Radiology is the medical use of radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of different health problems.
Radiology is the medical use of radiation to diagnose and treat various health problems. Using gamma rays , X-rays and other types of rays, it is possible to obtain internal images of the organism.
In order to understand what radiology is, we must first know the etymological origin of the term and that leads us to determine that it comes from Latin and Greek, since it is the result of the sum of two words from these languages:
- The Latin noun radius , which can be translated as "ray" .
- The Greek word logia , which is synonymous with "study."
Usefulness of radiology
Typically, the images offered by radiology are used to diagnose a disease . In certain specific cases, radiology is also used for treatment .
Individuals who wish to work as radiologists must obtain academic training through the degrees and careers established in this regard. With these educational tools they will be able to acquire the necessary knowledge in this regard, such as the effects of radiation on the human body.
A photograph that, through X-rays , reveals internal issues of the body is known as radiography . X-rays allow the bones to be observed and thus the doctor indicates what treatment to develop in the event of a fracture, to name one possibility.
Radiology is very important in dentistry.
Its importance in dentistry
One of the areas of medicine where radiology has taken center stage in recent years is dentistry . And it helps to ensure that dentists can really know what their patients' mouths are like, specifically the areas that the naked eye cannot reach.
Specifically, currently in this field we have to explain that there are two large groups of radiographic techniques: extraoral techniques, which are those used to know and observe what the outside of the oral cavity is; and intraoral , which, as their name indicates, are used to study the inside of the oral cavity. This means that, in turn, the latter can be divided into occlusal , periapical and coronal .
Types of radiology
When radiology has as its central objective the establishment of a diagnosis , it is called diagnostic radiology . If, however, its techniques are applied for an image-guided surgical intervention, it is called interventional radiology . Both disciplines, of course, are not isolated, but rather their boundaries tend to blur within the framework of the interaction with a patient.
An example of interventional radiology is embolization , which allows bleeding in an organ or vessel to be stopped by using some kind of glue that manages to introduce a blockage. This technique is used in the treatment of fistulas and aneurysms, among other disorders that can affect a person's health.
According to the body region on which the specialization focuses, on the other hand, it is possible to refer to gynecological radiology , cardiac radiology , dental radiology and gastrointestinal radiology , among others.
It is interesting to mention, finally, that "Radiology" is also the name of a health publication officially published by the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology .