Healthcare is a dynamic industry! Service providers create excellent medical gadgets in huge volumes thanks to cutting-edge technology. Healthcare technologies' main focus is improving a person's quality of life. They take adequate steps to shorten the recovery and treatment time through advancements in minimally invasive procedures, digital monitoring systems and cutting-edge scanning equipment. Anderson Diagnostics is one of the renowned diagnostic labs in Chennai that has updated itself with the latest technological equipment and provides the best lab service.
In this digital era, technology tools are of great use for medical professionals to provide adequate health care. A few years back, healthcare technology had only the tomography scanner using computers. But today, there is equipment to view 3D multi-dimensional visualisations. Technology developers in the healthcare sectors have begun to use the advantages of AI, cloud computing, and AR/VR, which creates sharper and better images while diagnosing patients. These solutions and technological advancements have helped people lead healthy and productive lives.
Medical Imaging & Digital Technologies- All You Need to Know
Technology has altered how healthcare professionals and medical specialists comprehend the human system. Medical imaging is a popular segment in digital health. With the help of technology, medical imaging procedures view the human body by monitoring, diagnosing and treating several medical conditions. Digital health uses the latest technologies to provide patients with holistic wellness and healing solutions. These include devices for recording essential readings, orally administered sensors, health apps utilised on mobiles, medical imaging driven by technology, electronic records, robots as caregivers, etc.
Digital technologies offer faster results and better images when compared to conventional medical imaging technology. Thus, the healthcare industry is swiftly moving towards digital technology use. Every physician will prefer to diagnose a medical illness with a diagnostic test like a CT scan, MRI or X-ray. Beyond the physician's experience and expertise, medical imaging is vital in every diagnosis to monitor the health progress and devise an effective treatment schedule. Let us see how.
- Medical imaging helps detect breast cancer at an early stage. Mammography is one of the best diagnosis methods that has helped in causing a decline in deaths associated with breast cancer for the past three decades.
- Medical imaging helps in successfully performing surgeries. CT scan, a type of medical imaging, is used in endoscopic sinus surgery as the network of the sinus is complicated. This allows the surgeon to evaluate every area closely before commencing the treatment. Thus, medical imaging works best in every complex surgeries.
- Sonography is another medical imaging used to determine the fetus's development in the womb. It also rules out any health issues in the baby before it enters the world.
Also Read: A Detailed Study of Mammograms | Anderson Diagnostics
Impact of Digital Technology in Medical Imaging
Let us see how digital technologies improve medical imaging. Some of the recent digital technologies used in medical imaging are:
Cloud Technology
Cloud technology offers an edge for several data management processes in the medical imaging sector. This technology helps in developing the medical industry in various fields. Cloud-based solutions are beneficial for radiologists to understand and identify diseases. They are also utilised in other scenarios, including:
- Enormous image data storage
- Cloud image archiving
- Remote disaster recovery of medical images
- Software applications based on cloud images
- Mobile image readings
- 3D healthcare image apps
- Imaging centres
- Live broadcast of surgeries
- Online consultations based on images
- Remote monitoring of health
3D Imaging
The 3D visualisation creates high-quality images that are multi-dimensional. Different layers of scan provide a versatile end image. Some parts of the human system require more accurate analysis. In such circumstances, 3D imaging analyses the various layers of the body in order to ensure that a proper assessment is made. The 3D cinematic rendering includes CT and MRI scanning techniques that offer volumetric visualisation.
There are a few more innovative approaches used with AR techniques for patients to better understand their own anatomy. 3D imaging is used to identify tumours or abnormally developing soft tissues in the body. 3D printing is another potential technology that is great for surgeons to prepare patients for surgeries. Through 3D printing, the patients will gain a sound explanation of the procedure. Furthermore, these technological advancements let patients know what to expect during surgery.
An Overview of Artificial Intelligence, AR/VR & Digital Twin
Artificial intelligence has taken the radiology community to the next level. In the medical diagnostics market, global AI is expected to move from 505 million dollars as of 2020 to 3,868 million dollars by 2025. It is anticipated to have a 50.2% CAGR in the forecast period. ML technology is widely used in the simultaneous processing of multiple scans to help make faster decisions. RIS (Radiology Information System) and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) can be analysed, reported and generated using AI-enabled software. Thus, radiologists speed up the entire examination process using AI.
Using AI guidance, the CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) processes can be performed at a faster pace than how it is done in today's world. AI helps position the machine perfectly and prepare the scan settings based on gender, age, disease or area of focus, etc. Another critical advantage of using AI is that it exposes the patients to lower doses of radiation.
AR/VR-associated medical imaging results in effortless communication and better patient care. The real challenge in assessing the actual area during surgery is solved using AR headsets. The surgeon can wear these during surgery to get a clear picture of the surgery area with fluoroscopy support. An AR is used to pre-plan a surgery using a virtual tool which presents a three-dimensional hologram of the patient's body. It helps surgeons identify and locate the target points at a rapid pace.
Creating a 3D visualisation of a subject to examine how a treatment affects the organs, tissues and tumours without testing on a patient is called a digital twin. This helps in understanding complex organ functions. 3D images, when combined with additional data, can be used to feed cinematic rendering tools. By doing so, surgeons can see how the organs function, which will help them in better diagnosis, planning and explaining the medical procedures. Thus, a digital twin is utilised for better and quicker diagnosis, eventually ensuring better and faster treatments.
The Bottomline
AI dominates the healthcare industry, although other technologies also have their own role to play as far as digital healthcare is concerned. Digital technologies are enhancing the diagnosis and accuracy of prognosis. Anderson Diagnostics is one of the best diagnostic labs in Chennai, which uses all the latest technologies to provide a complete health care service.
