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Health Tip:
Imaging tests. How are they different?
Part 1-Radiologic Studies
Imaging tests produce "pictures" (images) of various parts of the body.
In producing these images, one of several forms of energy (X-rays, sound waves, radioactive particles, magnetic fields, etc.) is sent through the body.
The ways that different tissues react to this energy, along with special detecting
devices, allow these images to be produced. In addition to showing normal body structure
and function, imaging test can demonstrate abnormal processes such as cancer.
X-rays: When the German physicist,  Wilhelm Roentgen accidentally
discovered that a new type electromagnetic radiation could produce images of bones
through skin, he named this "X-radiation", which stood for "unknown". Since then
X-rays have become one of the most commonly used diagnostic tools in medicine, with
7 out of 10 Americans receiving a medical or dental X-ray each year. X-ray images,
also known as radiographs, are able to be produced because of the variation in the
way that different types of tissue in the body absorb this radiation. Calcium in
bones absorbs X-rays the most, so bones appear white on radiographs. Fat and soft
tissue appears gray, and the lungs appear black since the air in the lungs absorbs
very little of the radiation. X-rays are widely used in the detection of bone-related
problems, such as fractures, but they have usefulness in detecting disease processes
in soft tissue also. For example, the chest X-ray is one of the best ways to diagnose
lung diseases such as pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and lung cancer.
Mammography: A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammography
is used both for screening for signs of breast disease in asymptomatic women as
well as for diagnosing breast disease. Mammograms can't definitively diagnose cancer
but they can provide information that indicates that more testing, such as a biopsy,
is necessary. The digital mammogram is similar to a standard mammogram in that X-rays
are used to make a picture of the breast. The digital version, however, is recorded
and saved on a computer. This allows the evaluating radiologist to adjust the size,
brightness, or contrast electronically in order to see the breast tissue more clearly.
CT Scanning: Computed tomography (CT), also  known as Computed Axial
Tomography (CAT), is a special type of X-ray procedure. The CT scanner is a large,
donut shaped device that rotates an X-ray producing device around the patient. As
the scanner rotates, it takes numerous X-ray images that are fed into a computer.
The computer then compiles the cross-sectional pictures or "slices" of the body
part being studied and creates a two-dimensional image of soft tissue, bone, and
blood vessels. CT scanning can provide valuable information for diagnosing conditions
affecting many organs in the body. It is particularly usefully in obtaining detailed
view of bone and is one of the best tools for studying the lungs and abdomen. Other
areas of the body in which CT scanning is commonly used include the brain, facial
sinuses, and the gastrointestinal tract. CT scanning is painless, although the subject
must remain motionless during the 15 to 45 minutes required to perform the test.
One concern regarding CT scanning, however, relates to the amount of radiation that
is received during the procedure. Receiving even one CT scan increased lifetime
risk of cancer due to X-ray radiation exposure. CT images are sometimes made clearer
by the use of special contrast materials which can be swallowed as a liquid or injected
into a vein.
Radiographic procedures: Special types of X-rays may be performed
for evaluation of different areas of the body. For example, a barium enema, or lower
gastrointestinal series, takes X-rays pictures after the colon is filled with a
contrast material. Similarly, the upper gastrointestinal tract can be evaluated
after swallowing a barium solution which serves as a contrast material. The IVP
(intravenous pyelogram) is an X-ray study that evaluates the structure and function
of the kidneys. Bone density scanning, also called bone densitometry is a form of
X-ray technology that is used to measure bone loss. Coronary angiography is a test
that uses dye and special X-rays to show the anatomy of the coronary arteries.
Next week's Health Tip will cover other imaging studies including the MRI scan,
Nuclear Medicine Studies, and Ultrasound.
If you have questions about the different types of imaging tests please sign into your account and send us your questions.
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