Technological Advancments - How Have they Affected Medicine?

The age of technology has brought about many useful inventions and innovations in agriculture, manufacturing and even entertainment, all of which make our lives easier.  However, no technological advancement can compare to those within the field of medicine. It is these technological advances that allow doctors to effectively diagnose patients accurately, and painlessly. In recent years, these technologies have allowed doctors to form a comprehensive understanding of the interior human body which has paved the path for an even greater understanding of human illnesses.

  Endoscopes, which are small, tube-like cameras, are used to inspect areas of the body that would otherwise require surgery to reach. This allows for proper diagnosis and treatment of infections that occur within the bowels and the lungs. Some endoscopes can even be used to retrieve foreign objects, which again, reduces the use of invasive incisions and even entirely eliminates them in some cases.



An endoscope complete with attachments.



MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is another form of non-invasive diagnosis technology. MRIs work through the use of radio waves and computer imaging to produce a virtual image of the body which can be manipulated in three dimensions. MRIs are capable of detecting even the smallest changes of structures within the body, giving them great potential for diagnosing diseases. MRIs are commonly used to detect bleeding or swelling within parts of the body, such as the brain, and can also detect any abnormalities that may be present; for example, a tumor. This technology is even used to diagnosis problems with bones which is extremely useful in cases such as spinal trauma where there is little opportunity to make a diagnosis without causing further damage.



An MRI scan of a human head.



The study of the internal human body has also led to breakthrough inventions such as the pacemaker, invented by Canadian John Hopps, in 1950. In 1941 while experimenting with hypothermia and radio frequency heating to restore body heat, Hopps discovered that if a heart were to stop beating due to cooling, it could be restarted through the use of artificial stimulation using electricity. This discovery led Hopps to create the world’s first cardiac pacemaker, though it was external since it was too large to fit inside a human body.  

A diagram of a pacemaker within the human body.

Technology has come a long way in the past century and with that, our understanding of the human body has grown as well. It is because of these medical innovations that so many diseases can be diagnosed and treated while maintaining comfort and well being of patients. These discoveries truly do save countless lives everyday, and with more technology comes less sickness.

Sources:
http://www.medicinenet.com/mri_scan/article.htm
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcardiac.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153737.php   

Commented On:

Mary Chiu

Great blog entry Mary! After researching endoscopes for my own blog, I found the swallowable sensor quite interesting as it completely replaces the need for them. It's quite amazing how fast technology progresses and how much of a positive impact it can have. I also had no idea that a Canadian was involved in the development of anesthetics. Amazing stuff!

Inggrid Wibowo

Nice entry Inggrid. Very informative and great choice of pictures that accent the information you provided. I studied endoscopes for my blog but I never knew that endoscopes were also used in conjunction with ultrasounds. It makes me wonder if ultrasounds are more effective internally or externally?