1. Images can help diagnose disease
Early diagnosis is known to save lives, and having high-quality images taken at the first sign of a problem can make a huge difference. An average of eight people a day are diagnosed with cancer in Ontario alone, and doctors rely on tests to recommend treatment.
2. Images can help detect injuries
Bone X-rays are the fastest and easiest way for a doctor to assess fractures, injuries, and joint abnormalities. They use a very small does of ionizing radiation and can produce pictures of any bone in your body.
3. Diseases can be managed through image comparison
Imaging can provide detailed information about structural or disease-related changes. It is important to follow up with new images when requested by your doctor so they can watch for advancements or improvements and plan your treatment accordingly.
4. Family and emergency doctors depend on radiology tests to determine treatment
In emergent situations, getting information quickly might be critical for a patient’s treatment and recovery. All doctors want the most detailed images and test results to be able to diagnose their patients effectively.
5. Images can help determine when surgeries are necessary
In some circumstances, it would be very difficult to determine if a surgery is needed or not at all. A doctor cannot tell the seriousness of an internal injury or unseen disease-related changes without a clear internal view of their patient. Also, triaging patients based on their needs is an integral part of our healthcare system.
6. They reduce the need for exploratory surgeries
Having clear internal images to diagnose presenting problems might not only determine and the actual issue but prevent unneeded surgeries in some cases. Or it can specify the surgery needed and help to determine the best specialist for the patient.
7. They reduce the length of hospitalizations
Medical imaging can show improvements and give doctors a better idea how a patient is healing post-surgery or treatment. This can lead to an earlier release and less unneeded time in hospital for a patient, benefitting not only this particular patient, but another who might need treatment as well. Earlier release of recovering patients frees up hospital space and the care providers’ time, so they can ultimately help more people.
References
Benefits of Imaging Using Radiation. UCSF Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging. https://radiology.ucsf.edu/patient-care/patient-safety/radiation-safety/benefits
Understanding the Role of Radiology. OAR – Ontario Association of Radiologists. https://oarinfo.ca/radiologists/importance-radiology#:~:text=Understanding%20the%20Role%20of%20Radiology&text=Radiology%27s%20role%20is%20central%20to,Early%20diagnosis%20saves%20lives
X-ray (Radiography) – Bone. RadiologyInfo.org. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bonerad#:~:text=Bone%20x-ray%20uses%20a%20very%20small%20dose%20of,and%20assess%20bone%20fractures%2C%20injuries%20and%20joint%20abnormalities.
