Radiography - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Modern medicine can not be imagined without such an important area as radiation diagnosis. At present, radiation diagnostics includes: X-ray method( radiography, fluoroscopy, fluorography, linear tomography, computed tomography), radionuclide research method, ultrasound investigation method, magnetic resonance imaging method, thermography and interventional radiology. Below we dwell on radiography.

Radiography is an X-ray method in which an X-ray image of an object is obtained on a solid carrier. If, for many decades, the images obtained with the help of radiography were only on special X-ray films( were analog), then now appeared and widely used digital. These digital methods have a number of advantages over analog and the main ones are the reduction of radiation load on the patient and the ability to transfer, demonstrate, modify and archive images using modern computer technologies. Let us now consider the standard procedure of radiographic examination.

The first stage is preparatory. It includes a radiologist's acquaintance with the history of the disease or referral to radiography, the collection of patient complaints. Many people think that all this is not necessary for a radiologist and is mistaken, this information in the future when describing the image very much helps the radiologist in the correct interpretation of the image. Further, the log of X-ray examinations is filled in, where patient data( name, date of birth), area of ​​research, number of pictures are recorded. At this time, the X-ray lab technician, if the device is not digital, selects the film that is needed to investigate a particular area, and also selects the necessary technical parameters of the study( tube voltage, exposure time, exposure, from these parameters,the amount and what time the radiation passes through the area under investigation, it is not a secret that the finger of this radiation needs less than, for example, the hip joint).

Then the patient undresses, it is very important that nothing is in the area under investigation: no clothes, no jewelry, and the like.

The second stage - laying the patient, that is, the correct location of the part being examined, is necessary to ensure that the entire area in the image is reflected completely and completely. If the laying was done incorrectly, then the description of the picture will be incorrect and something can be missed. Usually, when the doctor sees that the styling is wrong, he asks to reshoot. In general, there are special atlases of these very folds, which greatly facilitate the life of X-ray laboratory technicians, where it is written how correctly to put the patient, at what angle to direct radiation and the like. Usually, research is done in two mutually perpendicular projections( direct and lateral projections), this is especially necessary for fractures to assess where the fragments have moved, and there are also special ones, for example, for the temporal bone.

After laying protect from radiation areas of the body( especially the genitals) are not the object of study. To do this, leaded aprons are used, plates that are worn or covered by a patient. All these protective equipment must have marks indicating their protective equivalent. The third stage is the actual shooting itself, during which the patient is given instructions, for example, to take a deep breath and not breathe, and an electric current is applied to the X-ray tube.

And, finally, the final stage, during which occurs if the device is not digital, photochemical image processing( developing, fixing, drying), evaluation of image quality, marking( fp, year of birth, picture number) and descriptiondoctor-radiologist, if the device is digital, then image processing on the computer( adjustment of brightness, contrast, etc.) and the description of the doctor.

The doctor then gives the conclusion and pictures to the patient or puts it in the medical history.

Radiography is performed in order to identify and prevent various diseases, the main purpose of it is to help doctors of different specialties correctly and quickly diagnose. You can make radiography very many organs, but most often it is applied in the following:

1) traumatology and orthopedics, these are pictures of all bones and joints( beginning from the head and ending with stops), here you can see the signs of various fractures of bones, dislocations in joints, flat feet, benign and malignant bone formation, specific and nonspecific inflammatory changes in bones and joints(tuberculosis, osteomyelitis, arthritis, etc.), degenerative-dystrophic changes of the joints( arthrosis, etc.), bone development disorders( various dysplasias, etc.);

2) pulmonology, pictures of the lungs, where it is possible to see various shadows, which should not normally be due to the characteristics of these shadows( shape, size, location, structure, etc.) and the clinical picture correctly diagnose, it may be anomalies and defectsdevelopment of the lungs( aplasia - lack of lung and many others), degenerative-dystrophic changes( acquired emphysema), traumatic injuries of the lungs and bronchi, foreign bodies of bronchi and lungs, pneumonia of various origin, destructive lung lesions( abscess, gangrene), pleurisies, benign and malignant tumors, metastatic lung lesions, fungal and parasitic lung diseases and, of course, tuberculosis, which in our country in recent years has become very, very, very well on the usual chest radiograph;

