Types of Imaging Tests

A radiologist examining a diagnostic imaging test.

Imaging tests use different forms of energy through your body, allowing doctors to see images of what is going on inside your body. These are usually conducted at a gold coast radiology clinic by a trained radiologist who prepares a report for your doctor. They can be used for various reasons, including diagnosing illnesses and coming up with treatment plans. Additionally, imaging tests are important resources to check progress when it comes to ongoing medical issues.

There are many different kinds of imaging tests conducted at radiology centers. Read on to find out which imaging tests are the most common, how they’re conducted, and what they’re useful for. 

X-Rays

An x-ray is a quick, non-invasive imaging test that uses ionizing radiation to produce images of your body and is commonly used to image bones. Patients can expect to lie down, stand, or sit depending on the part of the body being scanned and may be asked to change positions for clearer images. Since this takes a total of about 10-15 minutes, it’s over relatively quickly. It can be used to identify everything ranging from fractures to breast cancer and swallowed items.

MRIs

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging test that uses magnetic waves to create detailed images of the tissues and organs in your body. Like in CT scans, you will be asked to lie down and will be slid into a doughnut-shaped machine. However, unlike CT scans, MRIs are long (approximately 45 minutes to an hour) and somewhat uncomfortable. Many patients feel claustrophobic because of how narrow the chambers are. MRIs also create loud thumping and tapping noises, making this an uncomfortable experience

However, despite being unpleasant, an MRI is a valuable tool and allows radiologists to identify aneurysms, strokes, tumors, and more.
CT Scans

Like x-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans also use ionizing radiation to take pictures of cross-sections of the body, including soft tissue, blood vessels, and bones. These are also relatively quick and usually take around 15 minutes. When you go to a radiology clinic to get a CT scan, you will be asked to lie on a table and slid into a scanner that resembles a large doughnut. This process is extremely useful for guiding biopsies and identifying vascular and heart disease, infections, and cancers.

PET Scans

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans use radiotracers to create images of your organs and tissues. When you get a PET scan, you should expect to swallow or have a radiotracer injected into you so the scanner can read the radiation being emitted. The process can be extremely long and usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours. However, it is extremely useful because it can be used to diagnose illnesses like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, heart disease, and more.

No matter which type of imaging test you’re going to get at the radiology clinic, it’s always helpful to be prepared for what’s about to happen. We hope that this article has helped you better understand the different imaging techniques in radiology and how they work.
                
This is a guest blog entry.