Technology Allows Us to See Inside the Human Body

Technology has helped our world in so many ways, including our complex understanding of internal human body systems. In the earlier days, the only way people were able to know about the interior of the human body were through operation and dissection, which is quite a scary concept. However, today we have many different kinds of technology that allow experts to take a look inside our bodies without having to open us up. A few of these various technologies are endoscopes, scanning devices, and electronic pills. Each of these has made their own contributions to the study of internal body organs, and without them, many questions about the human body may have been left unanswered to this day.

An endoscope is a medical instrument used for endoscopy that allows us to peek inside the human body through a long and thin tube that has a light and a video camera. Images from the camera will show up on a screen outside the body to be analyzed. Many interior parts of the body were first viewed through an endoscope. There are many different types of endoscopes such as bronchoscopes, gastroscpoes, colonscopes, etc. They all serve the same function but involve different areas. The bronchoscope is used specifically to view the airway and lungs. The first bronchoscopy ever to be performed was done in Canada at McGill University. The gastroscope is for examining the intestine and stomach, and the colonscope for the colon. Doctors use these endoscopes to check patients for any abnormalities inside their bodies. Not only can an endoscope look into a body, but it can also be used for biopsies or to remove foreign objects. Since an endoscope is quite small, biopsies can be done without major surgeries, which is more effective. Being able to take out samples of areas of abnormality in a human’s body, a diagnosis can be made as to what medical condition the patient has.

Other technologies used to help the understanding of the interior of the human body are different kinds of scanning devices such as CT scans (often known as CAT scan) and MRI scans. These scans are used to produce images of inside the body on a computer screen. A person will be required to lay down on a surface and will be put into a dome where the scanning will happen. CT (computer tomography) scans are very similar to x-rays however more advanced. Instead of producing pictures that are printed out, the images of a CT scan appear on a screen, just like the endoscopes. CT scans also have higher resolution than x-rays which enables doctors to study more intricate areas of patients such as internal organs, tissues and blood vessels as well. Due to this ability, physicians are able to diagnose and treat medical conditions such as tumors that cannot be seen through simple x-rays. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans serve the same purpose as CT scans; but instead of using x-ray technology, MRI scans use magnetic fields and radio waves to capture images. The hydrogen protons in our body are able to react to a large magnet, so when tissues of the body interact with the magnetic pulses, the electromagnetic signals created are converted to images. MRI scans, unlike CT scans, do not have radiation and do not require a dye injection to differ the normal tissues from abnormal tissues. Both the CT scan and MRI scan are so effective that the results they produce are just like opening up a body to look inside without having to do so.

One of the more advanced technologies in viewing the inside of a human is the electronic pill, otherwise known as an endoscopy pill. This invention has allowed physicians to examine the interior of a patient’s body just by getting the patient to eat a pill! The pill travels through a person’s digestive system after being swallowed while transmitting information to a receiver along the way. The pill takes pictures of inside the body along the way and is able to sense the acidity and pressure levels of the stomach. It is also able to time how long it takes for it to be digested and excreted (the pill would be excreted after a day or two). The pill helps avoid endoscope procedures and also allow a visualization of new areas of the body not reached by the endoscope. Although this pill is great for taking a look into the digestive system, doctors have dreamed for many years of having a self-propelling capsule that can travel throughout anywhere of the interior of a person’s body as instructed or programmed to do. This means that not only will the digestive system be explored but all areas of the body including the inside of organs too! Just like the electronic pill, this self-propelling capsule will be transmitting pictures and information along the way and will be excreted from the body one way or another. Although this capsule has not yet been invented, with the rate that our technology is improving now, it’ll be no time before scientists find a way to create it.

The endoscopes, scanning devices and electronic pills are just three of many different inventions that have allowed us to learn so much about the human body. These technologies have really helped doctors and scientists discover new information regarding the interior of our body systems. Being able to look inside a body without opening it up is definitely something amazing and much less dangerous. Now these instruments are able to provide enough information to diagnose diseases which is the beginning to finding a cure. As technology becomes more and more advanced, we can only wait and see what new devices will come our way to deepen our understanding of the human body.

Sources:
"Canada's Greatest Medical Research"
http://www.canadianmedicinenews.com/
"CT Scan"
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/
"Future Endoscopes"
http://www.olympus-global.com/
"Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan)"
http://www.medicinenet.com/
"Swallowable Sensors"
http://www.technologyreview.com/
"What is Endoscopy? What is an Endoscope?"
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

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