Anyone that has ever landed in an emergency room with a broken bone, head injury, or been pregnant has been exposed to medical imaging technology, and is acutely aware of how important it can be. With medical imaging technology, lives have been saved when one has presented with a stroke, any kind of tumor, or a ruptured appendix.
Medical imaging is the technique and process of creating visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues. Medical imaging seeks to reveal internal structures hidden by the skin and bones, as well as to help medical doctors diagnose and treat disease. The images taken also establish a baseline of normal anatomy and physiology to make it possible to identify abnormalities.
Imaging techniques use radiations that form part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It’s easy to forget that visible light forms only a fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum.
By exploiting other types of 
radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum, medical practitioners are able to see further than the naked eye allows. The most familiar of these types are x-rays, which are most often used to determine if a bone is broken. X-rays, however, are not very useful for looking at tissue, and the radiation can also be harmful to certain areas of the body. With the development of other techniques, such as thermal imaging, that allows different tissues, organs, and metabolic functions to be ‘seen’ using different parts of the spectrum.
Computed tomography (CT) scans take several X-rays and combine them to form a composite image, providing a more detailed internal view of the bones, organs, and tissues. PET (Positron-emission tomography) scans identify changes at the cellular level; but, not until after a patient ingests a radioactive tracer.
Ultrasound allows medical professionals to see images that are produced with high-frequency sound waves of organs within the cavities of the body. It’s completely void of any radiation.
All of these techniques have given doctors information on how to treat their patients, there’s one that stands out above the rest: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The MRI can provide a glimpse at the tissues and organs of the entire body, and it’s one of the best ways to take images of the brain.
While MRIs are useful for finding abnormalities in blood flow within the brain, a close relative, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), can provide insights into the activity of cells in the brain.
Medical imaging has given us the power to ‘see’ inside the body, and the tools of tomorrow will be even more sophisticated. The science behind this technology has evolved by leaps and bounds in the last few decades. With that in mind, it’s important to employ Universe Optics to design and manufacture the precision lenses needed to return an exact and clear image. Our team of dedicated engineers will work with your design to guarantee full clarity.
As it stands today, modern medical imaging methods are extremely useful for clinicians, so rather than devising new techniques, most researchers’ energies have been dedicated to refining existing techniques.
In an ideal world, we would be able to diagnose, treat and cure patients without causing any harmful side effects. The use of medical imaging has enabled doctors to see inside a person without having to cut them open. It’s also helpful in learning more about neurobiology and human behaviors. Medical imaging brings scientists from biology, chemistry, and physics together. The technologies developed can often be used in across multiple disciplines.