MEDICAL IMAGING

Radiology (X-Ray)

Radiology uses X-rays to create pictures of the human body called "radiographs." X-rays are beams of high-energy invisible light that can pass through the body. When the X-Ray beam passes through the patient's body, some thick or heavy body parts stop more X-rays (bones or solid organs) than other body parts. The X-Ray beam passes through the body, creating a shadow that hits an X-ray detector. The detector sends the image to a computer, and the computer screen displays the radiograph for the physician to view. Radiographs are very good at imaging bones, the chest and the abdomen. Sometimes the radiologist or radiographer gives the patient a special dye called "contrast." Contrast may be injected into veins, swallowed or given as an enema. Contrast outlines body parts and shows how they work. Sometimes the radiologist will use a special kind of X-ray called "fluoroscopy" to take moving pictures (for example of the stomach or bowel).

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