HSC10 - Diagnostic Techniques

Diagnostic imaging is the range of techniques that produce 2D/3D images,allowing healthcare professionals to look at the appearance of internal organs. Examples of diagnostic imaging techniques are:

• X-rays
• Contrast x-rays
• MRI scanning
• PET scanning
• CT scanning
• Radionuclide scanning
• Ultrasound scanning

X-Rays

X-ray machines emit invisible beams of x-rays directed at a specific part of the patient's body. A sheet of photographic paper is placed behind the body part as this enables the x-rays to penetrate through soft tissue in the body. However, the x-rays aren't able to pass through thick bone and the bone absorbs the radiation. This causes the bones to show as light on the image and the soft tissue to show as dark (because soft tissue absorbs less radiation). This will be carried out by a radiographer.

Contrast X-Rays

A contrast medium is put into the patient's digestive tract. The medium contains metal salts that are opaque to x-rays. The patient swallows the liquid - this is called a barium swallow and is flavoured to make it more palatable. Time is allowed for the liquid to coat the area then x-ray images are taken.

CT Scanning

This scan uses x-rays to build an image of a slice of the body. The patient lies on a table and is slid into a tube-like scanner.…