Overview of Diagnostic Imaging and Cancer Treatments

Posted on Aug 4, 2024 in Biology

Diagnostic Imaging Methods

X-rays:

Radiation uses X-rays that are capable of printing on a photographic plate. The problem is that compact structures do not cross bones and cartilage. It serves to contrast muscles, skin, and soft tissue. It is used in orthopedic surgery, lung cancer, and in some tumors.

CT:

Computed tomography utilizes X-rays and radiographs made at different levels to achieve a three-dimensional image to find out which part of the body is affected. It is used in lymphoma tumors, to detect lymph nodes, and knee injuries and ligaments.

MRI:

Nuclear magnetic resonance uses large, powerful magnets, and images are produced by electromagnetic radiation. It is used to detect fibrillar ruptures and ligaments in the brain.

PET:

Positron emission tomography uses a substance delivered to the patient that contains tomography and is used for metabolic problems.

Scintigraphy:

Radioactive isotopes are used in nuclear medicine, emitting gamma rays. It is used for metabolic problems.

Ultrasound:

Not very aggressive, they use ultrasonic sounds undetectable by the human ear. It is similar to sensors; the machine calculates the time it takes to deliver the sound and get the rebound, and in that time, the machine produces an image.

Cancer:

A set of diseases where tissue cells reproduce uncontrollably to form a tumor. It results from a loss of control or malfunction of some genes. There is a hereditary disease, inherited genetic predisposition.

Types of Tumors

  • Benign: A tumor that affects the tissue or organ function but does not spread to other organs. It is removed by surgery.
  • Malignant: Those that invade other tissues, this is called metastasis. They override the function of the organ they affect.

Causes:

  1. Carcinogenic chemicals, e.g., smoke, tobacco, nickel, asbestos.
  2. Radiation, UVA radiation, and nuclear X-rays.
  3. Viruses, such as human papillomavirus, Epstein-Barr virus (lymph cancer), and hepatitis virus (liver).
  4. Genetic predisposition.

Healing:

  1. Anticancer substances: Substances that prevent cancer, e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables.
  2. Chemotherapy: A mixture of antimitotic drugs administered intravenously.
  3. Radiation therapy: Use of nuclear radiation to kill tumor cells.
  4. Transplantation: In leukemia, the bone marrow is transplanted.
  5. Monoclonal antibodies: Act against cancer cells, built specifically for each type of cancer.
  6. Surgery: May be a solution or complement to other treatments.

Leukemia:

A blood disease that produces a proliferation of immature white blood cells, lacking a number of mature cells that function properly.

Types:

  1. Acute: Evolving faster, requiring very effective treatment as it can be severe, often occurring in children.
  2. Chronic: Slowly evolving, occurs more in adults, with periods of proliferation and normalcy.

Symptoms:

  • High fever
  • Tiredness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weakened immune system, leading to infections
  • Thrombocytopenia, lack of platelets, affecting wound healing

Treatments:

  1. Chemotherapy: Using drugs.
  2. Radiation therapy: If the main focus is located.
  3. Transplant: A red bone marrow transplant using umbilical cord and transplant banks.

Causes:

Alteration of some genes due to environmental factors, food, radiation, and chemicals during pregnancy.

Stem Cells and Therapeutic Cloning:

In 1997, the first cloning was achieved. If errors in DNA are purified, an epithelial cell clone would be born with a much lower probability of catching diseases.

Therapeutic Cloning:

Involves transferring the nucleus of a cell from a sick person into an egg cell from that person.

Energy Resources:

Natural resources are all the goods that exist in nature, which can be material or types of energy that can be used by humans.

Types of Resources:

  1. Natural Renewable: Those that can regenerate at a rate similar to human consumption (e.g., sun, wind).
  2. Non-renewable Natural: Those whose extraction and consumption exceed the rate of turnover, leading to depletion (e.g., coal, oil, gas).

Types of Energy:

  1. Endosomatic: Energy that allows life, derived from food and plants through photosynthesis.
  2. Exosomatic: Energy that does not come from food and helps meet social and collective needs (e.g., transportation, manufacturing).

Energy Use:

  1. Petroleum: Extracted from oilfields, formed over 20-50 years from marine plankton.
  2. Gas: Produced when organic matter decomposes, taking 22-49 years to form.
  3. Coal: Reserves last 111-150 years.
  4. Radioactive Minerals: Used in various applications.

Water:

Essential for life, freshwater is scarce and not always available. A certain part is located at the poles.

Applications:

  1. Agriculture: Irrigated crops produce much more than rainfed fields. Flood irrigation loses much water through evaporation.
  2. Industrial: Some industries have very high water consumption, using it as a solvent for toxic elements.
  3. Domestic: In big cities and areas with little rain.
  4. Energy: Water is used in reservoirs for energy consumption.
  5. Recreational: Used in various activities.
  6. Freshwater: A scarce resource that remains constant in quantity, but consumption is increasing.

Forest Resources:

All goods we can draw from the forest, where trees predominate.

Benefits:

  • Forests produce oxygen.
  • Regulate rainfall.
  • Protect soil.
  • Control fire weather.

Materials:

  • Wood: Can be cut in a controlled manner.
  • Vegetable Carbon: Remains of burnt wood.
  • Fossil Fuels: Cheaper energy source.
  • Cellulose: Used to make paper.
  • Cork, Resins, Dyes, Foods, Drugs: Various applications.

Soil:

The first layer of the crust. Without soil, there can be no agriculture.

Applications:

  1. Agricultural and Livestock: Cultures depend on soil quality.

Desertification:

The loss of fertile ground that facilitates the advance of the desert.