Radiology has become an essential part of diagnosis and treatment in the field of medicine. Be it a minor fracture, a blocked blood vessel, or a cancerous tumor, it all needs the supervision of a radiologist. So, before any radiologic procedure, you should be aware of what it is and what it includes. Here is everything you need to know about radiology, its types, and why Mulberry Women Care has the best radiologist in Gurgaon.
What is Radiology?
Radiology is a field of medicine that includes diagnostic imaging. In 1985, the German physicist Wilhelm Rontgen became the first person to find a way to visualize the interior of one's body without any surgery. It all started with just X-rays. But today, radiology includes several imaging techniques like MRI scan, PET scan, ultrasound, etc.
This field primarily involves taking images of pictures of the interior of the body by different means. It can be full-body imaging or restricted to a particular body part.
Radiology has diverse uses in the medicinal field. Some of its most important applications include:
- Diagnosing the cause for a particular symptom.
- Analyzing the extent of injury in the bone, ligament, or tissues.
- Monitoring how the patient's body is responding to a particular treatment.
- Detecting and treating tumors.
- Analyzing the development of a fetus.
- Treating blood clots or blockage of blood vessels.
What Does a Radiologist Do?
Radiologists are physicians with a specialization in analyzing and interpreting the results of radiologic imaging.
To become a best radiologist in Gurgaon, one has to pass a licensing examination after graduating from medical school. Thereon, radiologists complete their postgraduate education in radiation safety, affects, or related courses during four years of residency.
Radiations of high intensity or for extended periods are harmful to our bodies. Hence, every radiologic procedure should be carried out under the supervision of a radiologist. This is why every general physician has a radiologist as an expert consultant. They have proficient knowledge of different rays and their effects on the human body. Radiologists know for how long a patient should be exposed to radiation of certain intensity to obtain the desired results without causing any adverse effect.
Types of Radiologists
While radiologists are experts in studying and interpreting all kinds of imaging tests, they might choose a specific field of radiology to practice their expertise.
The wide array of applications of radiology can be broadly divided into three different sections: diagnostic, interventional, and radiation therapy. The radiologists concerned with these fields are diagnostic radiologists, interventional radiologists, radiation therapists, or oncologists. Read below for detailed information on different types of radiologists.
1. Diagnostic Radiologists
As the name suggests, these radiologists are concerned with diagnosing different injuries, illnesses, and diseases. It could include determining the cause behind a set of symptoms through imaging or determining the extent of injury in a bone or ligament.
Diagnostic radiology helps diagnose several diseases like anemia, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, pneumonia, appendicitis, osteoporosis, tumors, and different types of cancer.
To diagnose these conditions, a radiologist uses several radiologic methods. Some of them are:
- General X-ray: It is mostly used for detecting any bone fracture or tear in the ligaments. However, x-rays are also employed in mammography to diagnose breast cancer.
- MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging can detect dementia, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, cysts, swellings, and a variety of other conditions by the use of a strong magnetic field.
- Fluoroscopy: This method uses x-rays to create high-resolution real-time images of body parts. It is mostly used to evaluate the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
- CAT Scan: A Computerized Axial Tomography scan aids in diagnosing and locating tumors, clots, and infections and monitoring heart diseases, cancer, etc. It also uses x-rays to obtain the images.
- Ultrasound: This method uses sound waves to detect tumors and other abnormal masses. A sonographic ultrasound also helps monitor the development of a fetus inside the mother's womb.
2. Interventional Radiologists
These radiologists aid in carrying out minimally invasive surgical procedures. This method uses real-time imaging while inserting catheters, wires, or other small instruments into the body through the nose, mouth, or a small cut. The imaging gives a clear picture of the movement of the instrument. This allows the surgeons to carry out minor or major procedures without open surgery.
Such interventional methods can detect and treat tumors, blood clots, back pain, and liver and kidney problems. After such procedures, the patient rarely needs to stay in the hospital.
It includes CAT scans, MRIs, fluoroscopy, and ultrasounds. Following procedures require interventional radiology:
- Angioplasty: Repairing or unblocking a blood vessel.
- Needle biopsy: Done to obtain a sample of cells from the lungs, thyroid, or another organ for laboratory testing.
- Vertebroplasty: Stabilizes a compression fracture in the spine.
- Embolization: It involves blocking certain blood vessels to stop bleeding or kill a tumor.
3. Radiation Oncologist
Radiology plays an important role in determining and treating cancer. Through this method, tumors can be located and killed without the patient undergoing major surgery. This process makes use of the harmful nature of radiation to inflict damage to the tumors.
It includes several different procedures. Some of them are:
- External beam radiotherapy: It involves passing radiation from outside the body before surgery or treatment.
- Proton beam therapy: It uses proton radiations to kill the tumor.
- Stereotactic body radiotherapy: It involves passing high-dose radiation to a localized part of the body.
Mulberry Women Care: the Best Place for Radiology Services in Gurgaon
Visit Mulberry Women Care to get the best radiology services in Gurgaon. Our radiologist, Dr. Arshbir Singh Sandhu, has over eight years of experience. He is an expert in providing radiologic services, interpreting the results, and assisting treatment accordingly. Abreast with all the new trends, Dr. A. S. Sandhu is proficient in inpatient and outpatient procedures, making him the best radiologist in Gurgaon.
Mulberry Women Care is embedded with the hi-tech latest imaging instrumentations, which ensure accurate and high-quality imaging. We always consider the comfort and well-being of our patients and make sure to provide them with a clean and friendly environment for their diagnosis and treatment.