Medical Visualization

Medical imaging, also known as medical visualization, is a field of strong interest to me. Images of the human body are created by means of radiography, endoscopy, thermography, photography, microscopy, and even through illustration. The images may be created for clinical purposes in order to diagnose or examine a particular disease, or for the study of the human anatomy and physiology. I’ll discuss a few imaging techniques that are of particular interest to me, as well as an approach to medical visualization that does not result in any specific imaging.

One process I find interesting is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a technique that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to image organs and structures inside the body. An MRI scan can be done for the human head, including the brain, the chest, blood vessels, the abdomen and pelvis, bones and joints, and the spine. MRI creates many two dimensional pictures of “slices” of the body. It is the preferred imaging technique for detecting tumors within a person, and therefore is of personal interest to me due to my family history.

Another medical imaging technique is ultrasonography, which uses sound waves to produce two to three dimensional images. This is most often the technique to image fetuses in pregnant women, however, ultrasounds can produce images of many organs within the human body. I had the opportunity for a Visualization project to interview a cardiologist and tour the visualization laboratories at the Central Texas Heart Center in College Station. He showed us several approaches used to image the heart, including 3-D echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart) and PET scanning (positron emission tomography).

I would like to conclude with the argument that medical visualization is not limited to the creation of images. Is not the dissection of the body or its parts a means to visualize the human system? A very unique approach to medical visualization is the Body Worlds traveling exhibition. This exhibition features human bodies and parts preserved through plastination, a technique which replaces water and fat with plastics. The display is a fascinating one, revealing inner anatomy of both healthy and ill bodies. It is incredibly informative through its visual, and at times artistic, depiction of the human body. It features specific organs, muscle systems, the central nervous system, and helps people to visualize how these systems and parts practically function.

The reason I chose the topic of medical imaging is because after my graduation in December 2012, I intend to pursue an MS in Prosthetics and Orthotics. The field is a fascinating blend of biomechanics, art, psychology, and medicine. I will likely use two and three dimensional visualization techniques in order to help design the prosthetics and orthotics. There are so many uses for visualization techniques besides artistic, architectural, and entertainment purposes, and medical imaging is one example. 

References: Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers, 2007; McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 2002; WebMD "Medical Imaging and MRI Scanners"