging equipment. Interventional radiologists may sub-specialise
further so that they only treat abnormalities of the brain or spinal cord (neurointervention) or of the blood vessels elsewhere in the
body (angiointervention) Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive procedures using X-ray, magnetic or ultrasound images to
guide the procedures, usually done with tiny instruments and thin plastic tubes called catheters inserted through an artery or vein.
Radiation oncology uses radiation to treat diseases such as cancer, using radiation therapy. These specialists are not called
radiologists, but radiation oncologists.
Sub division in Radiology
• Thoracic Radiology
• Neuroradiology and Head
and Neck Radiology
• Pediatric Radiology
• Musculoskeletal
• Abdominal
• Uro Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Interventional Neuro
Radiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Breast Imaging
What is ultrasound?
• Ultrasound consists of high frequency sound waves too
high for the human ear to detect, rather like the noise
used by bats and dolphins to determine where they
are.
• These waves are emitted by an ultrasound probe and
travel harmlessly through the body bouncing off
various layers of tissue.
• The probe then hears these echoes which are relayed
onto a screen allowing the pictures to be interpreted.
Ultrasound is now the method of choice for monitoring
in diagnosis of numerous conditions involving organs
such as the liver, kidney, heart and blood vessels.
What is a CAT or CT scan?
• Computed axial tomography (CT scan) is simply
another x-ray technique using a scanner that
takes a series of pictures across the body
allowing the radiologist to view the images in
two dimensional or three dimensional form.
• Spiral CT is the most modern form of this
imaging with the pictures being produced in only
a few seconds.
What is MRI?
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetism
and radiofrequency pulses that are detected by a radio
antenna, processed by a computer and made into
images (pictures) or data.
• MRI does not use radiation and is not known to have
any long term harmful effects.
• Procedures involving MRI require that you do not wear
metal objects that can affect or be affected by the
magnets, i.e. jewellery, watches, underwire bras, metal
fastenings such as zips, etc, including some makeup and
hairspray that can contain minute metalparticles.
What is mammography?
• Mammography uses low dose X-rays to examine the breasts.
Screening mammography is performed to detect breast
cancer when it is too small to be felt as a lump and can
reduce the death rate from breast cancer by detecting
unsuspected breast cancer at any early stage when it
increases the likelihood of it being successfully treated.
• Diagnostic mammography confirms whether changes or
symptoms discovered in the breast are benign (noncancerous) or indicate breast cancer, requiring further tests
and treatments. You will be asked not to wear deodorant,
perfume, lotion or talcum powder for your mammogram
because these can show up as shadows on the images.
What is nuclear medicine or
isotope scanning ?
• Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging
that uses liquid radioactive isotopes (chemical
elements or substances sometimes called a
tracer) injected into your bloodstream.
• The body handles different radioactive
substances differently when disease is present
and the radiation emitted is detected by a
special camera called a gamma camera and
projected onto a screen.
What is fluoroscopy?
• This machine produces a constant stream of xrays so that it works in real time, enabling the
doctor to view a changing image continuously, as
in an interventional procedure.
• A digital unit produces an image where the
picture elements (pixels) have a numerical value
and this technology normally delivers a lower
dose of radiation than the previous analogue
system whilst providing high definition, high
resolution images.
What is interventional radiology?
• Interventional radiology is a sub-specialty of radiology used to
treat abnormalities of virtually every organ in the body.
Interventional radiology uses minimally invasive (keyhole)
procedures with usually only a small cut (less than 1 centimetre)
made in the skin.
• A catheter (thin plastic tube) is then inserted into a vein or artery
through which the treatment is carried out.
• Treatment may consist of widening narrowed arteries, delivering
chemotherapy or radiation therapy to tumours, draining abscesses
deep within the body, or relieving blockages in bile ducts and the
urinary tract.
• Interventional radiologists also block abnormal blood vessels (with
coils, medical glue, or small particles). If untreated, these
abnormal vessels cause bleeding into various parts of the body
(such as the brain, spinal cord, lungs, bowel, and abdominal cavity)
that can progress to a severe disability or even death.
Pulmonary Embolism
What is a PET scan
(positron emission tomography)?
• A diagnostic imaging technique in which
patients are given a special radioactive
substance that emits positrons which in turn
give rise to gamma rays which are detected by
a gamma camera.
oleh
What is Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that uses a special
type of testing (imaging) to look at and treat internal
parts of the body. Some of the commonly known tests
are :
• X-Rays
• Ultrasound
• CT (Computed Tomography)
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
What is Radiology
Radiology is at the forefront of technological advances in clinical
medicine. The ability to produce pictures of the human body
using many different techniques has revolutionised the practice
of medicine over the past hundred years.
Radiologists are central members of the multidisciplinary
clinical care team and play an important role in the diagnosis
and treatment.
Radiology offers tremendous scope for a varied career in cutting
edge technology, clinical medicine, teaching and research and is
becoming more highly sub-specialised as imaging technology
increases in its sophistication and complexity.
I think I need a radiology test.
How do I get one?
