Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury - Ct And Mri Scans
Because of the complexity of the brain and the way it interacts with the rest of the body, a traumatic brain injury can result in many different problems, disorders, and/or complications. Diagnosing the extent of a traumatic brain injury is no easy task. Modern technology has provided doctors and scientists with several effective imaging procedures which allow them to study the effects of an injury on the brain and produce more accurate diagnoses of any problems. Two of the most widely used techniques are computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Computerized Tomography
The term tomography comes from the Greek word tomos, meaning “section.” A tomograph, therefore, is a sectional, two dimensional image produced by x-rays using a technique first proposed by the Italian radiologist Alessandro Vallebona in the 1930s. By moving the x-ray source and the film in opposite directions at a synchronized rate, an image is produced which is blurred at all levels except the focal plane. This allowed scientists to sidestep the problem of superimposed images often encountered in imaging technology.
Further advances in medical technology have changed and improved the original tomograph. The advent of more powerful computers resulted in the development of the first CT scanner, which was able to take a series of slice images using tomography and subsequently compile them into a more detailed, digital reconstruction of the scanned tissue.
CT scans have proven particularly useful in diagnosing brain injuries because they can detect the presence of many problems, ranging from bone fractures to internal hemorrhaging to tumors.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, was developed using research conducted into the phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance. While the physics behind this imaging technique are fairly complicated, the basic idea is something like this:
An MRI scanner produces a strong magnetic field, which causes the abundant hydrogen nuclei found in the body (usually as water) to line up in a certain way. Radio wave pulses are then used to “disturb” this alignment, producing rotating magnetic fields as the hydrogen nuclei “reset” after each pulse. Because the hydrogen nuclei in different types of body tissue reset at differing rates, the scanner can use this information to construct a highly detailed image of soft body tissue.
MRI scans are a very effective tool for diagnosing neurological problems, particularly tumors and disorders which arise in non-calcified body tissue. However, compared to CT scans, MRIs usually take longer, are more expensive, and may be less easily available.
For more information regarding traumatic brain injuries and their effects, visit the website of our traumatic brain injury lawyers at http://www.traumatic-braininjurylawyers.com.
Joseph Devine
Tags: Brain Injury Lawsuit Attorney, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney, Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
