The benefits of technology in the medical field are vast, from treatment to disease research, and from radiography to cure research. As highlighted by Stai et al. (2019), the use digital healthcare technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, nuclear imaging, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) have made diagnoses and treatment more efficient and effective. The innovative digital solutions have changed and shaped the medical industry profoundly. As such, healthcare providers must embrace emerging innovative trends to stay relevant in administering quality care. Medical radiography has particularly witnessed several breakthroughs that have significantly impacted the industry. Technological innovation in medicine and healthcare can potentially result in a more effective care system.
Advances in positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), and Angio-CT (computed tomography) have contributed toward significant improvements in medical radiography. PET scan involves nuclear medicine often used in cancer diagnosis to detect the spread and measure treatment effectiveness (Fankhauser et al., 2019). The imaging is also used to diagnose heart- and brain-related diseases, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, PET essentially detects biochemical anatomical imbalance in tissues and organs to identify the onset of a specific disease. Moreover, advances in PET scans like PET-MRI are increasingly available, although with limited use. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) produces accurate mapping of the body’s anatomy that can aid in prosthetics design and surgery (McEvoy et al., 2018). Diagnosis of the abdomen and chest organs such as the heart, adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, and spleen can be done through MR imaging. Thus, the combination of PET and MRI gives more detailed imaging.
SPECT uses gamma-emitting radioisotope and CT information for anatomic localization. As with PET, SPECT imaging can yield a three-dimensional image. According to Zampakis et al. (2018), the combination of SPECT and CT systems improves the sensitivity and accuracy of information. CT scans take a shorter time than SPECT scans since the gamma camera rotates slower than the CT scanner. Nonetheless, the application similarity between CT and SPECT allows the merging of information and images. Some of the clinical applications of SPECT include the localization of prostate cancer and mapping. Although SPEC is more affordable, PET gives better spatial and contrast resolution.
Furthermore, functional and anatomical imaging is gaining great importance, influencing other emerging trends like Angio-CT. Angio-CT allows radiologists to switch between fluoroscopy and CT, making the patient experience more efficient. Other innovations revolutionizing diagnostic imaging and radiology include the MRI glove and portable MEG brain scanner. The MEG brains canner measures brain activity during movement, improving imaging to patients with epilepsy and related conditions (Tait et al., 2021). Likewise, AI-driven analytics, AR, and VR have improved the accuracy of radiology. Therefore, the value of emerging trends in medical radiography is far-reaching.
In summary, the current severity of health challenges demands innovative strategies to address volume and drive productivity in healthcare. Like other medicine controls, radiology must be multi-directional to remain relevant with technological and contemporary advances. Medical imaging is crucial in analytical procedures, from CT scans to ultrasounds. The applications of imaging technology like SPECT and PET transforming approaches to diagnosis and treatment for some diseases such as cancer and epilepsy. More significantly, these innovations in medical radiography take into account effective and comprehensive solutions in healthcare. Generally, the integration of these innovations offers individualized and additional approaches to diagnostic and interventional radiology.
References
Fankhauser, C. D., Poyet, C., Kroeze, S. G., Kranzbühler, B., Schüler, H. I. G., Guckenberger, M., Kaufmann, P. A., Hermanns, T., & Burger, I. A. (2019). Current and potential future role of PSMA-PET in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. World Journal of Urology, 37(3), 457-467.
McEvoy, S. H., Raeside, M. C., Chaim, J., Ehdaie, B., & Akin, O. (2018). Preoperative prostate MRI: A road map for surgery. AJR American Journal of Roentgenol, 211(2), 383-391.
Stai, B., Heller, N., McSweeney, S., Rickman, J., Blake, P., Vasdev, R., Edgerton, Z., Tejpaul, R., Peterson, M., Kalapara, A., Regmi, S., Papanikolopoulos, N., & Weight, C. (2019). Public perceptions of artificial intelligence and robotics in medicine. Journal of Endourology, 34(10), 1041-1048.
Tait, L., Özkan, A., Szul, M. J., & Zhang, J. (2021). A systematic evaluation of source reconstruction of resting MEG of the human brain with a new high‐resolution atlas: Performance, precision, and parcellation. Human Brain Mapping, 42(14), 4685-4707.
Zampakis, P. M. D., Smpiliri, E., Spyridonidis, T., Rapti, E., Haberkorn, U. M. D., Makatsoris, T. M. D., & Apostolopoulos, D. J. (2018). Whole body bone SPET/CT can successfully replace the conventional bone scan in breast cancer patients. A prospective study of 257 patients. Hellenic Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 21(2), 125-133.