Radiology Machines (Imaging)

          I know a lot about this topic, it is one if my life interests. Even though I know like it a lot and despite my knowledge, I want to research them even further.


Questions:

1. What is an X-Ray and what is it used for? 
2. What is an CT and what is it used for?
3. What is an MRI and what is it used for?
4. What is an Pet Scan and what is it used for?
5. What is an EEG and what is it used for?


Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_computed_tomography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron_emission_tomography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography


Things I learned: 

• X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic energy that is used to have a clear view of the strong masses of the human body (bones generally) to detect fractures and/or abnormal activities in organs like the lungs. 

• Large/long/repetitive exposures to X-radiation is dangerous for the human body because the radiation that the X-rays emit can generate abnormalities. Usually when you have an X-ray the scan takes at least 10 second to get out one image (shot time). 

• Pregnant women are not allowed to take any medical test involving electromagnetic energy (such as X-rays) because it can damage the fetus permanently. To scan the baby during pre-natal care, doctors use an ultrasound because the wavelength of sound cannot damage the fetus. 

• A CT scan (computerized tomography) is a scan that doctors use to see a clear view of the organs of the body. The CT machine also uses electromagnetic energy, but they are sent in a different way than the ones in a normal X-ray. 

• The CT scan shows the human body cut into "slices" or cross sections to see the different parts of the body in numerous slides. This way they can detect tumors and other abnormal masses growing in any part of the body. Radio contrast agents can modify the contrast of the image to the doctors choice. 

• You can order different types of CT's. There are general CT's in which you can see the entire body with or without cross-sections. There are head CT's in which you can only see the brain (no cross sections). And sometimes you can have an abdominal CT or an extremity CT. 

• An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is another radiology exam to see the inner structures of the human body. The important difference is that the MRI uses magnetic energy that gives the image a lot more detail than the CT. 

• There is a type of MRI that are called NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) that are used with nuclear energy to be able to visualize the nuclei of the cells inside the body. You can also visualize molecules inside the body. 

• When a fetus is diagnosed with an abnormality using an ultrasound, obstetricians use a fetal MRI. This is a normal MRI you perform on a fetus inside the uterus of a woman. You obviously reduce the amount of energy used since the fetus is small. This way you can have the clearest image of what the problem is. 

• A PET scan (positron emission tomography) is another type of imaging used in medicine. It is a nuclear energy machine that uses a small percentage of gamma rays that indirectly emits radionuclide. This lets you see 3D images of the inner structures of the body. 

• This is a test mostly used to detect cancer metastasis (when cancer spreads from it's original place of development to other places in the body). A color coded image use used to detect metastasis or other structures of your choice. 

• Just like X-rays; PET scans should be performed on a regular basis because the gamma rays used in the test can damage the body permanently if the body is exposed to them lots of times. Gamma rasy are one of the waves (rays) that have the most concentrated wavelengths. 

• An EEG test (electroencephalography) is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. The test measures voltage resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons. The main diagnosis made using this type of test are cases of epilepsy. 

• It is used by putting many little probe receptors in the scalp of a person. From there, you connect them to wires to be able to release the energy that is going to let you know the electrical activity of the neurons. 

• This test is also used to be able to confirm the diagnosis of encephalopathy and delirium which are diseases of the brain that are all related to the electrical charges that the neurons have inside the brain, just like epilepsy. 


Summary: I believe this type of advanced technology applies to my life because I want to be a surgeon when I grow up so I am going to need to be familiarized with these machines for the well-being of my future patients. I guess it applies to everybody's life because these machines allow doctors to diagnose diseases that are treated every day. 


Questions: 

• What are the other medical imaging machines (the ones that are not mentioned in this post) compare to the ones that are mentioned in this post?  

• How is anybody able to put electromagnetic energy inside a machine and control it? 

College Exploration on Naviance

• My GPA for MP1: 3.56

• To be 100% honest I am not happy with my grade at all. When I see these GPA's on this four universities I chose to make this project (and the ones in the other universities I want to attend) it is truly horrible because I wouldn't be able to apply. I really really need to work on improving those numbers and also getting into more student organizations. Even more, Getting to AP Biology next year wherever I am.

Google Day #4

My three goals for the day are: 

          1. Erase the tabs created from the website.
          2. Create the tabs that I want my application to have.
          3. Start filling in the tabs with their respective information.


1. Erase the tabs created from the website.

The app has already some tabs for me to use that are called: events, forms, menu list, contact, RSS, sound board, photo gallery, video gallery, coupons, social links, links, content, discography and blogs. The only ones that I am going to use for my project are:

Content: I am going to use this type of tab because it allows me to put all the information I have of cancer in paragraphs forms, it can also make subtitles for the different topics so that way I can organize the information in a better way.

Photo Gallery: I am going to use this type of tab because it allows to out photos and give them titles.

Video Gallery: I am going to use this type of tab because I can out all sorts of videos regarding cancer.


2. Create the tabs that I want my application to have.

Now, I am going to choose these three for the different tab names that I have in mind (they are mentioned in the post of Google Day #3). Now I am naming the tags the way they are supposed to be. Also, I am putting icons for each tabs.


3. Start filling in the tabs with their respective information.


Treatments:

Causes:

Carcinoma:

Blastoma:

Videos:

Lymphoma:

Germ Cell Tumor: 

Final Preview: 

Google Day #3

My three goals for the day are: 

          1. Look for websites that will help me create my application.

          2. Explore the app creator.

          3. Begin creating my app.

I. Look for websites that will help me create my application. 

http://www.appsbar.com: On the internet, I found this really cool application that says that you can create really cool apps for free. I tried using the Google app creator but it did not work. After looking at other websites that I found on the same search. I decided to use this one. This goal that I completed today was really brief because it was just to decide on one app creator to create my oncology dictionary. 

II. Explore the app creator.

http://www.appsbar.com: This is how you use this website by steps:

1. You need to sign up to use this website. Like in any other website you need to provide you name, last name, a username, your e-mail and your birthday. 

2. Then, you need to select the type of app that you want to create. A handful of potions will appear on the screen. For this project I will use the "Educational" theme because it is the one I feel relates the most to my topic. Then you hit the next button. 

3. There will be option button that asks you if you want to use you app to sell any items on the internet. In this case I will say no because my app will be a dictionary. 

4. Obviously, you need to name your app. There will be a space where you need to put the name of your app. I had to change the word "oncology" to "cancer" because it didn't fit. 

5. Almost done! Now, you need to select an app icon. Just like the ones on apple devices. This will be like a cover for the app. I chose a picture of cancer cells. 

6. Last step! Now you need to choose a app splash screen. You can upload a photo directly from you computer to put on display. I chose a picture of me. 

III. Begin creating my app. 

• This is a very important part of the process. Now, a window will all the subcategories of the application appeared. Initially they were named by the website but I changed them into the seven different categories that I want in my app.

          - Treatments: the list of treatments (Google #2 post). 
          - Causes: the list of possible causes (Google #2 post). 
          - Cancer Videos: list of videos that I will obtain from YouTube. 
          - Blastoma: characteristics, types, location, process of development, etc. 
          - Sarcoma: characteristics, types, location, process of development, etc. 
          - Carcinoma: characteristics, types, location, process of development, etc.
          - Germ Cell Tumor: characteristics, types, location, process of development, etc. 

• After hitting the "Publish" button your app gets saved and you can access the website whenever you want to work on it or modify it. This will be my goal for next class. Continue putting my app together.