|
|
|
When Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895, the field of radiology was born, allowing physicians to “see” inside the body to diagnose disease.
| Today, radiology involves much more than X-rays. Advanced technology — magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, nuclear medicine/positron emission tomography (PET) and other devices — allows physicians to see inside the body in new ways. In addition to X-rays, radiology uses sound waves, the body’s own magnetism, and radioactive substances inside the body to create images of the body. |
|
|
The Radiology Department at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin uses sophisticated imaging tools to diagnose a wide range of diseases. More than 285,000 imaging procedures are performed each year for inpatients and outpatients, including patients seen at Froedtert & The Medical College primary care clinics.
Board-certified Medical College of Wisconsin physicians in the Radiology Department are highly specialized in interpreting images of the breast, heart and blood vessels, head and spine, gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other areas of the body. Interventional radiologists are highly skilled in using imaging to guide many types of treatments.
The Radiology Department offers the complete spectrum of state-of-the-art imaging techniques and imaging-guided, minimally invasive procedures. The department is also a major training center for imaging students and physicians in many areas of radiology. Many radiologists in Wisconsin and throughout the country have trained at Froedtert & The Medical College.
As an academic medical center, Froedtert & The Medical College have a long-standing commitment to research. Through clinical research trials, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians are studying new applications of imaging equipment and new technology. Many of these physicians are nationally and internationally recognized for their research as well as leadership in professional radiology organizations.
Types of Medical ImagingMedical imaging consists of:
- Diagnostic radiology, which uses imaging technology to aid in diagnosing disease and injury. Froedtert & The Medical College perform many specialized types of diagnostic imaging:
- Nuclear medicine and PET, a subspecialty of radiology, involves giving a tiny amount of a radioactive material (tracers) to a patient. Normal and abnormal (diseased) cells respond to the tracer differently, and abnormal regions are seen as “hot spots” or “cold spots” on a nuclear medicine image. Nuclear medicine is also an important tool for treating certain diseases such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and thyroid cancer, lymphoma and other cancers.
- Interventional radiology, a subspecialty of radiology, uses imaging technology to guide minimally invasive procedures. These procedures are often done as alternatives to surgery to diagnose and treat a wide range of disorders. Using fluoroscopy, ultrasound and CT, interventional radiologists guide needles, catheters and other devices through small incisions in the body to reach targeted areas. Most of these procedures are often performed using local anesthesia and moderate sedation.
The Web site RadiologyInfo.org, jointly developed by the American College of Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America, provides detailed information on radiologic procedures and therapies. Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin have provided this link as a convenience for patients and visitors to this site. We are not responsible for the content of this external site. Whenever you leave our site, we will tell you because we feel it is important to make this distinction as we have not reviewed the privacy policies of any Web sites we link to from our site, and you should exercise care when visiting any other Web site.
Author: Marla Fraunfelder Last Review Date: Feb. 18, 2010 |
|
|