MRI vs. Ultrasound: Two Vital Branches of Radiology
Date: March 11, 2019
Radiology involves the study of images of the internal organs of a living human body. A Radiologist is a physician who reads the results of various radiology exams. Before diagnostic imaging, only a patient’s death allowed doctors to study the human body’s internal organs.
Radiology was initially the branch of medical imaging that used x-rays on large flat sheets of photographic films for diagnosis. Modern-day radiology is no longer confined to the practice of x-rays.
Radiology now encompasses other diagnostic imaging methods such as Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Ultrasound. Unlike other radiology branches, MRI and Ultrasound have become diagnostic imaging methods that do not involve ionizing radiation.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that combines a large, powerful magnetic field with radio frequencies to gaze into the human body without using x-rays. The type of emission imagining produces detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone, and other internal body structures without ionizing radiation.
A detailed MRI allows doctors to evaluate better parts of the body and certain diseases that may not be assessed adequately with other imaging methods, such as x-ray or computed tomography. MRI scans produce the highest quality of soft-tissue contrast of all other forms of diagnostic imaging. They are especially beneficial for imaging the brain, spine, and musculoskeletal system.
Ultrasonography or ultrasound technology is a useful diagnostic modality that uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize various organs and organ systems in the human body. It is an example of reflection imaging that produces real-time images.
Ultrasound procedures are commonly used to examine the abdomen, small parts, veins, arteries, and the female reproductive system. Because there is no harmful radiation, ultrasound has a critical role in obstetrics and fetal imaging. During emergencies, ultrasound is used to rapidly diagnose medical, surgical, obstetrical, and gynecological problems.
Thanks to imaging equipment, radiology departments provide services to outpatients, in-patients, and emergency patients. Ultrasound technologists conduct ultrasound studies to give the radiologist and referring physicians the necessary information to diagnose and evaluate their patients.
MRI and Ultrasound modalities have occupied a vital position within radiology. Not only do they produce computerized images, but they are also involved in the diagnosis of patient ailments and have narrowed the bridge between any undetected illness.
The demand for radiologists and diagnostic imaging technologists is significantly increasing. Workforce shortages in the health care industry are attracting a wide range of individuals to begin their careers within the radiology field.
