When doctors need to see what's going on inside your body, they frequently order diagnostic imaging tests. There are various types of imaging tests available to assist doctors in making an accurate diagnosis and selecting the best treatment plan. Each imaging test employs a different technology to generate images that assist your doctor in identifying specific medical complications.
X-rays: X-rays are the most commonly used and generally available diagnostic imaging test. Even if you need more advanced body scans, you'll almost certainly need an x-ray first. They're a type of radiation, and as it passes through your body, bone and other dense substances block it, making the x-ray film seem white. X-rays are used by doctors to diagnose and assess:
- Disease or bone degeneration
- Fractures
- Tumors
- Infections
Ultrasound: Diagnostic ultrasound, often known as sonography or diagnostic medical sonography, is a type of imaging that employs sound waves to create images of inside body structures. The photos can help doctors diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and disorders. An ultrasound scan can be used to monitor a baby in the womb, diagnose a problem, or direct a surgeon during surgery.
CT Scan: A CT scan produces detailed, high-quality images of the body. It's a more advanced x-ray that produces a 360-degree view of the spine, vertebrae, and internal organs. A CT scan produces detailed, high-resolution images of bones, blood arteries, soft tissue, and organs, which can aid in the diagnosis of medical disorders such as:
- Cancer
- Trauma
- Heart disease
- Infectious diseases
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnet with radio waves. The magnetic components are controlled by a computer, which creates extraordinarily detailed photographs of biological structures. The images are viewed as "slices" or cross-sections of the scanned bodily part by the clinician. There is no radiation involved, unlike x-rays. MRI scans are widely used by doctors to diagnose joint and bone problems, as well as to monitor therapy progress, investigate brain abnormalities, and check pelvic pain or infertility difficulties.