Radiology

Abstract

Radiology is the fastest developing field of medicine and these unprecedented advances have been mainly due to improving computer technology. Digital imaging is a technology whereby images are acquired in a computer format, so that they can be easily stored and recalled for display on any computer workstation. Digital image acquisition has been used in ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from the start. The use of digital imaging in conventional X-rays, known as Computed Radiography, has only recently become possible. Supercomputers now provide the speed required to rapidly process digital image data, while terabyte level storage media allow digital archiving of both radiological images and data. Ultrasound, CT and MRI have also improved immensely as a result of faster computing, which allows shorter exam times, higher image resolution with improved quality and new exam techniques including large field and realtime imaging, noninvasive angiography and dynamic motion studies. Other recent advances in radiology include new contrast agents, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning and novel interventional techniques.