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If you have ever had an injury, you may have heard of three different types of imaging tests: X-Ray, CT Scan, and MRI. These tests can be a valuable asset to help doctors diagnose your medical condition. While they are all used to look at internal structures of the body, they are not the same.
X-Rays are a form of radiation emitted into the body in order to create pictures of internal organs and bones. An energy beam is aimed directly at the body part being studied and the plate behind the body part captures the energy beam after it passes through skin, bone, muscle, and other tissues. Areas that are more dense and high in calcium, like bones, appear white on film because they can block the radiation. Less dense tissue like fat and muscle will appear gray as more radiation passes through.
This quick test consists of positioning the body in a seated, standing, or lying down position in order to take a snapshot of the desired body part although the test may be prolonged if multiple images are required.
X-ray film
X-Rays are widely used to diagnose:
A computerized tomography scan, also known as a CT Scan, is an imaging procedure that uses X-ray and computer technology to produce detailed images of nearly any body part. It uses X-ray images taken from different angles to create three-dimensional images of bones, soft tissues, and blood vessels. Unlike a standard X-Ray, a CT Scan has an X-Ray beam that moves in a circle around the body allowing for different angles of the same organ.
During a CT scan, the patient will lie on a table inside of a large, doughnut-shaped machine. The table will slowly move through the scanner and it will take anywhere from ten minutes to a half-hour.
X-ray, MRI and CT Scan
A CT Scan is a diagnostic tool used to identify bone disorders such as:
Muscle damage such as:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, is a test used to produce a detailed anatomical image of the body used for diagnosing bone and joint problems and assessing treatment progress. Rather than using radiation like X-Rays and CT Scans, an MRI uses a powerful magnet to transmit radio waves through the body. Protons in the body react to the energy and create highly detailed pictures of the body’s structures.
X-ray, MRI and CT Scan
The scanner on an MRI resembles a large tube that is open on both ends. The patient will lie down on a movable table which will then slide into the tube. The scan lasts anywhere from fifteen minutes to over an hour and the patient may be given ear plugs or music to help block out the tapping and thumping noises that the machine produces. It is important that the patient remove all jewelry prior to the scan and to alert their doctor if they have any medical implants or metal in their body. This includes cardiac pacemakers, pins or plates in or on their bones, cochlear implants, and stents.
In orthopedics, an MRI can be used to examine injuries and other conditions, including:
X-ray, MRI and CT Scan
Related Articles: What is an MRI? and Should I Have Treatment Before an MRI?
If you have and injury or a fracture, the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute can help. To see a JOI Orthopedic Doctor, call (904)JOI-2000, schedule online, or click the link below. To see a JOI Rehab Therapist in 1 of our 12 locations, call (904)858-7045.
