With modern imaging supplies: A look into the lung -- MEDICA - World Forum for Medicine
Menu
Image: diagnosis of the lung; Copyright: panthermedia.net/Sergey Nivens

Topic of the Month October 2018

With modern imaging supplies: A look into the lung

Thanks to various imaging supplies, it is possible to make the inside of the body accessible for diagnostics, research and treatment. The lung, one of the most important human organs for survival, is also examined in this way. In our Topic of the Month, we looked at how doctors are getting a closer look at the lung, how the procedures differ, and which ones will be available in the near future.

Lung Imaging – Keeping the Respiratory System Healthy

Image: Lung; Copyright: panthermedia.net/CLIPAREA

Many people have damaged or suboptimally functioning lungs. One reason is age because the capacity of our respiratory system gradually decreases over time, while unhealthy and modern lifestyle choices play another role in this setting. An accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment are vital to protect this life-sustaining organ. Modern imaging solutions help physicians and patients understand what happens inside the lungs.
Read the article about Lung Imaging here

Lung segmentation: Easier and faster thanks to new algorithms
Bild: Grafische Schritte der Lungensegmentierung; Copyright: Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus/A. Braune

A look inside the lungs is a time-consuming process. To identify the boundaries of the respiratory organ from surrounding other organs, tissues, and structures requires between 200 and 500 computed tomographic images and subsequent manual markings – an elaborate process that can take up to six hours. An optimized computer program is now able to do this in only a few seconds.
Read the interview with Dr. Braune and Prof. Gama de Abreu here

Lung cancer: Screening with low-Dose CT scans

Image: Radiology assistant presses a button at the front of a CT; Copyright: panthermedia.net/Arne Trautmann
Lung cancer is one of the most common and deadliest cancers. The symptoms tend to be non-specific, often causing its detection to be too late. Currently, there is no comprehensive screening. This could change with the use of low-dose CT scans. It should be noted that this is not just an issue of technical feasibility. A screening test must also make sense from a health policy perspective.
Read the interview with Prof. Hans-Ulrich Kauczor here here

Video

Hybrid Imaging – Two Views of the Lungs

CT scan, MRI or X-ray: All these methods allow doctors to see inside the body - including inside the lungs - and make a diagnosis. The clinic for Nuclear Medicine at the RWTH Aachen University Hospital uses a state-of-the-art gamma camera that combines SPECT and CT.