MRI Has Superior Soft Tissue Contrast Than CT - Essay Example

? MRI has superior soft tissue contrast than CT Introduction Modern medicine provides people with numerous opportunities for possible diagnostics or treatment. There is no doubt that in the face of a great number of existent technologies, it is desirable to choose between the most popular ones and consider every particular technology with respect to a certain medical case. The MRI scanner uses a powerful magnet and pulsing radio waves. The coils of detection of the MRI scanner read off information from energy produced from water molecules. There is a release of these molecules after RF alignment pulse. In the result of collected data two dimensional representation of a body occurs. MRI scanners are the most important and appropriate for soft tissues scanning. This claim has been often promoted by many researchers and scientists, but there are still many controversies concerning this technology. Whether to pay more for MRI or less for CAT: who can answer to this question? Different forms of energies, which consist in a human body, should be accurately measured. It is evident that different types of equipments and developed technologies are used with respect to effective scanning of human bodies. There is another contrasting technology of scanning, which is CT or Computerized Axial Tomography, where xrays are used for body images generation. Bones can be effectively scanned by means of this technology. There is a different technology of scanning in the CT, when the x-ray tube is rotating around the patient, who is placed on the table. The beam highlights the patient and it is possible to look inside the patient. There are 764 possible channels, which formulate further samples of a beam. Each measurement is made 1000 times per second. Duration of each rotation is 1-2 seconds long. There is a great advantage of this type of scanning: “The comparisons allow the image pixels to have a known value for a particular substance in the body regardless of differences in patient size and exposure factors. The more samples, or views, the better the picture” (Lauermann 2002, p. 314). Therefore, this technology of scanning has its own benefits for sure. It cannot be denied that this technology is universal and is appropriate both for bones and tissues. Unfortunately, there is a high price for MRI scanning and it is better for some patients to pay 2-3 times less for CAT scanning. There is an important choice: whether to pay more for more effective scanning or to save one’s money, but to obtain less effective results of scanning. MRI Compares to CTA Nevertheless, there are numerous advantages of MRI over CAT. Firstly, Xrays are often criticized and considered to be hazardous for human health. MRI implies a magnetic field in its scanning (Nagel&Kroenke 2008, p. 243). Secondly, MRI is more effective with soft tissues. The contrast of an image can be changed in case radio waves are changed. MRI is often considered to be safer than CAT. Of course, a lower cost of CAT makes this technology more preferable for the patients. The question about its efficacy remains open. Moreover, CAT is more available and faster. There is no need in anesthesia when CAT is used. CT is chosen by doctors when there is a need to image bone structures. This type of scanning is available for the patients, who do not have any surgical clips, metallic fragments etc. A patient, who suffers from claustrophobia, cannot remain inside the machine for 25-40 minutes. It is very scaring and oppressing for him. A price for CAT is significantly lower than the price for MRI. There is a great benefit on behalf of MRI, because magnets and radio waves are used in the process of this technology. There is no doubt that MRI images are more detailed, especially if they concern soft tissues. Scanning of bones is not very good in the process of MRI and in this case it is better to use CAT. These images look similar to a CAT scan but they have much higher On the example of the researches and studies conducted in recent years, it is obvious that MR scans are effectively used for soft tissues scanning. Lauerman (2002) claims: “Tissue deformations were calculated from the MR scans, separately for the gluteus muscles, the superficial fat tissue (between muscle and skin), and themuscle and fat together as one  effective "soft tissue" material.Tissue deformations were calculated as follows: for muscle,  we first obtainedthe nondeformed thickness from the non weight bearing MRI scan by measuring the distance from the apex of the IT vertically to the muscle-fat boundary” (Shabshin, 2010). The researchers and scientists, who took part in the experiment, came to the following conclusions: measurements of tissues (fat and muscles) can be mediated in the process of MRI scanning. The study conducted by Lawrence (1997) metabolic activities of various tissues was studied. MRI was a helpful technology in studying these processes. Lawrence discusses a great personality of Damadian, who proposed implementation of MRI. Firstly, only in animate subjects could be scanned with the help of MRI technology. In 1977 a process of MRI advancement was initiated. It means that MRI technology was developed in a complex manner and it required essential financial and moral contributions. Current studies are more reliable on MRI technology and results obtained in the process of a technology implementation. Tissues deformations are often identified on the example of tissue continuum scale (with the help of MRI). Further on, Lawrence makes an emphasis on reduction of risk in MRI scanning: "The high returns reflect not risk but, rather, the need to financially tie in physicians to a particular MRI facility for referrals. The key to profitability of an investor-owned MRI facility is high use, and high use can best be accomplished with a steady stream of physician self-referrals" (Weiss 1997, p. 34) Bonnie J. PhD Nagel and Christopher D. PhD Kroenke (2008) outlined benefits of MRI in comparison with CAT on the following basis: MR based techniques measure electromagnetic signals, the same way, like radio antenna detects the same type of signals. A person is placed in a powerful magnetic field. Tissues under the influence of a magnetic field become magnetic. Partially, internal structure of tissues can be identified. MRI is positioned in the modern researches and studies as the most advantageous technology for scanning of soft tissues. In spite of a high price of this scanning process, patients all over the world are looking forward to opportunity of being scanned by means of MRT. Conclusion Thus, it is safer to use MRI technology instead of CAT. We can claim that magnetic resonance imaging scan is more advantageous than CAT because it does not use X-rays. A magnetic force is developed in the body of a patient. A large magnet in a form of a tube deals with a human body and provides a beam, which scans a human body. A patient is transported inside a tube and he lies on a flat surface. Magnetic and radio waves from a patient’s body are interpreted through numerous channels of signals. High price of technology does not outweigh effective results of scanned results obtained in the result of MRI. References Lauerman, Lynn, ed. Science & Technology Almanac. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. http://www.questia.com/read/102055494. Lecture Notes (1,2) Nagel, Bonnie J. PhD, and Christopher D. PhD Kroenke. "The Use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Alcohol Research." Alcohol Research & Health 31, no. 3 (2008): 243+. http://www.questia.com/read/1P3-1616145641. Shabshin, Nogah, Gil Zoizner, Amir Herman, Vlad Ougortsin, and Amit Gefen. "Use of Weight-Bearing MRI for Evaluating Wheelchair Cushions Based on Internal Soft-Tissue Deformations under Ischial Tuberosities." Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development 47, no. 1 (2010): 31+. http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-227279593. Weiss, Lawrence D. Private Medicine and Public Health: Profit, Politics, and Prejudice in the American Health Care Enterprise. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997. http://www.questia.com/read/6620338. Read More