They diagnose and perform treatments using ultrasound, X-rays (not only in radiographs but also in CT scans), magnetic fields (as in MRI) and other imaging technologies.
Radiologists may also gain additional qualifications and specializations to become, for example, interventional radiologists, helping surgeons in guided images inside a person’s body, such as treating malignant tumors or inserting stents and bypasses to dilates arteries x ray images in Rockaway.
How do x-rays work?
When we do an x-ray, our body is exposed to x-rays , and its interior is imprinted on a film in the same way as it would happen with a photograph.
A radiopaque body must be positioned behind our body , otherwise the radiations would be absorbed all by the body and would not reach the film, which would not be affected in any way. According to this procedure, therefore, the image of our body in negative appears on the result of the X-ray (therefore with the black background and the image imprinted in white).
Similarly, if the body of a human being or a part of it (such as a limb, chest or head) is placed between the source that emits X-rays and the film, the high atomic number and thick formations ( bones and mediastinal structures) appear white on the film, retaining all radiation; those that instead hold them only partially (such as blood vessels, the muscular apparatus, etc.), have a darker appearance based on the transparency of the film, thus appearing of a greyish hue; all the structures that are completely pierced by X-rays are almost not visible on the plate, remaining dark. The different impressions on film of the parts of our body are therefore the result of the X-ray.
Is radiography safe for humans?
Today it is common knowledge that X-rays can cause mutations in our DNA and, therefore, lead to the development of tumors later in life, and this is partly true. For this reason, X-rays are classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, this possibility is very low and the advantages of X-ray technology distant outweigh the probable unfavorable outcomes of their purpose.
In fact, it is estimated that only 0.4% of cancers in the world are due to an excessive administration of rays, so undergoing radiology tests from time to time does not involve any particular health risk. However, according to several studies, by the age of 75, having rats tests can increase the risk of developing cancer by 0.6 to 1.8%. Simply put, the risks are still minimal compared to the benefits of medical imaging.