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What is angiography? Angiography is the X-ray imaging of blood vessels using contrast agents injected into the bloodstream through a thin plastic tube (catheter) that is placed directly in the blood vessel. The images taken are called angiograms. Angiography provides information about blood vessel abnormalities, such as narrowing, blockage, inflammation, abnormal widening and bleeding, using a liquid contrast agent (known...
What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine is a medical speciality that involves giving a patient a small amount of radioactive medication, called a radiopharmaceutical. This makes the body slightly radioactive for a short time. A special nuclear medicine camera detects the radiation, which is emitted (released) from the body, and takes images or pictures of how the inside of the...
Interventional radiology is a medical specialisation that involves performing a range of imaging procedures to obtain images of the inside of the body. The interventional radiologist carefully interprets these images to diagnose injury and disease, and to perform a range of interventional medical procedures. Interventional radiologist use imaging techniques…
Health consumers informationWhat is radiation? Background radiation is always present in our environment. It is inescapable and provides each of us with a continuous, small radiation dose. The sources of background radiation in our environment are cosmic rays from the universe, naturally occurring radioactive substances in the food and water we eat and drink, the air we breathe, in the ground,…
What is contrast medium? Contrast media (sometimes called contrast agents or dye) are chemical substances used in medical X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), angiography, and occasionally ultrasound imaging. Contrast media enhance and improve the quality of images (or pictures), so that the radiologist (a specialist doctor trained…
What is a nephrostomy? Urine is made in the kidneys. Humans have two kidneys, each of which passes urine to the bladder by a tube called the ureter. This tube can become blocked for a number of reasons (e.g. kidney stones or cancer). A blocked ureter can stop the kidney from working properly and can damage the kidney. Also, if the urine that is blocked becomes infected, it can…
What is a DMSA scan? DMSA, or dimercaptosuccinic acid, is a radioactive compound (radiopharmaceutical) that when injected into a vein allows images or pictures to be taken of the kidneys. DMSA enters the kidneys and is concentrated in functioning/normal kidney tissue, giving an indication as to how the kidneys are working. It does not provide information as to the internal…
What is an octreotide scan? Nuclear medicine uses radioactive materials to diagnose or treat diseases. An octreotide scan is one that uses radioactive material to detect certain types of cancers arising from the neuro-endocrine systems (this means cancers that relate to the interaction between the nervous system and hormones from the endocrine system – glands that…
What is an MRI enterography or enteroclysis? Entero means small bowel and graphy means image, so enterography is taking images (or pictures) of the small bowel after drinking fluid to make the small bowel stand out on the images. Enteroclysis means a tube has been placed in the small bowel through the stomach. Whether enterography (drinking fluid) or enteroclysis (tube…
What is a plain radiograph/X-ray? Radiography is the imaging of body structures, or parts of the body, using X-rays. X-rays are a form of radiation (X-radiation) similar to visible light, radio waves and microwaves. X-radiation is special because it has a very high energy level that allows the X-ray beam to penetrate through the body and create an image or picture. Plain…
What is a micturating cysto-urethrogram? A micturating cysto-urethrogram (or MCU) is a study using X-rays that shows the bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body) while passing urine (see children’s X-ray examination). The test is performed to find out if the urine goes from the bladder back up to the kidneys instead of…
What is an MRI scan of the rectum? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a very strong magnet, and radio waves, to make detailed pictures of organs inside your body. MRI is considered to give the best (clearest) images or pictures of the tissues around the rectum, for identifying the extent of any disease. It makes very accurate pictures of diseases involving the rectum,…
What is an X-ray examination? Radiography is the imaging of body structures using X-rays. X-rays are a form of radiation similar to visible light, radio waves, and microwaves. X-radiation is special because it has a very high energy level that allows the X-ray beam to penetrate through the body and create an image or picture. The image is created due to the X-ray beam being…
What is amniocentesis? Amniocentesis is a procedure where a needle is inserted into the abdomen to obtain a small amount of amniotic fluid. The foetus grows in the uterus, or womb, inside a bag called the “amniotic sac” surrounded by amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is made by the placenta (the organ that develops inside the uterus to supply food and oxygen, through the…
What is a paediatric renal ultrasound? A paediatric renal ultrasound is an examination of the kidneys and bladder with an ultrasound machine, which uses sound waves to form images of different organs within your child’s body. The sound waves cannot be heard by the human ear and cannot be felt by the child having the ultrasound study. Renal ultrasound studies are…
What is a Uterine Fibroid Embolisation? Fibroids (also known as leiomyoma) are benign growths (non-cancerous) in the uterus or womb. They are common in fertile women and usually shrink after the menopause. The majority of fibroids are asymptomatic (without any obvious symptoms) and are either not known about by the individual or are found incidentally on examination…
What is a foetal MRI? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a way of taking detailed pictures of the inside of the body. It is useful for looking at many parts of the body. A foetal MRI gives additional information about your baby from the information received from an ultrasound scan that will have been carried out routinely during your pregnancy. During an MRI scan, pictures…
What is an ultrasound guided prostate biopsy? An ultrasound guided prostate biopsy is a procedure where a special needle is inserted into the prostate gland to take a small sample of tissue from the gland. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for testing, to determine the presence or absence of prostate cancer. Why would my doctor refer me to have this procedure? Your doctor…
What is a CT colonography? (Also known as CT colonoscopy, virtual colonography or virtual colonoscopy). A computed tomography colonography (CTC), is a CT scan to look at the colon, or large bowel. A CT scan is a specialised X-ray test during which the patient lies on a moving table/bed as it passes through a circular X-ray machine. In order to study the large bowel, dietary…
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