Introduction to Medical
Imaging
Course Objectives -
By the end of the course the student
should be able to:
apply basic principles of different
imaging modalities and neuclear
medicine and their uses.
understand the indications for
requesting imaging investigations.
describe radiological anatomy of the
different parts of the body using
different imaging techniques.
understand properties and side
effects of the different contrast
media used in imaging techniques
and the effects of ionizing radiation.
List of diagnostic
imaging studies
Plain x-rays
CT scan
MRI Which of these modalities use
ionizing radiation?
Nuclear imaging
Ultrasound
Mammography
Angiography
Fluoroscopy
Principle of Plain x-
rays
Objectives
How do x-rays create an image of
internal body structures?
What are the 5 basic radiographic
densities?
Try your hand at interpreting several
medical imaging cases.
What are x-rays?
No mass
No charge
Energy
What is your
diagnosis?
Basic x-ray physics
X-rays: a form of electromagnetic
energy
Travel at the speed of light
Roentgen 1895
Three things can happen
X-rays can:
Pass all the way through the body
Be deflected or scattered
Be absorbed
Where on this image
have x-rays passed
through the body
to the greatest degree?
X-rays Passing Through
Tissue
Depends on the energy of the x-ray
and the atomic number of the tissue
Higher energy x-ray - more likely to
pass through
Higher atomic number - more likely
to absorb the x-ray
Diagnosis?
How do x-rays passing
through the body create an
image?
X-rays that pass through the body to
the film render the film dark (black)
X-rays that are totally blocked do not
reach the film and render the film
light (white)
Air = low atomic # = x-rays get
through = image is dark
Metal = high atomic # = x-rays
blocked = image is light (white)
5 Basic Radiographic
Densities
1.
Air
Fat 4.
Soft tissue/fluid
Mineral
Metal 2. 5.
3.
Name these radiographic densities.
History: “I think my dog swallowed a rock”
Diagnosis: “Yes, he did.”
Diagnosis?
A broken central venous catheter has
migrated into the right lower
lobe pulmonary artery
Can you recognize
shapes and density?
Find the pathology
What clues do you have?
Medical Imaging
Primary purpose is to identify pathologic
conditions.
Requires recognition of normal anatomy.
History: 11 y/o twisting
injury of the foot
Please name these bones
1.
2.
3.
Word bank:
4.
Cuboid
Navicular
Medial cuneiform
Os naviculare
Naming the parts of a long bone
Distal
3.
2.
1.
Proximal
Word bank: epiphysis, metaphysis, diaphysis, cortex, medullary cavity
Summary: How do x-rays create an
image of internal body structures?
X-rays pass through the body to
varying degrees
Higher atomic number structures
block x-rays better, example bone.
Lower atomic number structures
allow x-rays to pass through,
example: air in the lungs.
Question: If x-rays were blocked to the same degree by all body
structures, could we see the internal parts of the body?
What are the 5 basic
radiographic densities from
black to bright white?
Air
Fat
Soft tissue/fluid
Bone/mineral
Metal
Ways to improve your radiology
skills
The Radiology Handbook
[Link]
[Link]
Web searches with key words
“medical imaging”
Surf the websites of medical schools
What density
are the
lungs?
Why?
The list: air, fat, soft tissue, mineral and metal
air
CT scan of the abdomen
X-rays used skin
What density is this?
CT is basically a specialized X-Ray
We talk about “density” or “attenuation”
The image is a measure of absorption of X-rays through
different angles through a given tissue and then transformed
mathematically
D
Diagnosis?
i
Radiographic Analysis
Any structure, normal or pathologic,
should be analyzed for:
1. Size
2. Shape and contour
3. Position
4. Density (You must know the 5 basic
densities)
The anatomical position
right left
Absorbed
Passed through
Medullary bone
Soft tissue
Metal
Note:
Right-left marker
Technologist’s initials
3
Name these
densities
4
1
2
What density
is this?
Summary questions
What 3 things when an x-ray
encounters the body?
How is it possible to see the heart on
an x-ray?
What are the 5 basic radiographic
densities?
What three things can you do to
protect yourself from radiation?
Questions for me?