X-ray imaging is one form of radiation imaging used in the medical industry.
Radiation is often used in the medical field to detect and diagnose disease or injuries. Professionals who use radiation for these purposes include radiologic technicians, technologists, radiographers and radiologists. These professionals use special procedures that require low amounts of radiation that can be detected by special instruments to produce images that tell them about what changes might be taking place in the body.
X-Ray Imaging
One use of radiation in the medical field involves the use of X-ray radiation. X-ray radiation is passed through the body and onto film that then produces an image used by radiologists to diagnose problems in the body. Although people often express fears of the amount of radiation their body will be receiving, the Molecular Imaging Center for Excellence notes on its website that the amount of radiation received during these diagnostic procedures is minimal. In fact, the amount is equal to only about one to four years of the equivalent amount of radiation people are exposed to (background radiation) daily.
Nuclear Medicine
A second form of radiation detection used in medical procedures is in the field of nuclear medicine. Nuclear medicine involves the use of medicine that has been infused with a small amount of radiation. The patient ingests this medicine that is designed to make its way to specific parts of the body. The radiation is then detected by a special camera, known as a scintillation camera, that produces an image that indicates what changes have taken place in the body. Nuclear medical imaging differs from X-ray imaging in that it is dependent upon detecting changes in soft body tissues rather than in the anatomy. Nuclear medicine has many different uses. It can be used to analyze whether organs are working properly, to check blood supply to the heart and even determine how much cancer has affected the body.
CT Scans
CT scans, or CAT scans, are another form of medical imaging in which X-rays are used in order to detect various problems in the body. CT scans are much more complicated than typical X-rays. A CT scan uses X-ray radiation to take pictures from multiple angles to provide an image that includes cross-sectional images of various body tissues. CT scans provide medical professionals with much more information than traditional X-rays can provide. They are often used in cases of extreme trauma or for brain scans.
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