The MRI scanner surrounds the whole body, which is in contrast to the CT scanner. The MRI scanner is also used for the skeleton, the heart and blood vessels and internal organs. MRI is used to scan the brain and spinal cord for example, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and other neurological conditions. Both CT and MRI produce high-quality images which enable healthcare professionals to evaluate the disease state in the patient. Magnetic resonance imaging, known as an MRI scan is a technique to produce cross-sectional images of the human body. Also, CT scanning is a non-invasive, pain-free technique. The CT scan can take up to 20 minutes – depending on the condition of the patient – and the scans are subsequently analysed by a computer. At this stage, the patient is advised to remain still in order to obtain clear CT images.ĭuring the scanning procedure, the radiologist will be in an adjoining room to operate the scanner and be shielded from the radiation. The CT scanning process involves the patient resting on a movable horizontal bed, which travels through the entrance of the scanner, with the gantry containing the X-ray units rotating around cross-sections of the body.
However, an X-ray scan is sometimes not conclusive and therefore the CT scanner is used to aid further diagnosis. Another important use of the CT scanner is to locate tumours and broken bones within the patient. Moreover, CT scanning is mostly used for the brain, neck, spine and chest.
This is in contrast to planer X-ray machines which only generate 2-D images and can be used to detect pneumonia and certain cancers.įurthermore, the CT scanner is capable of imaging several parts of the human body which include the skeleton, internal organs and blood vessels. Ultimately, the CT scanner is an advanced X-ray machine that can produce 3-D images of soft tissue inside the body. The CT scanner is able to create an internal image of the human body by using a combination of X-rays and computers. In some cases, the patient requires a computed tomography scan known as a CT scan. In general, X-rays have been used to guide surgeons through operational procedures for example, in the detection of bone tumours. Also, in dentistry, X-rays are useful for determining whether treatment is required as well as evaluating the health of the teeth. The X-ray procedure only takes a few minutes – with the significant advantage of this imaging technique being that the X-ray machine does not enclose the human body – and therefore is able to limit anxiety in people suffering from claustrophobia.ĭiagnostic X-ray imaging of the human skeleton is commonly used to ascertain whether any bones are damaged or broken. X-rays are now a general medical diagnostic procedure used to obtain images from inside the human body.
Röentgen named the unknown energy ‘X-radiation’. He concluded that a form of energy was being generated by the cathode-ray tube -which was able to penetrate the nearby paper – causing the crystals to glow. In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röentgen was working in his laboratory at Würzburg University in Germany, when he observed crystals near a high-voltage cathode-ray tube beginning to glow.