What the eye can’t see

Medical imaging technology has come a long way since the discovery of the X-ray by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895. The ability to use electromagnetic radiation to display the hitherto unseen inner workings of the human body on a photographic plate was a revelation to the medical community.

Just how far medical imaging has come has been revealed by the National Geographic Channel, whose In The Womb documentaries recently featured shots from a four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound scan of unborn twins . The technique used for the scan is a leap forward from traditional ultrasound technology, which uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the inner body. Sound waves used in the 4D scan, broadcast by the US National Geographic Channel, were directed from a number of different angles to produce a ‘real-time’ video of the twins.

Gone are the days when patients would have to be cut open before a diagnosis of their condition could be offered. New technologies can offer surgeons images of unprecedented quality and precision, which yield more information than ever before.

In terms of diagnosing conditions and getting people well, imaging is one of the most critical elements. "It allows doctors to see in great precision things they couldn’t otherwise see," says Nancy Glynn, vice-president of communications at Agfa-Gevaert, the Belgian imaging technology firm.

While the humble X-ray is still at the heart of much medical imaging, including radiography (production of X-ray images on photographic film) and flouroscopy (which uses flourescent plates coupled with a television camera to beam live images), hospitals are now able to choose from a variety of technologies with tongue twisting names, such as computeried axial tomography (which can obtain selected 2D ‘slices’ throughout the body) and positron emission tomography (used to detect tumours).

Surgeons will soon be able to use interactive 3D re-construction technologies employing a number of scanning techniques to peel back skin, slice through bones and zoom in on areas of interest without so much as a drop of blood.

Technological improvements have led to a demand for faster images, higher resolution and more complex diagnosis techniques. All of this means more information and, potentially, more chaos in hospitals. Having the technology is one thing, but most hospitals’ computer systems would crash under the sheer weight of data generated by sophisticated imaging technologies. Coupling improved technologies with adequate information systems is therefore a priority.

The race is on for imaging companies to produce high-performance, cost-effective digital imaging systems that can ‘intelligently’ sift through the complex information produced by scans to highlight crucial information. The benefits for healthcare systems will be significant. "Surgeons [will be] better able to organise their work," says Glynn. "It means shorter periods under general anaesthetic. It also means lower costs.

"Moving into IT is one of the keys to keeping healthcare affordable. IT systems capture, collect and distribute images and other information while at the same time improving the workflow. We get the right information in the right form to the right people at the right time."

Medical imaging technology has come a long way since the discovery of the X-ray by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895. The ability to use electromagnetic radiation to display the hitherto unseen inner workings of the human body on a photographic plate was a revelation to the medical community.