Advances in medical technology continue to improve peoples’ lives. One of the fastest growing areas is radiology. A PET/CT scan is a tool that allows doctors to make diagnoses in two ways. The test provides information about how the body looks and functions. Doctors inject substances labeled with radioactive tracers into the body. A machine is able to follow the tracers through the body, collecting information along the way. The test results show whether tissue is healthy or diseased.
Now, the PET/CT scan is being used to detect early Alzheimer’s and Dementia. A new imaging product called Amyvid can detect the amount of amyloid plaque in the brain. Amyloid plaque is a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. Another test allows doctors to look for blockages that cause strokes and other complications. The CT Scan Angiography in Riverhead NY is offered at North Fork Radiology. Angiograms are traditionally used to examine veins and arteries. It is not an invasive procedure. Rather, a small tube goes through the body to the place of interest. The tube is used to inject dye that makes it easier to see things on x-rays.
A CT Scan Angiography in Riverhead NY does not call for a tube. Instead, the dye is injected in the arm. The CT scan captures images of the veins and vessels. This procedure is faster and causes less discomfort than a regular angiogram. CT angiograms allow doctors to do several things including,
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see aneurysms
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see inside the brain
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detect plaque in veins
Nuclear medicine is a special type of imaging. It relays information about organ function and structure. Radioactive material is used to test the health of various organs. Further, this technology lets doctors check bones for cancer. The patient is given a radioisotope orally or through an injection. The doctor has to wait several hours to perform the test. That is because the isotope has to reach the area of examination. During the exam, a camera takes pictures and sends the images to a computer. It is hard to imagine modern medicine without these imaging tools and others. Radiology allows doctors to detect illnesses and treat them.
