National Nursing Review : Nursing Study Resources & Health Tips » Instrumental Tests

A CT scan for early detection of lung cancer

admin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:36:09 +0000

Several studies have shown that the implementation of the TAC annual preventive reduce 20 percent of deaths from lung cancer in populations at risk, which for the director of the department of chest medicine at the University of Navarra Hospital and principal investigator of one of them, Dr. Javier Zulueta, should serve to reopen the debate about its effectiveness in the future.

IELCAP international study, published recently and included the participation of the University Hospital of Navarra and the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, and the recent research conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and funded by the U.S. government, endorse the importance of this diagnostic test in the increased survival of patients with lung cancer.

“We are questioning many things about the changes that are needed”, he added, while also has stated that “if the government does not observe this issue with other eyes will be missing a great opportunity to reduce deaths from a most deadly diseases of our time”.

In addition, the researcher, following the American findings, the debate focuses not only on scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the test if not the cost of the possible implementation of programs ‘screening’ of lung cancer and the criteria to be followed to select populations at risk.

“The question of cost depends on whether there is short or long term. Look at short term, obviously, it is necessary to make investments, not expenses but investments. But in the long term become a savings and to deal with lung cancer in advanced stage is much more expensive and less effective than early detection. Therefore, if the authorities observe this issue in the long term, consider investing in these programs is certainly a saving”, he warned.

Therefore, the expert urges governments to design programs for early detection of lung cancer for the general population. From the standpoint of medical recommends people at high risk of contracting the disease, smokers or former smokers to seriously consider the benefits they can offer this type of evidence.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:50:51 +0000

It is a technique that uses the emission of electromagnetic waves created by a particular device, these waves through thin fabric were to be analyzed.

The received signals are generated by magnetic resonance of hydrogen nuclei especially abundant in all the constituent body, these signals are deciphered by a special transducer that builds three-dimensional image.

The production of images with MRI requires a certain time, and for this reason that blood, being in motion, does not generate detectable signals; different is instead the case of a hematoma.

For the same reasons, MRI is not very applicable to districts on the move as the upper abdomen.

CT scan (Computerized Axial Tomography)

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:19:53 +0000

Is half-invasive for the amount of radiation and for the frequent use of contrast media.
The beam of x-rays used is flat and wide as a sheet perpendicular to the long axis of the body, the three-dimensional image to be reconstructed by a computer corresponds to a cross-section body top few millimeters.

If you hit this picture, you can get a two-dimensional figure which is reproduced on a film, so the body can be analyzed, layer by layer, to that portion of its axis that contains the body structures that are to be analyzed.

The patient is lying on a bed that slides slowly inside a cylinder, here a collimated beam of x-ray fan, having passed through the body, is collected by special detectors that convert it into a signal which in turn will elettricoanalogico digitized by a converter, a computer will turn everything into images.

Radiotherapy

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:52:36 +0000

The power of penetration and therefore the depth of these therapies depends on the wavelength;
Once you enter are converted into heat by acting locally, because the human body is not a good conductor of heat.

It follows that most of the radiation therapy is contraindicated when the depth of tissue to be irradiated, there are metal parts (prostheses, plates, screws, etc.). That being good conductors of heat, absorbing it, they get hot they can cause burns so deep.
The simplest is that radiation therapy that uses high-calorie artificial light rays through ovens where the party is asked to be treated.
Other forms of therapy are the ultraviolet rays with good capacity for disinfection and healing power.

Ultrasound instead have a shorter wavelength and also is used to produce heat and their mechanical action at the tissue.
In marconiterapia and radartherapy, whose radiation from short to ultra short, it takes advantage of the greater or lesser penetration force to develop heat.

Ultrasonography

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:10:07 +0000

It is a survey technique that allows to obtain images in the district studied, using the reflection of a beam of ultrasound sent through tissues of different densities.
The acoustic signals produced by the passage of the ultrasound beam through tissues, are recorded by a probe in which case the conversion of the acoustic signal into an electrical signal and then in pictures, in this way makes it possible to precisely determine the location and size of organs and structures that are being considered, the presence of space-occupying formations and the nature of liquid or solid.

Because of this feature ultrasound has the advantage of being a non-invasive technique and absolutely harmless to the patient.