Unlike physics and math, medicine is far from an exact science. A patient’s symptoms may share similarities with another disease, so a doctor can then order medical imaging tests to narrow down the possibilities and make informed treatment decisions.
Medical imaging can involve various scanning technologies to produce detailed images of a specific section of the body. The purposes of having medical imaging scans are generally classified into two types: diagnostic and preventive. Let’s talk about the differences and similarities between these two reasons for having imaging scans, and where you can go for world-class imaging right here in The Bronx.
What Is Diagnostic Health Imaging?
Diagnostic imaging allows your doctor to evaluate an area of your body for the purposes of diagnosing the issue. The doctor may later order follow-up diagnostic scans to monitor your health condition.
Thanks to imaging, doctors can look inside the body without the need of a surgical procedure.
An X-ray is a standard diagnostic imaging tool that captures images of internal conditions or abnormalities like fractures and tumors. If you sustain a sports injury, your doctor may order an X-ray to determine the damage’s extent and to create your treatment plan.
In addition to X-rays, types of diagnostic imaging scans include:
- MRI
- CT scan (also called CAT scan)
- Mammogram
- Ultrasound
- Bone-density scan
What Is Preventive Health Imaging?
Preventive health imaging uses the same machines and technologies as diagnostic imaging, but it serves a different purpose. Your doctor may recommend preventive screening when you are symptom-free, in good health, but susceptible to certain diseases. Some of these scans are recommended simply because of your age, such as mammograms and bone-density scans.
Preventive health imaging decreases your risk of developing certain diseases or complications because it is meant to catch health issues early. A number of fairly common diseases can take months or even years, before symptoms appear (if they ever do), and an imaging scan can detect early-stage disease so that it can be treated and possibly eliminated completely.
Examples of preventive health imaging scans are having regular mammograms and bone-density scans.
Diagnostic and Preventive Health Screenings in The Bronx, NY
Whether the purpose of your imaging scan is diagnostic or preventive, the role of medical imaging today is imperative in controlling and mitigating diseases. We can now detect lumps, tumors, and nerve issues with various types of imaging tests.
For top-notch medical imaging services, visit Starling Diagnostics today. We offer MRI scans, CT scans, 3D mammograms, ultrasounds, digital X-rays, and DEXA bone-density scans as part of our diagnostic radiology services. Our board-certified radiologists use state-of-the-art equipment to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis and prognosis.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an imaging scan, contact our friendly staff by calling us at (718) 319-1610 or by filling out our online appointment request form. We look forward to getting you on the path to good health!
