Diagnostic Imaging: MedlinePlus

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itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a> → <meta itemprop="position" content="1"/> </div> <div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Health Topics</span></a> → <meta itemprop="position" content="2"/> </div> <div> <span>Diagnostic Imaging</span> </div> </div> </div> <span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/diagnosticimaging.html</span> <div id="topic"> <article> <div class="page-info"> <div class="page-title syndicate"> <a id="start" name="start"></a> <h1 itemprop="name" class="with-also"> Diagnostic Imaging </h1> <span class="alsocalled">Also called: Imaging</span> </div> <div class="page-actions"></div> </div> <div class="main"> <a name="summary"></a> <section id="topsum_section"> <div class="summary-title syndicate"> <h2>Summary</h2> </div> <div id="topic-summary" class="syndicate"><p>Diagnostic imaging lets doctors look inside your body for clues about a medical condition. A variety of machines and techniques can create pictures of the structures and activities inside your body. The type of imaging your doctor uses depends on your symptoms and the part of your body being examined. They include:</p><ul> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/xrays.html">X-rays</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ctscans.html">CT scans</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/nuclearscans.html">Nuclear medicine scans</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/mriscans.html">MRI scans</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/sonogram/">Ultrasound</a></li> </ul> <p>Many imaging tests are painless and easy. Some require you to stay still for a long time inside a machine. This can be uncomfortable. Certain tests involve exposure to a small amount of <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/radiationexposure.html">radiation</a>.</p> <p>For some imaging tests, doctors insert a tiny camera attached to a long, thin tube into your body. This tool is called a <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/endoscopy.html">scope</a>. The doctor moves it through a body passageway or opening to see inside a particular organ, such as your heart, lungs, or colon. These procedures often require anesthesia.</p></div> </section> <a name="cat_76"></a> <section id="cat_76_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Learn More </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section76" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.acraccreditation.org/accredited-facility-search" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="36559" >American College of Radiology Accredited Facility Search</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-contrast" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="91167" >Contrast Materials</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="20" height="16" alt="Video" title="Video" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/videocamera.gif" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/es/info/safety-contrast" data-sid="99068">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/article-read-radiology-report" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="120655" >How to Read Your Radiology Report</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/es/info/article-read-radiology-report" data-sid="124012">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007451.htm" data-sid="88639" >Imaging and radiology</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Medical Encyclopedia)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/007451.htm" data-sid="90449">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.asrt.org/docs/default-source/patientpages/pedimmobilization.pdf" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="53044" >Keeping Kids Still during Exams</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American Society of Radiologic Technologists)</span> - <span class="desccode">PDF</span> - <span class="desccode">In English and Spanish</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/special-subjects/common-imaging-tests/overview-of-imaging-tests" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="91179" >Overview of Imaging Tests</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Merck & Co., Inc.)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/es-us/hogar/temas-especiales/pruebas-de-diagn%C3%B3stico-por-la-imagen-habituales/introducci%C3%B3n-a-las-pruebas-de-diagn%C3%B3stico-por-la-imagen" data-sid="127483">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-xray" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="23468" >Radiation Dose from X-Ray and CT Exams</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/es/info/safety-xray" data-sid="61533">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-rad-children" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161426" >Radiation Safety for Children</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="20" height="16" alt="Video" title="Video" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/videocamera.gif" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/es/info/safety-rad-children" data-sid="161427">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/glossary-index" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="18755" >RadiologyInfo: Glossary of Terms</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.radiologyinfo.org/es/glossary-index" data-sid="58377">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.asrt.org/docs/default-source/patientpages/xraytrail.pdf" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="49331" >Tracing the X-Ray Trail</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American Society of Radiologic Technologists)</span> - <span class="desccode">PDF</span> - <span class="desccode">In English and Spanish</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/indocyanine-green.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160268" >What is Indocyanine Green (ICG)?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/indocyanine-green.html" data-sid="160269">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/intvnl-radiology.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="153124" >What Is Interventional Radiology (IR)?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/intvnl-radiology.html" data-sid="153134">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_59"></a> <section id="cat_59_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Journal Articles <span class="subheading">References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)</span> </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section59" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39465395" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="11289" >Article: Self-supervised learning framework application for medical image analysis: a review and...</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39451712" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="11289" >Article: Synthetic Microwave Focusing Techniques for Medical Imaging: Fundamentals, Limitations, and Challenges.</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39426390" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="11289" >Article: Access to diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy technologies for patients with cancer...</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Diagnostic+Imaging%22%5Bmajr%3Anoexp%5D+AND+humans%5Bmh%5D+AND+english%5Bla%5D+AND+%22last+1+Year%22+%5Bedat%5D+NOT+%28letter%5Bpt%5D+OR+case+reports%5Bpt%5D+OR+editorial%5Bpt%5D+OR+comment%5Bpt%5D%29+AND+free+full+text%5Bsb%5D+" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="11289" >Diagnostic Imaging -- see more articles</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> </div> <div class="side"> <aside> <section id="ht-img-section"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header hide-offscreen"> <h2>Topic Image</h2> </div> <div class="section-body no-header"> <img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/DiagnosticImaging.jpg" title="Diagnostic Imaging" alt="Diagnostic Imaging" /> </div> </div> </section> <section id="primary-institute-section"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header"> <h2>National Institutes of Health</h2> </div> <div class="section-body"> The primary NIH organization for research on <span class="italic">Diagnostic Imaging</span> is the <a href="https://www.nibib.nih.gov/" target="TheNewWin">National Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Bioimaging</a> </div> </div> </section> <section id="foreign-languages"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header"> <h2>Other Languages</h2> </div> <div class="section-body"> Find <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/languages/diagnosticimaging.html">health information in languages other than English</a> on <em>Diagnostic Imaging</em> </div> </div> </section> <section> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header hide-offscreen"> <h2>Disclaimers</h2> </div> <div class="section-body no-header"> MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/disclaimers.html">disclaimer</a> about external links and our <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/criteria.html">quality guidelines</a>. </div> </div> </section> </aside> </div> <div class="page-action-bottom"> <div class="page-actions"></div> </div> </article> </div> <p>The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. 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Read about the types of images and what to expect.", "mainContentOfPage": "Diagnostic imaging lets doctors look inside your body for clues about a medical condition. A variety of machines and techniques can create pictures of the structures and activities inside your body. The type of imaging your doctor uses depends on your symptoms and the part of your body being examined. They include:\u000AX\u002Drays\u000ACT scans \u000ANuclear medicine scans\u000AMRI scans\u000AUltrasound\u000A\u000A\u000AMany imaging tests are painless and easy. Some require you to stay still for a long time inside a machine. This can be uncomfortable. Certain tests involve exposure to a small amount of radiation.\u000A\u000AFor some imaging tests, doctors insert a tiny camera attached to a long, thin tube into your body. This tool is called a scope. The doctor moves it through a body passageway or opening to see inside a particular organ, such as your heart, lungs, or colon. 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Diagnostic Imaging: MedlinePlus