3) Neurology and neurosurgery are images of the spine and skull, where it is possible to identify traumatic lesions, assess their nature, as well as various diseases of these organs, for example, degenerative-dystrophic changes( osteochondrosis, intervertebral disc herniation, spondylosis), benign and malignant tumors,anomalies and malformations( Kimerli anomaly - calcification of the membrane between the first vertebra and occipital bone, often occurring);

4) otorhinolaryngology - pictures of the paranasal sinuses, first inflammatory diseases are detected( sinusitis - inflammations of the maxillary sinus, frontal sinuses - frontal sinus inflammations), then curvature of the nasal septum, various congenital malformations( sinus absences, cysts) and naturally traumatic injuries - fracturesnasal bones;

5) cardiology, however, with the advent of more modern methods of research, such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, radiography is being used less and less, but not all the corners of our country have progressed. .. the pictures show congenital and acquired defectsinsufficiency of valves, stenosis of openings), heart and aortic aneurysms, pericarditis( inflammation of the cardiac sac), tumors and cysts of the pericardium;

6) urology, the ptosis of the kidneys( pustules) is revealed on the survey pictures, stones in the kidney and urinary tract can also be detected, and with the help of contrast substances( intravenously injected substance, in the images it detains x-rays) already in detail to assess the structure and function of the kidneys,patency of the ureters, bladder and urethra( renal failure, pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis, abnormalities and malformations of the kidneys, ureters, urolithiasis with precise localization of stones, benign and malignanturinary tract tumors, cystitis, prostate adenoma, ureteral stricture and urethra)

7) abdominal surgery, abdominal radiography is the main component in the rapid diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, also in a survey of the stomach can detect such a complication of peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, as perforation,

8) gastroenterology, here with the use of contrast agents( BaSO4 barium sulfate), you can identify various pathologies of the esophagus( anomaliesdevelopmental disorders, benign and malignant tumors, strictures, diverticula, hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm, stenosis, varicose veins of the esophagus), stomach( ulcer, benign and malignant tumors of various localizations, gastritis), small intestine( duodenal ulcer, stenosis), the large intestine( diverticula, benign and malignant neoplasms, ulcerous changes in the mucous membrane), also with the help of contrast substances it is possible to investigate bile ductscurrents and pancreatic ducts, respectively and to identify their pathology( stones, cholecystitis, pancreatitis);

9) dentistry, both tooth images and orthopantomogram are used here( all teeth in one image), the following pathology is revealed: congenital and acquired deformities of the jaw area, tooth development abnormalities, caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, periodontal disease;

10) gynecology, here with contrast agents by means of radiography it is possible to assess the patency of the fallopian tubes, which is one of the important problems in infertility. Thus, it can be seen that conventional radiography is a very important part of the correct and rapid diagnosis of various pathological processes in the human body. Of course, modern diagnostic methods now appear, such as magnetic resonance imaging and others, but also conventional radiography, which has been in the service of humanity for more than 100 years, will always be widely used both now and in the future.

Contraindications to radiography

Although the radiation load at radiography is small, they can lead to changes in the genetic apparatus of cells - radiation mutations. But this does not mean that it is necessary to refuse radiography, it is only necessary to perform it according to indications and observance of the rules of protection. Here it is necessary to divide the radiography into diagnostic and preventive. There are no absolute contraindications for diagnostic radiography. But you need to know that everyone can not do it either. Any radiation study should be justified, it should only be carried out according to the doctor's prescription and only with a referral from the doctor or a corresponding entry in the medical history. It is not recommended to "prescribe" yourself a study, that is, to come to a radiologist and ask to do research, because the leg hurts. Even pregnancy and children's age are not contraindications, when by any other methods, except radiotherapy, one can not help in the correct diagnosis when it comes to the life of the patient. The risk of carrying out these studies to a patient is always incomparably less than the possible harm that a disease can bring that is not detected in time. Breastfeeding mothers are advised to express milk before radiography. Although X-rays do not affect the composition of milk. Preventive radiography( mainly fluorography) is not given to pregnant women and children under 14 years of age.