Cards (6)

    • Imaging
      Detects abnormal density/metabolism
    • Computerised (Axial) Tomography, CAT or CT
      • Fine streams of X-rays from many angles: visualise anatomical details within "slice"
      • 3D images
      • X-rays damage DNA: mutations
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

      • Detects the density of protons (like NMR)
      • Magnetic field aligns the "spins" of protons. When they "relax", protons emit radiation: detected and measured
      • Proton density varies with the type of tissue: contrast
      • Often used to examine soft tissues
      • Can assess blood flow, detect tumours, evaluate infections, and investigate injuries to bones and joints
      • Noisy, confining, expensive ($2m)
      • Probably relatively safe: no ionising radiation
    • Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

      • Images tissue function (not density)
      • Sugars (usually) are labelled with radioactive tracers then introduced into the body
      • Cells take up variable amounts of sugar, depending on metabolism. Tumour > normal
      • PET scanner detects radiation given off by the sugar
    • PET
      • Lymph node metastases
      • Bone metastases in spine and pelvis
    • Combined imaging
      Function and density
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