What is Radiology?
Radiology is a field in medical science known as radioscopy
or clinical radiology. Founded over 100 years ago, radiology as a branch of
medicine has evolved into a high-tech science with state-of-the-art
equipment.
In this branch of medicine various radiation energies are
used to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders. Radiation energy includes
different forms of electromagnetic energy like cosmic rays, gamma rays, X -
rays, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, radar, radio
waves, and microwaves.
As a medical specialty, radiology is classified into four
subfields. This includes diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, therapeutic
radiology, and interventional radiology. In diagnostic radiology, external
radiation is used to produce images of the body. Whereas in nuclear medicine,
a small amount of radioactive materials is used to create the image for
diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Therapeutic radiology, also known as
radiation oncology, utilizes radiation to study and treat chronic diseases
like cancer. Interventional radiology is an innovative tool, with which the
abnormality in the body can be treated without undergoing surgery.
In radiology, radioactive substances, electromagnetic
radiation and sound waves are used to create images of the body. Unlike
conventional methods, radiology is a medical specialty which interprets the
function of the affected area. Thus, imaging technique of radiology helps to
study the functioning of the internal part of the body using radiant energy.
Thus, the physician can easily analyze the abnormal functioning of internal
organs in the body.
The various diagnostic imaging techniques used in radiology
are plain radiography, CT scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound,
and nuclear medicine. Each of the technique in radiology has its own strength
and limitations.
There is a great concern about the side effects associated
with the use of radiation for treatment and diagnosis. But, considering the
contribution of radiology in the analysis of the disease, these small risks
are overshadowed.