• To have a radiology test you will need to obtain a
referral from a doctor, specialist or other health
professional who has taken your thorough
medical history and examined you.
• Radiology tests are one part of your overall
medical care, and you may need to have other
non radiology tests before your doctor or other
health professional can decide if you need a
radiology test to help find out what is wrong, or
to reassure you that everything is normal.
Radiology Professional
The different types of radiology professions
available :
• The Radiologist
• The Radiographer
• The Sonographer
• The Radiology Nurse
Three types of radiology
Diagnostic imaging uses plain X-ray radiology, computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and
nuclear medicine imaging techniques to obtain images that are then interpreted to aid in the diagnosis of disease.
Interventional radiologists treat as well as diagnose disease using imaging equipment. Interventional radiologists may sub-specialise
further so that they only treat abnormalities of the brain or spinal cord (neurointervention) or of the blood vessels elsewhere in the
body (angiointervention) Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive procedures using X-ray, magnetic or ultrasound images to
guide the procedures, usually done with tiny instruments and thin plastic tubes called catheters inserted through an artery or vein.
Radiation oncology uses radiation to treat diseases such as cancer, using radiation therapy. These specialists are not called
radiologists, but radiation oncologists.
Sub division in Radiology
• Thoracic Radiology
• Neuroradiology and Head
and Neck Radiology
• Pediatric Radiology
• Musculoskeletal
• Abdominal
• Uro Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Interventional Neuro
Radiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Breast Imaging
What is ultrasound?
• Ultrasound consists of high frequency sound waves too
high for the human ear to detect, rather like the noise
used by bats and dolphins to determine where they
are.
• These waves are emitted by an ultrasound probe and
travel harmlessly through the body bouncing off
various layers of tissue.
• The probe then hears these echoes which are relayed
onto a screen allowing the pictures to be interpreted.
Ultrasound is now the method of choice for monitoring
in diagnosis of numerous conditions involving organs
such as the liver, kidney, heart and blood vessels.
What is a CAT or CT scan?
• Computed axial tomography (CT scan) is simply
another x-ray technique using a scanner that
takes a series of pictures across the body
allowing the radiologist to view the images in
two dimensional or three dimensional form.
• Spiral CT is the most modern form of this
imaging with the pictures being produced in only
a few seconds.
What is MRI?
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetism
and radiofrequency pulses that are detected by a radio
antenna, processed by a computer and made into
images (pictures) or data.
• MRI does not use radiation and is not known to have
any long term harmful effects.
• Procedures involving MRI require that you do not wear
metal objects that can affect or be affected by the
magnets, i.e. jewellery, watches, underwire bras, metal
fastenings such as zips, etc, including some makeup and
hairspray that can contain minute metalparticles.
What is mammography?
• Mammography uses low dose X-rays to examine the breasts.
Screening mammography is performed to detect breast
cancer when it is too small to be felt as a lump and can
reduce the death rate from breast cancer by detecting
unsuspected breast cancer at any early stage when it
increases the likelihood of it being successfully treated.
• Diagnostic mammography confirms whether changes or
symptoms discovered in the breast are benign (noncancerous) or indicate breast cancer, requiring further tests
and treatments. You will be asked not to wear deodorant,
perfume, lotion or talcum powder for your mammogram
because these can show up as shadows on the images.
What is nuclear medicine or
isotope scanning ?
• Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging
that uses liquid radioactive isotopes (chemical
elements or substances sometimes called a
tracer) injected into your bloodstream.
• The body handles different radioactive
substances differently when disease is present
and the radiation emitted is detected by a
special camera called a gamma camera and
projected onto a screen.
What is fluoroscopy?
• This machine produces a constant stream of xrays so that it works in real time, enabling the
doctor to view a changing image continuously, as
in an interventional procedure.
• A digital unit produces an image where the
picture elements (pixels) have a numerical value
and this technology normally delivers a lower
dose of radiation than the previous analogue
system whilst providing high definition, high
resolution images.
What is interventional radiology?
• Interventional radiology is a sub-specialty of radiology used to
treat abnormalities of virtually every organ in the body.
Interventional radiology uses minimally invasive (keyhole)
procedures with usually only a small cut (less than 1 centimetre)
made in the skin.
• A catheter (thin plastic tube) is then inserted into a vein or artery
through which the treatment is carried out.
• Treatment may consist of widening narrowed arteries, delivering
chemotherapy or radiation therapy to tumours, draining abscesses
deep within the body, or relieving blockages in bile ducts and the
urinary tract.
• Interventional radiologists also block abnormal blood vessels (with
coils, medical glue, or small particles). If untreated, these
abnormal vessels cause bleeding into various parts of the body
(such as the brain, spinal cord, lungs, bowel, and abdominal cavity)
that can progress to a severe disability or even death.
Pulmonary Embolism
What is a PET scan
(positron emission tomography)?
• A diagnostic imaging technique in which
patients are given a special radioactive
substance that emits positrons which in turn
give rise to gamma rays which are detected by
a gamma camera.
