X-ray

X-rays use radiation to rapidly and painlessly create photos of constructions inside your physique. They’re generally used to diagnose bone issues, breast most cancers and infections.

• One sort of X-ray referred to as a measures the mineral content material of your bones to see how sturdy they’re. It’s used to verify for low bone mass (osteopenia) and weak, brittle bones ().

• One other sort of X-ray, a , is breast imaging that’s used to detect breast most cancers.
  • Routine carried out to verify for breast most cancers are referred to as screening mammograms.
  • Mammograms carried out as a result of a lady is exhibiting indicators of breast most cancers, or after suspicious outcomes on a screening mammogram, are referred to as diagnostic mammograms.

What to anticipate:

Relying on the kind of X-ray, you’ll be requested to lie down or stand nonetheless, and probably swap positions, whereas the machine takes the pictures. You have to be accomplished in 10 to fifteen minutes.

Ideas and methods:

• Put on free clothes, and don’t put on something with buckles, buttons or zippers. Steel can intrude with the check outcomes.

• Don’t schedule a mammogram in the course of the week earlier than your interval. It may be more durable to get a superb image in case your breasts are swollen, and your breasts could also be extra delicate at the moment.

• When getting into for a mammogram, don’t put on deodorant, antiperspirant, powders, lotions or fragrance beneath your arms or round your breasts as a result of they might present up as white spots on the X-ray.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

MRIs use magnetic waves to create detailed photos of organs and tissue. They can be utilized to diagnose stroke and blood vessel points, spinal wire issues, tumors, , aneurysms, joint accidents, and extra.

What to anticipate:

You’ll be requested to take away all of your garments and placed on a hospital robe. Then, you’ll lie on a desk that slides right into a tunnel-like MRI machine, which can make loud noises because the magnets work. An MRI often takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Ideas and methods:

• Speak to your HCP about choices for serving to you loosen up throughout your MRI, equivalent to soothing music or a sleep masks.
• Some exams require you to be confined in a small area. Speak to your HCP about your choices if in case you have any considerations about claustrophobia.
• You can’t have any steel within the room with you, since an MRI is a huge magnet. Be sure you alert the technician if in case you have any steel in your physique.

PET scan

PET scans present how organs and tissues are functioning. Present process a PET scan includes inhaling, swallowing or getting a shot of radioactive medication (referred to as a tracer) so a machine can learn the radiation these tracers give off. PET scans are sometimes used to diagnose most cancers, coronary heart issues, Alzheimer’s illness, epilepsy and Parkinson’s illness.

What to anticipate:

After being given the tracer, you’ll lie on a desk that slides right into a donut-shaped scanner. The whole course of will take round two hours.

Ideas and methods:

• You received’t be allowed to eat or drink for six hours earlier than your PET scan (besides plain water with nothing added).

• For those who’re breastfeeding, you won’t be able to breastfeed for twenty-four hours after getting your tracer due to the publicity to radiation.

CT scan

Computerized tomography, or CT scans, use many X-ray photos to create a cross-section of physique components, equivalent to bones, blood vessels and gentle tissues. CT scans are generally used to evaluate traumatic accidents, fractures, tumors, infections, coronary heart issues, most cancers and extra.

What to anticipate:

You’ll lie on a desk that slides right into a donut-shaped scanner, the place an X-ray tube will rotate round you whereas taking photos. CT scans are often fast, lasting solely about 10 to fifteen minutes.

Ideas and methods:

• You possibly can in all probability hold your personal garments on so long as you keep away from sporting clothes with steel zippers or snaps. (Go away jewellery at residence, together with steel piercings.)

• Keep away from consuming and consuming for 4 hours earlier than your CT scan.

Ultrasound

Ultrasounds use sound waves to seize photos of constructions within the physique. Along with serving to monitor , ultrasounds can be utilized to diagnose gallbladder illness, breast lumps, swollen joints, genital points and extra.

• One sort of ultrasound, a , includes inserting the imaging gadget (referred to as a transducer) into the vagina. This enables HCPs to see the organs inside your pelvic cavity, together with your cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

• Throughout being pregnant, transvaginal ultrasounds are frequent in the course of the first trimester (the primary 12 weeks). After that, your HCP will probably wish to do no less than one belly ultrasound (additionally referred to as a ) to verify your child’s improvement.

What to anticipate:

An ultrasound technician will apply gel to your pores and skin, then transfer the transducer round to create photos of what’s happening inside your physique. The ultrasound will in all probability final half-hour to at least one hour.

Ideas and methods:

• For some forms of ultrasounds, you might be requested to not eat or drink earlier than the process.

• For an ultrasound throughout being pregnant, you’ll probably want to indicate as much as your appointment with a full bladder to assist the technician get a greater view of your child.

In case you have questions on healthcare imaging, discuss to your HCP.