What is Radiology? What Diseases Does Radiology Address?
Radiology, a healthcare unit, utilizes radio, sound waves, and X-rays to facilitate the diagnosis of diseases. It encompasses a wide range of applications including invasive procedures within the scope of imaging techniques. Radiology is a significant component of medical decisions affecting patients and also provides support to all other healthcare branches.
Radiology can be divided into two main branches:
Diagnostic Radiology:
As a subunit of general radiology, diagnostic radiology is utilized in detecting disease symptoms and investigating the effectiveness of treatments. Diagnostic radiology encompasses various tests, including:
- Mammography
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- X-rays
- Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
- Thallium Cardiac Stress Test
- Fluoroscopy
- Ultrasound
- Bone scans
- Nuclear medicine examinations
- Thyroid scans
- CT angiography
- Computed Tomography (CT)
Interventional Radiology:
The procedures of interventional radiology can be listed as follows:
The procedures of interventional radiology can be listed as follows:
- Placement of feeding tubes
- Embolization for controlling bleeding
- Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
- Vascular imaging (angiography)
- Treatment of uterine artery obstruction
- Vascular dilation (angioplasty)
- Needle biopsies
- Chemoembolization
- Breast biopsy
- Y-90 radioembolization
- Treatment of spinal and vertebral fractures
- Tumor ablation therapies
During diagnosis and treatment planning, various methods in radiology expedite the process of accurate disease recognition. Imaging techniques commonly used in radiology include:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): This method creates cross-sectional images of bones, vessels, tissues, and organs using a powerful radiofrequency wave and magnetic field. MRI assists in the treatment of conditions in areas such as gynecology, neurology, heart diseases, physical therapy, and orthopedics.
Ultrasound: This method utilizes sound waves among radiological imaging techniques. Ultrasound techniques are used in the diagnosis and treatment of various regions such as the urinary system, gynecological examinations, and intra-abdominal organs. Moreover, this examination method poses no risk to patient health.
X-ray: X-ray imaging involves visualizing body structures, primarily bones, using X-rays.
Panoramic X-ray: A radiological method that generally visualizes the inside of the mouth, panoramic X-ray is preferred for dental and oral diseases. Many doctors use this method to determine problems and treatment methods during the treatment process.
Mammography: It involves compressing the breast between two layers and imaging it using X-rays.
Diseases Diagnosed and Treated with Radiological Methods:
The diseases that can be diagnosed and treated with radiology are as follows;
- Examination of gynecological and pediatric diseases
- Diagnosis of bone and lung diseases
- Imaging of abdominal, breast, soft tissue lesions
- Injuries
- Emergency medicine
- Disorders of the nervous system such as spine, spinal cord, brain, head, neck, lumbar, neuro-radiology
- Breast diseases
- Diagnosis of soft tissue and skeletal system diseases
- Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases
- Pregnancy monitoring