Medical Imaging

by Naff, Clay Farris

• ISBN13: 9780737728293
• ISBN10: 0737728299
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-12-30
• Publisher: Greenhaven Pr

Summary

Anthologies in this series focus on the pivotal science and medical discoveries that changed the course of human history. Including both primary and secondary sources, each anthology traces the progression of scientific thought that made the discovery possible, chronicles the challenges faced by those now working in the field, and includes predictions about future developments and applications.

Table of Contents

Foreword	13	(3)
Introduction: Medical Imaging: Boundless Vision, Staggering Costs	16	(9)
Chapter 1: The Early History of Medical Imaging
1. Before Imaging: An Ancient Greek View of Anatomy by Galen	25	(6)
An ancient Greek physician explains that his theories pertaining to the human circulatory system and skeleton are based on studies of animal bodies and human corpses that he comes across by chance.
2. Listening to the Body: A History of the Early Stethoscope by D.M. Cammann	31	(5)
A nineteenth-century physician reviews the history of the best diagnostic tool doctors had prior to the discovery of X-rays: the stethoscope.
3. The Discovery of X-Rays by Neil Sclater	36	(7)
In 1895 German physics professor Wilhelm C. Röntgen accidentally discovered X-rays and how they could be used to image the interior of the human body.
4. The Origins of Magnetic Resonance Imaging by The Economist	43	(8)
Since its emergence in the 1970's, magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, has become one of the most useful of medical imaging tools.
Chapter 2: Principal Types of Medical Imaging
1. Medical Imaging: An Overview of Techniques by Tamar Nordenberg	51	(8)
Modern medicine draws on a wide array of imaging tools. Many of these tools employ X-rays, but others such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance are proving safer or superior for imaging certain parts of the body.
2. Conventional X-Rays and Radiation by the National Institutes of Health	59	(5)
Since their discovery in 1895, X-rays have become a widely used medical imaging procedure. Although X-rays produce harmful radiation, today's patients are not harmed by X-ray procedures.
3. Computed Tomography by Conall J. Garvey and Rebecca Hanlon	64	(7)
A radiologist and a radiological specialist describe the great improvements in X-ray imaging made possible by computed tomography.
4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging by Kurt Richard Sternlof	71	(8)
Using powerful magnets and radio waves, magnetic resonance imaging creates detailed images of the body's interior without the danger of radiation exposure.
5. Ultrasound by Howard Sochurek	79	(9)
Ultrasound imagers emit high-frequency sound waves into a patient's body and capture the echoes, which can be turned into live-action images of the body's interior.
Chapter 3: Contemporary Issues in Medical Imaging
1. Mammography Is Unreliable by Maryann Napoli	88	(5)
The utility of mammograms has been oversold. Early detection of breast cancer through mammography does not result in less aggressive treatments, and unnecessary mastectomies through misdiagnosis are a common result of mammograms.
2. Mammography Is Reliable by Amy Langer, interviewed by Erica Heilman	93	(5)
The head of an association of breast cancer organizations claims that mammography saves lives and breasts. While acknowledging that mammography has some drawbacks, she argues that using it for regular screenings makes sense.
3. That's Me All Over by Alan Farnham	98	(4)
A computed tomography scan of all major organs, also called a whole body scan, can provide reassurance that the body is well.
4. Body Scans Are Not Worth the Risk by Life Extension Magazine	102	(8)
The use of computed tomography to scan a person's body in search of hidden ailments exposes consumers to unnecessary risks from radiation.
5. Screening for Lung Cancer May Do More Harm than Good by Liz Szabo	110	(5)
Some doctors believe that computed tomography is effective in finding lung tumors, but others argue that CT scans produce too many false positives, resulting in unnecessary and dangerous follow-up procedures.
6. Computed Tomography May Expose Children to Cancer Risk by C.P. Kaiser	115	(8)
Experts have raised concerns about whether CT scans might be exposing children to unsafe levels of radiation, putting them at risk of developing cancer later in life.
7. The Rising Cost of Medical Imaging Causes Concern by Mike Norbut	123	(7)
The use of medical imaging technologies, especially expensive equipment such as MRI machines, has been growing rapidly. Medical insurers and the government are responding with pressure to curb what they see as the overuse of imaging procedures.
Chapter 4: Emerging Applications in Medical Imaging
1. Computed Tomography for the Heart by Cinda Becker	130	(7)
Computed tomography offers a noninvasive alternative to the traditional angiograph for diagnosing heart disease.
2. Diagnosing Alzheimer's with PET by Daniel Silverman and Gary Small	137	(9)
Two experts in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease describe how a PET scan helped doctors finally diagnose a woman whose memory seemed to be fading inexplicably.
3. Imaging Embryos to Understand Natal Development by Wade Roush	146	(7)
Researchers have begun to adapt a variety of noninvasive imaging techniques to help them better understand the development of new life in the womb.
4. Functional MRI Reveals the Brain at Work by Marcia Barinaga	153	(10)
An advance in MRI technology allows physicians to capture images of the brain in action.
5. Laser Imaging May Improve Mammography by Laurie Toupin	163	(4)
Laser mammography has several potential advantages over X-ray mammography. Laser mammography can capture more detail with less discomfort to the patient, and may eventually treat as well as detect breast cancer.
6. Computers Are Vital to New Imaging Techniques by Anthony Brinton Wolbarst	167	(8)
A physicist describes how the use of computers has allowed for great improvements in medical imaging.
7. Wavelets Are Enhancing Medical Imaging by Michael Unser, Akram Aldroubi, and Andrew Laine	175	(5)
Three experts describe how wavelets, mathematical tools that help computers make data intelligible, are enhancing medical imaging technologies.
Glossary	180	(4)
Chronology	184	(6)
For Further Research	190	(7)
Index	197