One of the first technologies to improve on our understanding of the human body was endoscopy. An endoscope is a tube which may be flexible or rigid, but which contains a lens. This tube may be inserted through a small incision in the skin, or through a bodily orifice, such as the mouth. Looking through the lens enables the inside of the body to be seen. Endoscopy was first performed in 1805. The technology is not new, though it has been improved on. Modern endoscopes are able to take pictures of internal organs, and even take biopsies of tissue. They are hence useful for performing advanced diagnoses.
Over time, other, even less invasive technologies were developed. X-rays, first discovered by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895, enabled doctors to see inside the human body. Bone fractures could now be properly examined. Ultrasonography, originally developed from naval sonar, was first used as a medical treatment. In the late 1940s, doctors began to use it as a diagnostic tool, as well. Ultrasound imagery and x-rays are still used today. Today, ultrasounds are often used to view unborn babies, and x-rays are generally used to diagnose broken bones.
CT, or computed tomography scans (also known as CAT scans) are derived from x-ray technology. A CT scan can scan the entire body using a narrow x-ray beam which moves around the body. The result is a detailed three-dimensional image, which can then be examined later. Such images are useful for diagnosing many diseases, and are often used to determine the size and location of tumours.
Magnetic resonance imagery scans, or MRIs, use a strong magnetic field in order to obtain an image. The magnetic field is strong enough to line up molecules in the human body. Radio waves are then passed through the body, which alters the alignment of the molecules. This, in turn, generates more radio waves, which are analyzed, producing a three-dimensional image. MRI scans do not use x-rays, which reduces the risk of long-term repercussions.
All of these technologies played an important role in discovering more about internal systems in the human body. Endoscopy helped doctors to learn about the digestive system. X-rays enabled doctors to evaluate fractures, and hence learn more about the skeletal system. CT scans and MRI scans allow for a more in-depth look into the human body. MRI scans, especially, enable to analyze brain activity, potentially leading to great advances in neuroscience. All of these inventions replaced more invasive procedures, and have enabled medical advances to bring us to where we are today.
Blogs I commented on:
Connie's blog
Dora's blog
Works Cited:
"The Beginning of Early Modern Endoscopy." Laparoscopy Today. Society of Laproendoscopic Surgeons. Web. 23 May 2011.
"CAT Scan." RadiologyInfo. Radiological Society of North America, 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011.
"Computed Tomography (CT)." US Food and Drug Administration Home Page. US Food and Drug Administration, 9 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. .
Coyne, Kristen. "Introduction to Magnetic Resonance Imaging." National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. National Science Foundation. Web. 23 May 2011.
Harris, Tom. "How CAT Scans Work." Discovery Health Health Guides. Discovery Channel. Web. 23 May 2011.
"History of Ultrasonics, a Summary." Obstetric Ultrasound. Web. 23 May 2011.
"Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen." Timeline of Nobel Prize Winners. 2003. Web. 23 May 2011.
"X-ray." MedlinePlus. National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health, 8 May 2010. Web. 23 May 2011.
