A Guide to MRI Scans and More - By: Kathryn Dawson

There are a few different types of scans that doctors carry out everyday. Each type of scan has its own unique set of benefits that make it ideal for one type of scenario but not necessarily another. Scans are one of the most advanced ways that doctors can diagnose an illness or problem in the body because they provide clear internal images. The scans used in modern medicine vary in their complexity and this makes each one unique. This article provides all the information you need about some of the most common types of scan used by doctors today all over the world.

An MRI scan is one of the most advanced types of scan. This involves creating a magnetic field around the body and sending radio waves through it. When the waves hit the body, energy is released from the cells it has touched. This energy pattern can be detected by a computer and interpreted by software to provide a clear image. Radiologists and doctors can use this image to see if there are any abnormalities with the cells and organs in that area. This is commonly used after a trauma has been suffered by a patient. It is painless, quick and the patient does not need to stay in hospital in order to have it done.

A CT scan is another common type of scan. This provides a slightly less clear picture than an MRI scan when used alone to scan a patient. It is most often used to scan the brain as it can provide a clear image of this organ. A CT scan will often be ordered after a patient has suffered a head trauma. It can be used to detect swelling on the brain, bleeding and tumors among other problems.

You've probably heard of an x-ray, you've probably even had one. This too is a type of medical imaging system used to detect problems inside the body. An x-ray is "clumsier" than either MRI scans or CT scans and that is why it is generally used only for detecting breaks or fractures in the bone. It is not clumsy in the sense that it is dangerous, just in the sense that it doesn't produce the same kind of intricate images that other types of scan do. That is not to say that it can't pick up other abnormalities, it can, but often further investigation would be needed if something potentially problematic was detected in an x ray.

An ultrasound is also an effective method of medical imaging. This works best for scanning unborn babies. It can be used too for other parts of the body however and is effective at picking up breakages to the bones for example, but it is usually reserved solely for scanning pregnant women to check everything is alright with the baby.

A PET scan is also an effective scan and this is especially true when it is combined with a CT scan. Together these images can provide a clear picture of the cells in the body and whether there is any cancerous activity. It can also show if cancerous cells are spreading and at what rate. During a PET scan a patient is exposed to a small quantity of radioactive material which reacts with the cells in the body to give off energy. This energy can be detected by a scanner and interpreted into images which then go through further interpretation by computer software.

There are several types of scan used throughout the world to diagnose and help treat a range of illnesses. From MRI scans to ultrasounds, each medical diagnostic imaging system has unique benefits making it ideal for a certain set of scenarios. One of the best ways a doctor can detect a tumor is through tumor imaging via a scan of some kind. In the brain, a CT scan would be used, in another part of the body an mri scans may be more suitable.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes for Mirada Medical, an award winning developer of medical diagnostic imaging analysis applications, enabling the fusion and viewing of image data from MRI scans for example. Not just restricted to tumor imaging, the software is used across different fields of medicine, including diagnostic radiology, radiation and medical oncology and neurology.

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