Medical imaging is a cross-discipline based on medical professional knowledge, the application of modern physics, optics, computer science and other technical means and methods of medical image recording, reproduction, observation, analysis and other processes.
Medical imaging mainly studies the human body and animal in vivo shape, structure, organization, organ and function of the information recording, processing and interpretation. It can also be used for clinical diagnosis, pathology research, drug efficacy assessment, etc. It has become one of the important pillars of clinical medicine. Medical imaging is also known as silver halide imaging, because once upon a time the film (film) was imaged with the light-sensitive material silver halide chemical sensitizer.
Because medical imaging is characterized by high definition, high sensitivity, and non-invasiveness, it has been widely used in clinical practice. For example, image recording and processing by technical means such as X-rays, cinematographic films, and digital display systems allow precise diagnosis and treatment of pathological conditions of tumors, cardiovascular, neurological, and skeletal systems.
With the rapid development of computer technology, the application field of medical imaging is also expanding, including digital image microprocessing, computer-aided diagnosis, three-dimensional imaging and other directions. Medical imaging includes medical imaging systems and medical image processing two relatively independent research direction.
Applications of medical imaging:
Medical imaging can be used as a medical aid for diagnosis and treatment, but also as a means of scientific research for life science research. Diagnosis mainly includes fluoroscopy, radiographs, CT, MRI, ultrasound, digital subtraction, angiography and so on. Treatment is mainly applied to interventional therapy, radiotherapy and other aspects.
Many of the techniques in medical imaging have gained wide application in the scientific research industry. The development of medical imaging has benefited from the rapid advances in modern computer technology, and its combination with image processing, computer vision, and pattern recognition technology has resulted in a new branch of computer technology - medical image processing.
Origin and development: In 1895, the German physicist R?ntgen discovered X-rays, which were soon used for human disease examination, and thus formed the diagnostic radiology. In the past 30 years, CT, MRI, ultrasound and nuclide imaging equipment in the continuous improvement of nuclear perfection, checking the technical nuclear method is also constantly innovative, diagnostic imaging has developed from a single rely on morphology changes in the diagnosis of a set of morphology, function and so on.