Introduction to radiology

1. INTRODUCTION TO RADIOLOGY
DR. A.A. OBIOZOR
18-07-2020.

2. OUTLINE
 What is Radiology?
 Branches of radiology
 Imaging modalities
 Explanation of each imaging modality
 Chest Radiology
 Cardiac Radiology
 Gastro-intestinal Radiology
 Neuroradiology
 Musculoskeletal Radiology
 Interventional Radiology
 Uroradiology
 Paediatric Radiology
 Paediatric Radiology
 Obstetric Radiology
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3. What is radiology
 Radiology is a branch of medicine that deals with
radio-diagnosis and treatment. That is diagnosis of
diseases using imaging modalities and also treatment
of these diseases (radiotherapy).
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4. Branches of radiology
 The branches of radiology include:
 1 Radio-diagnosis
 2 Radio-therapy
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5. RADIO-DIAGNOSIS
Radio-diagnosis: this is the use of various imaging modalities to arrive
at a definitive diagnosis about a patient. These imaging modalities
includes:
 X-rays in conventional radiography using x-ray machines (which can be
digital or analog)
 CT Scans (Computerized tomography machines, Conventional CT,
Positron Emission Tomography CT)
 MRI (Magnetic Resources Imaging Machines)
 Ultrasonography
 Thermography
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6. RADIO-DIAGNOSIS
 Radio-nuclide Imaging
 Mammography
 Special investigations like (HSG, IVU, RUG, MCUG, Angiography,
Cystography, fistulography, sinography, sialography, arthrography,
percutaneous cholangiography, etc.)
 Interventional Radiology which is the use of special catheters and
guide wires to remove embolus, thrombus, repair blood vessels,
tumorlysis, embolization of vessels, removal of stones from ureters etc.
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7. RADIOTHERAPY
 . Radiotherapy: The use of gamma x-rays to treat
diseases like cancers.
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8. IMAGING MODALITIES
1. X- Machine: It uses x-rays. X-rays are one of the electromagnetic wave spectrum
which are produced when fast moving electrons are made to hit a metal target.
X-rays are ionizing. Images are produced when the x-ray passes through the body
and gets to a receptor which are radiographic films or photographic plates.
 Advantages of x-rays machines
 It is affordable
 It is readily available
 It does not take time.
 Disadvantages
 It is ionizing
 It is 2-dimensional
Image of an x-ray machine.
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9. IMAGING MODALITIES CONTD.
2. COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHIC MACHINE (CT-SCANNERS):
These are special machines that use x-rays to image the body by taking multiple
slices of the body and reconstructing these slices to produce images of the
body. They range from one slice CT to up to 640 sliced CT scanners.

Advantages
 It gives 4 dimensional images. Hence diagnosis can be made faster within a
breath hold.
 It can be used for staging of malignancies.
 It can image the brain unlike conventional x-ray machines.
 It can be reconstructed.
 Diasadvantages
 It is expensive
 It is not readily available
 It is ionizing (dose is about 200 times to that of a conventional x-ray)
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10. Image of a CT-Scanner
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11. IMAGING MODALITIES CONTD.
 3. RADIO NUCLIDE IMAGING: The use of radio isotope taged
substances to image the body. These images are created by the use of
gamma cameras.
 Advantages
 It can be used to diagnose intestinal bleedings
 It detects early osteomylitis
 It detects cancer cells early.
 Disadvantages
 It is ionizing
 It is not readily available
 It is expensive
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12. IMAGE OF A RADIO NUCLIDE
SCANNER
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13. IMAGING MODALITIES CONTD.
 4. MAMMOGRAPHY
 This is the use of very low x-ray doses to image the breasts.
 Advantages
 It can detect lumps
 It can detect cancers of the breast
 Disadvantages
 It is Ionizing
 It is not readily available
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14. IMAGE OF A MAMMOGRAPHY
MACHINE
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15. IMAGING MODALITIES CONTD.
 5. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI)
 These are specialized machines that use magnetic waves to image the body. It
slices the body and then reconstructs these slices to produce images. It uses
different weighted images like T1 weighted, T2 weighted, spin echo, short wave
tau images, diffusion weighted images, time of flight and others

 Advantages
 It is non-ionizing
 It gives four dimensional images
 It has better soft tissue delineation
 It can be reconstructed
 Disadvantages
 It is not used by patients with metallic implants.
 It is expensive
 It is not readily available
 It cannot image the bones
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16. IMAGE OF AN MRI MACHINE
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17. IMAGING MODALITIES CONTD.
 6. ULTRASONOGRAPHY
 These are machines that can scan the body using sound energy. They use
special transducers and gel to image the body. This will be shown on a TV
monitor. They can be 2D, 3D, 4D etc. Images are produced as shades of gray on
a TV monitor, which converts these to images.
 Advantages
 It is non-ionizing
 Readily available
 It is cheap
 It can be used for dynamic studies
 It can be used for Doppler studies (Doppler Ultrasound Scan)
 It can be mobile
 It can be used for guided biopsies, interventional radiology.
 Disadvantages
 It cannot image bones.
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18. IMAGE OF AN ULTRASOUND
MACHINE
PHOTOS AND IMAGES WERE GOTTEN FROM
WWW.GOOGLE.COM/IMAGENAME.
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