Intra oral digital x ray
In dentistry two major types of x rays used to film the mouth - intra oral x-rays and extra oral x rays. Intra oral x-rays involve placing the x-ray film inside the mouth and extra oral x-rays place the x-ray film outside the mouth. The amount of radiation is reduced by around 80% using this technique. These x-rays allow the dentist to identify dental problems that cannot be identified with the naked eyes. Intra oral digital xrays help the dentist take a close looks at the tooth roots, study the condition of the developing tooth, scrutinize general tooth health, identify caries and check the strength of the bony region adjoining the tooth. Various types of intra oral x-rays are bite-wing x-rays, periapical x-rays and occlusal x-rays. X-ray films are substituted with electronic pad or sensors and the pictures are filmed. The x-rays fall on the pad in a similar fashion as they fall on the film and the pad or sensor transfers the image directly to the computer and a print out is taken unlike developing the x-ray film in a dark room. The main benefit of these x-rays is that they help comparison of current images to previous images without any difficulty and over the computer itself.
Esophagram
Esophagram is a test whereby the patient is administered a barium sulfate compound that enables the radiologist to study the function and appearance of the esophagus. A series of x rays of the esophagus is taken after the patient has swallowed the barium. The barium solution coats and outlines the walls of the esophagus. This enables the radiologist to assess the process of swallowing. Hence it is also called barium swallow. An Esophagram is done when the patient complains of pain or difficulty in swallowing. It is also done to assess the reasons for blood stained vomit and when abdominal pain and weight loss occurs or diagnosing cases of Barrett's esophagus. The Esophagram helps the radiologist to detect narrowing, stricture, obstruction or irritation of the esophagus. It helps to study complications such as ulcers, polyps and tumors. It also helps to assess hiatal hernia.
The patient is advised not to eat or drink for 8 to 10 hours prior to the examination. The patient is asked not to smoke or chew gum atleast 6 hours prior to the procedure. A patient is given a cup of barium sulfate to swallow. A radiologist watches and evaluates the swallowing process with fluoroscopy. The barium swallowed coats the lining of the esophagus, and x rays are taken to track the pathway to the stomach. The patient is placed in various positions throughout the exam so that structures are optimally demonstrated on the x rays.
The problem is that it can miss small abnormalities in the esophagus such as small erosions and ulcers. This test is not very effective for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux associated with GERD. Pregnant mothers are advised not to undergo this procedure as the risk of radiation affects the fetus.
Radiologist
Radiologist is a general practitioner of medicine who specializes in the use of non-ionizing radiations and radioactive isotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of a disease. Radiologists can specialize in any of the disciplines such as computed tomography, diagnostic radiology, ultrasound, pediatric radiology etc. A radiologist should have completed graduation from a medical school followed by at least four years of residency in the chosen area of specialization. Radiologists have a special role in diagnosing diseases as they go by the results of the medical images that they have captured thus understanding the situation better.
- Capture images of body parts using gamma rays, x-rays, sound waves etc.
- Diagnose the disease as per the image captured.
- They can also treat few diseases using radiation therapy called as radiation oncology or can conduct image guided surgeries called as interventional radiology.
A radiologist can be a general one who interprets the images of all parts of the human body or can be a sub-specialized one who specializes in any particular area of imaging. Thus ensure
- Your radiologist has the exact brand of specialization that you and your doctor are looking for. For e.g. if you want a radiologist for MRI scanning ensure you have a person who is having a specialization in the field of MRI.
- Ensure that his centre is equipped with the right equipments to meet your needs.
- Ask the radiologist to brief you on the preparation required for the imaging and the procedure of the scan.
- Above all ensure the radiologist has the required board certification.
Modern technology and radiologists
The field of radiology has seen various changes. Traditional x-rays have been replaced with gamma rays and of the late isotopes and sound waves are used to generate images and treat diseases too.
- Digital imaging has helped the radiologist in diagnosing more precisely the condition of the disease.
- Fluoroscopy methods are adapted where a contrasting agent is induced either orally or intravenously.
- CT scans are now obtained as 3D images thus giving finer details of the body parts thus making diagnosis better and accurate.
- Use of ultrasound in studying the various stages of development of the fetus has helped the field of ob-gyn in reducing the number of fetal abnormalities thus helping the doctors take the required measures.
- Cardiovascular MRI, MR image guided therapy are areas of advancement in the field of MRI imaging.
- Nuclear medicine has made a break through in the field of bone scanning thus helping doctor's understand cancers better.
Bibliography / Reference
| 