Objectives of medical imaging

Central to the western model of medicine is the concept of specific identifiable diseases, and their identification is an essential prerequisite to treatment to secure the best prognosis. Modern radiological methods are powerful tools in assisting the clinician in his diagnostic endeavours, but, more than this, they provide vital information on the extent of spread of disease which guide the application of surgery and radiotherapy. The recently developed techniques such as computed tomography, digital vascular imaging and magnetic resonance imaging, together with the introduction of safe contrast media, have advanced the goal of obtaining more diagnostic information while reducing risk and discomfort for the patient. The high cost of these developments in the face of economic constraints has necessitated a careful reappraisal of how radiological methods can most effectively be applied in reducing diagnostic uncertainty.