Contrast Materials in a CT Scan
Images produced by x-rays, CT scans, or MRI require a medium to enable the technologist to separate the usable from those who cannot aid in the diagnosis or development of medical interventions. Contrast media photos are used to improve the visibility of the organ tissues that are in focus . The effect of these agents in the body is not permanent; instead, their presence in the body cause specific tissue to appear more sharply on a scan than those tissue which were not targeted to create contrast. For contrast agents to be effective, they are administered before the radiological examination is conducted; the material may be ingested orally, administered via the rectal cavity, or intravenously. Soon after the imaging procedure, any contrast agents are taken into the body, while the rest is excreted. [1] Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The various kinds of contrast material include iodine-based and barium sulphate in the various states of matter, as well as powder form which is ingested in a mixture of water. Application of either of iodized, or barium-sulphate agents shield the affected parts from the x-rays, thus making them visible for a short period. Gadolinium is used in MRI testing to improve the clarity of magnetic resonance images. In terms of the mode of application, contrast agents that are taken orally include Barium-sulphate, as well as iodine-based agents as substitutes; these agents help in the examination gastrointestinal tissue such as the voice box, gullet, stomach, small intestines and the colon. The same combination may also serve the purpose of rectal contrast agents. Moreover, iodine-based contrast materials are applied intra-arterially to give contrast in x-ray and computed tomography images, while gadolinium improves the viability of MR images. Moreover, microbubble contrast agents provide a reference point for radiologists to test for organs letting blood, clots that disrupt blood-flow, deformities of the heart, presence of masses in the liver and kidneys, swelling of the bowel, as well as monitoring the progress of a=cancer treatment. [1]
[1] radiologyinfo.org