Imaging
There are several types of medical imaging used to assess different tissues and structures in the body. Below are the main types:
X-ray (radiography)
Best for: Bones, fractures, joint alignment, lung conditions
How it works: Uses ionizing radiation to create images of dense structures
Common uses:
Fractures & dislocations
Arthritis
Lung infections (e.g., pneumonia)
Foreign objects
Limitations: Limited soft tissue visibility, radiation exposure
Interpreting an X-Ray
High density tissue (e.g. bone) – absorb x-rays to a greater degree, and appear white on the film.
Low density tissue (e.g the lungs) – absorb x-rays to a lesser degree, and appear black on the film
Intermediate density tissue (e.g. muscle and fat) – appears as shades of grey on the x-ray film
Image #85
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Radiograf%C3%ADa_pulmones_Francisca_Lorca.cropped.jpg
Computed tomography (CT Scan)
Best for: Bones, soft tissues, internal bleeding
How it works: Combines multiple X-rays to create cross-sectional images
Common uses:
Bone fractures and complex injuries
Internal bleeding (trauma)
Tumors
Lung and abdominal conditions
Limitations: Higher radiation exposure than X-rays
Interpreting CT scan
Dense structures: (like bone and calcifications) appear lighter (white).
Lucent structures: (like air and fat) appear darker (black).
Image #86
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Axial_plane_CT_scan_of_the_thorax_illustrative_image.jpg
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Best for: Soft tissues, brain, muscles, ligaments, and nerves
How it works: Uses strong magnets and radio waves to generate detailed images
Common uses:
Ligament and tendon injuries
Brain and spinal cord conditions
Tumors
Disc herniations
Limitations: Expensive, time-consuming, cannot be used with metal implants
Interpreting MRI
T1 MRI highlights anatomy, provides crisp images, and shows fluids as dark.
T2 MRI focuses on pathology, making fluids bright, which is ideal for visualizing inflammation, edema,
Image #87
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/T1t2PD.jpg
Ultrasound
Best for: Soft tissues, pregnancy, blood flow
How it works: Uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images.
Common uses:
Pregnancy monitoring
Soft tissue injuries (e.g., muscle tears)
Blood clots (Doppler ultrasound)
Organ imaging (e.g., liver, kidneys)
Limitations: Poor image quality for bones and deep structures
Nuclear medicine imaging (e.g., PET Scan, Bone Scan)
Best for: Organ function, cancer detection, metabolic activity
How it works: Uses radioactive tracers to highlight metabolic activity
Common uses:
Cancer detection (PET scan)
Bone metastases (Bone scan)
Thyroid and kidney function
Limitations: Radiation exposure, high cost
Fluoroscopy
Best for: Real-time imaging of movement (e.g., swallowing, joint motion)
How it works: Continuous X-ray imaging allows real-time assessment
Common uses:
Barium swallow for digestive tract
Cardiac catheterization
Joint injections
Limitations: Higher radiation exposure than standard X-rays
Medications
Medications for musculoskeletal conditions target pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms, encompassing analgesics, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and any other relevant musculoskeletal symptoms
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS)
Mechanism of Action: Decrease inflammation and pain
System Interactions:
Cardiac: High blood pressure (hypertension)
Gastrointestinal: Indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting, GI ulcers, GERD
Neuro: Dizziness, headache
Opioids
Mechanism of Action: Decrease pain in musculoskeletal system
System Interactions:
Cardiac: Decrease heart rate, arrhythmia
Pulmonary: Decrease respiration rate
Gastrointestinal: Delayed gastric emptying (causes constipation)
Musculoskeletal: Muscle rigidity, muscle jerks
Integumentary: Itchy skin
General: Dry mouth, addiction
Corticosteroids
Mechanism of Action: Decrease inflammation in musculoskeletal system
System Interactions:
Cardiac: High blood pressure (hypertension)
Gastrointestinal: Indigestion, diarrhea
Musculoskeletal: Osteoporosis (high risk for fractures if taken for long period of time)
General: Weight gain, diabetes
Integumentary: Acne
Aspirin (acetaminophen)
Mechanism of Action: Reduce fever and relieve pain
System Interactions:
Cardiac: Coagulopathy
Gastrointestinal: Indigestion, diarrhea
Integumentary: Acne
Neuro: Headache, seizures, dizziness
Pulmonary: Asthma
Urinary system: dark urine
Baclofen
Mechanism of action: decrease spasticity
Systems interactions
Musculoskeletal: muscle stiffness, abnormal posturing, bone/joint stiffness/pain, muscle weakness
Muscle relaxants
Mechanism of action: acting on the central nervous system (CNS) to interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles, effectively reducing muscle spasms and tension by depressing neuronal activity
Systems interactions
Neuro: drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, headache
Musculoskeletal: weakness
Gastrointestinal: nausea, constipation
General: dry mouth, blurred vision
Fractures
A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone. There are many different types of fractures. Bone fractures are often caused by falls, injury, or because of a direct hit or kick to the body. Overuse or repetitive motions can cause stress fractures
Types of fractures
Open (compound): The bone breaks through the skin, exposing it to the environment
Closed (simple): The bone breaks but does not penetrate the skin.
Transverse: A straight break across the bone
Oblique: A diagonal break at an angle to the bone
Spiral: A twisting break that spirals around the bone
Greenstick: A partial break that occurs in children’s flexible bones
Comminuted: The bone breaks into multiple fragments
Stress fracture: A small, hairline crack caused by repetitive stress
Impacted fracture: The broken ends of the bone are driven into each other
Avulsion fracture: A small piece of bone is pulled away by a tendon or ligament
Salter-Harris Fracture
A Salter-Harris fracture is a type of bone fracture that occurs in children and adolescents, involving the growth plate (physis)
Salter-Harris fractures are classified into five types based on the location and extent of the fracture:
Type I: Separation of the epiphysis from the metaphysis through the growth plate
Type II : Fracture extends from the growth plate into the metaphysis
Type III: Fracture extends from the growth plate into the epiphysis
Type IV: Fracture extends from the growth plate through both the epiphysis and metaphysis
Type V: Crush injury of the growth plate