Radiology is an important field of medicine that everyone should know more about. With radiology, your medical team can gain a better understanding of your body's inner workings and help you get the care you need when something isn't right. Knowing more about radiology is critical for getting the best possible healthcare outcomes for you and your loved ones. Here's a closer look at what you need to know.

What Is Radiology?

Radiology is a medical specialty that utilizes imaging technology to diagnose illness and treat injury. The technology used in radiology includes:

• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• CT scan, or computed tomography scan
• MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging
• PET scan, or positron emission tomography
• Nuclear medicine

All of the above radiology technology produces images of the body's structures, allowing doctors to detect anything from broken bones to cancerous tumors.

What Are the Benefits of Radiology?

Radiology is used in virtually every field of medicine, from orthopedics to cardiology. It provides detailed information about the body and offers many benefits, including:

• Accurate diagnosis. Imaging technology can provide very detailed pictures of the inside of the body, which can help doctors make an accurate diagnosis more quickly than ever before.
• Minimally invasive treatment. Because radiology provides such detailed images of the internal organs and structures, it allows doctors to use minimally invasive techniques like needle biopsies or laparoscopic surgery when treating certain conditions or illnesses.
• Early detection. Early detection is the key to success when treating so many potentially life-threatening diseases like cancer. With imaging technology like CT scans or MRIs, doctors can detect abnormalities before they become serious health issues.

What Should Patients Know About Radiology Tests?

When undergoing any type of radiological procedure or test, there are some important things for patients to keep in mind, including:

• Understand. Talk with your doctor about why you need the test or procedure so that you understand exactly what is being done and why.  
• Ask. Any time you have questions or concerns about a radiological procedure or test, don't hesitate to ask, so you know exactly what will happen prior to undergoing any procedure.
• Follow. Make sure you follow any pre-testing instructions your doctor gives carefully so that your results are as accurate as possible. For example, many radiology tests require you to fast prior to the procedure for accurate results.

Radiology is an essential tool for medical professionals and plays an essential role in modern medicine. To learn more, contact a radiology care center in your area such as Elkview General Hospital.