Diagnostic medical equipments are instruments used to diagnose the patient’s medical condition. This helps the doctor to choose the correct treatment for the particular disease. Once the diagnosis is completed, doctor starts the treatment based on the patient’s health condition.
There are several types of diagnostic medical equipments such as:
- CT Scan is a computer tomography which gives the accurate 3D picture of cross section of patient’s body. In this, X-ray is used to take the pictures of the body and is connected to the computer monitor which receives the pictures from X-ray. It is used to diagnose the infections and identification of tumors.
- MRI Scan is a magnetic resonance imaging scan and is a sophisticated diagnostic equipment used to diagnose the patient’s health condition. It uses strong magnetic and radio waves to take a picture of body.
- PET Scan is Positron Emission Tomography that produces 3D image of human body. It is used to diagnose hearth diseases, Epilepsy and tumors.
- Ultrasound uses ultrasonic waves to diagnose the inner parts of the body. It is used to diagnose liver, kidney, heart and stomach.
Some of the commonly used diagnostic medical equipments are:
- Sphygmomanometer is a device used to measure blood pressure. Blood pressure is an important factor responsible for most of the diseases. Mercury Sphygmomanometer is widely used as it gives accurate results. Digital sphygmomanometers measures blood pressure electronically.
- Stethoscope is a tool used to record the heart beat. It is used to listen the functioning of lungs and flow of blood within the circulatory system. It is also used along with sphygmomanometer to record blood pressure.
- Thermometers are used to record body temperature. There are different types of thermometers such as mercury thermometers, temperature strips and electronic thermometers. Mercury thermometers contain mercury enclosed in a glass tube. The level of mercury raise based on the body temperature. Temperature strips contain liquid crystals which reacts with heat. Temperature can be recorded with the change in the strip color. These are placed on the forehead. It does not give accurate results as the surroundings may alter the temperature reading. Electronic thermometers are contains electronic sensors and gives accurate results.
- Opthalmoscope is a hand held device used to look into the fundus of eye. It is used to examine the retina, optic disc, choroid and blood vessels. There are different types of opthalmoscopes, such as:
- Direct opthalmoscope consist of beam of light passed through the pupil of eye and the back of the eye ball is observed.
- Indirect opthalmoscope is an instrument worn on the head, and beam of light is passed into the eye.
- Slit lamp opthalmoscope is placed in front you. You should position your chin and fore head on support. Then a slit lamp is used to allow the light to pass into the eye and observe the eye using magnifying lens.
- Otoscope is used to diagnose the inner parts of the ear. It is a hand held device containing a light to observe the inner parts of the ear with magnifying lens.