Modern Medical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Innovations
Non-Invasive Diagnostic Techniques
Non-invasive techniques are crucial for diagnosing various conditions without requiring surgical entry into the body. These methods provide detailed insights into internal structures and functions, aiding in early detection and treatment planning.
X-ray Imaging
An X-ray is an image registered on a photographic plate of an object exposed to X-rays. This fundamental diagnostic tool is widely used for examining bones, teeth, and certain soft tissues.
Ultrasound Imaging
Ultrasound is a diagnostic method that uses high-frequency sound waves. Upon striking the body’s organs, these waves bounce back, producing echoes that are electronically processed and converted into images on a screen. It is particularly useful for visualizing soft tissues and organs in real-time.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows for detailed and accurate three-dimensional visualization of the body’s internal organs, such as the brain, spine, or bone marrow. This technique is invaluable for establishing early diagnoses and facilitating subsequent treatments. MRI is performed painlessly, without clinical admission, and often avoids surgical operations previously needed to diagnose various diseases.
Computerized Axial Tomography (CT Scan)
Computerized Axial Tomography (CT scan) is an X-ray exploration performed by a system that rotates around the body part being observed. This obtains multiple images that are then processed by a computer, producing a final three-dimensional image representing a cross-section (axial) of the observed zone, like a slice. This technique is highly useful for cancer diagnosis and other complex conditions.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
The Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a graph obtained with a device called an electrocardiograph, which measures the heart’s electrical activity as a continuous plot on tape. This technique plays an important role in the screening and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a hybrid imaging technique that measures the metabolic activity of cells. It is based on the analysis of the distribution within the body of a substance, such as glucose, coupled with a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical, and administered via injection. PET scans are vital for detecting diseases at a cellular level, often before structural changes are visible.
Advances in Medical Treatments
A medical treatment or therapy is the set of pharmacological, physical, and psychological procedures designed to combat, cure, or alleviate the suffering caused by a disease.
Medical treatments have experienced significant progress, particularly those involving new surgical interventions, which are much less aggressive than those of the past. Key advancements include:
Coronary Angioplasty
Coronary Angioplasty is used in patients who have experienced angina or a heart attack due to the blockage or narrowing of a coronary artery, requiring the remodeling of the blocked artery using two catheters. The first catheter acts as a guide and is conducted through a monitor displaying a radiographic image as it is advanced through the artery and guided by the physician to the blockage or narrowing.
Once the guiding catheter has reached the blockage, a second, smaller catheter is inserted inside it. This second catheter carries an inflatable balloon at its tip, which is inflated once it reaches the blocked artery, causing its dilation and restoring normal blood flow. The balloon catheter is then removed, and radiopaque dye is injected to confirm improved blood flow.
Bypass Surgery
When coronary angioplasty is unsuccessful, further heart surgery may be necessary. This involves a Bypass Graft, which creates an alternative arterial route. It entails taking a segment of the patient’s own vein and implanting it into the coronary arteries, forming a bridge around the blocked artery. This establishes a new path for blood flow to the heart muscle.
Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy involves inserting genes into the cells of an individual’s tissues to treat a disease, typically hereditary. This revolutionary approach aims to correct genetic defects or introduce new functions to combat illness at its root cause.
Advances in Bionics
Bionics aims to combine the operational models of biological systems with the development of improved mechanical devices. Many disease treatments require the placement of artificial organs that can replace natural ones. For example, to heal broken bones, such as in the hip, titanium prostheses are used, to which bioactive ceramics are added. These ceramics interact with bone cells when a fracture occurs, thereby regenerating the tissue or fusing the broken parts.
Today, bionic hands, arms, and legs with mechanical-biological integration into the body are already being developed. In the future, implants for artificial eyes and other vital organs like the liver and artificial heart will become more common, significantly enhancing quality of life for patients.