Brain imaging technologies are essential since they help one to understand the role and relationships between various parts of the brain. There are several brain imaging technologies such as computed tomography (CT), Functional Magnetic Resonance (FMR), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI). Notably, CT is a brain imaging technology that uses E-rays to scan and acquire images from the brain.
This technology uses ionizing radiations to examine tissues that have got high atomic numbers than the adjacent tissues. MRI is a brain imaging technology that generally uses magnetic radiations to view the structure of the brain (Sartor & Haehnel, 2008). This technology helps in detecting and identifying certain anatomical changes such as trauma within the brain’s tissue. FMRI is a type of technology that acquires brain images by measuring the blood flow. It is a more advanced MR technology.
It is imperative to note that these technologies have similarities and differences. The contrast between CT and MRI is the technique involved in obtaining brain images. For instance, CT uses ionizing radiations while MRI uses non-ionizing radiations to acquire images from the brain tissue (Marie, 2011). In line with this, CT uses radiations from the E-rays while MRI uses magnetic radiations to acquire images.
Moreover, CT is used to acquire images from hard tissues such as carbon and calcium-based flesh as opposed to MRI that is suited for soft tissues. Additionally, images derived through CT are generated from pure attenuation of X-ray (Sartor & Haehnel, 2008). Contrastingly, there are varieties of ways that can be used to generate images through MRI technology. Notably, MRI has a larger utility potential to correlate and identify structural changes in the brain than CT (Marie, 2011).
Nevertheless, there exist some similarities between CT and MRI technologies. For instance, they both generate multiple dimensional or tomographs (Sartor & Haehnel, 2008). In line with this, the technologies are able to produce two-dimensional cross-section and three-dimensional reconstructions within the brain tissues. Moreover, they can both be used to acquire images from the bones, fossils, and other soft tissues.
It is vital to observe that the only difference that exists between FMRI and MRI is that the former is a bit expensive and advanced than the latter. Moreover, FMRI is not used for diagnostic purposes since it is still in its infant stage of development (Marie, 2011). Notably, FMRI can only be used to perform an experiment in specific subjects. On the other hand, MRI has an advanced utility to acquire images and detect defects in the brain tissues (Sartor & Haehnel, 2008). Nonetheless, both technologies are applicable in acquiring brain images although their physics differ.
References
Marie, B. (2011). Cognitive Neuroscience (3rd ed.) Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.
Sartor, K. & Haehnel, S. (2008). Brain Imaging. New York: Thieme Publishing, Inc.