Imaging - not only diagnosis, but also therapy

Today, radiologists play a central role in patient care. He or she is an important link in the chain when it comes to finding the optimal path from diagnosis to therapy. Without imaging techniques, a diagnosis is almost impossible, and only a precise diagnosis makes it possible to plan a targeted therapy - whatever this may look like.

Radiology enables doctors to detect diseases at an early stage, correctly assess their extent and provide patients with appropriate treatment more quickly. At the same time, the use of high-performance diagnostics often helps to avoid so-called exploratory operations, i.e. operations that are carried out in order to obtain an overview of the patient's actual situation and the extent of the disease.

Diagnostic radiology

Diagnostic radiology covers a wide range of imaging procedures, including X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and nuclear medicine examinations. Each of these procedures offers unique insights into the human body and is used depending on clinical suspicion and diagnostic requirements: X-rays for bone fractures, lung problems or digestive disorders, CT scans to identify tumours, bleeding and injuries in the head, abdomen and extremities, MRI scans for detailed images of soft tissues and tissue structures, such as the brain, spine, joints or internal organs, ultrasound to assess organs and nuclear medicine examinations to evaluate organ and tissue function.

Interventional radiology

In addition to diagnosis, radiology also plays an important role in the treatment of diseases. Interventional radiology uses imaging techniques to perform minimally invasive procedures and has thus revolutionized the way treatment is carried out. It is much gentler than traditional surgical procedures, minimizes the risk for the patient, shortens the recovery time and often improves the results.

Angioplasty is one of the best-known procedures. It is used when constrictions in arteries need to be gently repaired by inserting stents or balloon dilatation to improve the blood supply in the affected vessel.

The opposite effect is achieved with embolisation. This artificially closes off blood vessels and thus prevents the flow of blood to a tumour, for example. As a result, the tumour is no longer supplied with blood and oxygen and grows more slowly or is even destroyed. This happens in particular with liver and kidney cancer - then without surgical intervention using radiofrequency ablation. For liver tumours, on the other hand, doctors usually use chemoembolisation, a combination of targeted chemotherapy and embolisation.

Accumulations of fluid in the body, such as abscesses or pleural effusions, are removed using minimally invasive drainage.

All of these procedures are carried out under the control of an X-ray examination. EXAMION has been a reliable partner to radiologists in clinics and practices for over 30 years. The digital systems - whether fully integrated X-ray systems or innovative retrofit solutions - deliver image data of the highest quality and thus support both reliable diagnostics and interventional examinations.