Medical uses of optical fibres
Endoscope
endoscopeAn instrument used in medicine to help examine the inside of the body, which uses a bundle of optical fibres to transmit the image around corners. use optical fibres to produce an image of inside the body. A doctor can insert a bundle of optical fibres into the body. Some carry light into the body, and some carry light reflected off internal body surfaces back out. This allows the doctor to see an image of the inside of the body clearly, and help them diagnose diseases like cancer, or see what they are doing during keyhole surgery.
Another method for generating an image of the inside of the body is a CT scan. CT scans use X-rays to generate a 3D image of the body.
You may be required to compare the use of endoscopes with CT scans in the exam.
CT scans
Traditional X-ray imaging gives a two-dimensional (2D) view of the body from one angle. This can result in detail being obscured by other structures in the body. computerised tomographyA computerised tomography scan. This uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of the body. (CT) scans involve taking a range of X-ray images from various positions.
These are processed by a computer to build a three-dimensional (3D) image. This image can be manipulated in order to see the structures within the body at different layers and from different points of view. This lets a doctor gain a much greater insight into what is wrong with a patient.
Endoscope v CT scans
Endoscopy is used to investigate specific areas of the body. It is less harmful than CT scans. It uses light rather than X-rays. CT scans are used to generate more overall images of the body, and are a higher risk than endoscopes due to the fact that they use X-rays.
The ioniseTo ionise is to convert an uncharged atom or molecule into a charged particle by adding or removing electrons. properties of X-rays mean that they can damage the DNAThe part of the cells of living things that carries information about how they look and function. Everyone’s DNA is different, except identical twins who share the same DNA. in cells. The ionising effect of X-rays is more damaging to actively dividing cells in the body. Low doses of X-rays may cause cancer, whereas high doses may kill cancerous cells.