Diagnostic imaging allows physicians to view the inside of your body to help them find any indications of a health condition. Some machines and methods can produce pictures of the activities and structures inside your body. Your doctor will decide which medical imaging tests they’ll need to use based on the body part they’re evaluating and your symptoms.
Many imaging tests are noninvasive, easy and painless. Some will require you to remain still inside the machine for a long time, however, which can get a little uncomfortable. Some tests involve a small amount of radiation exposure.
For other imaging tests, the doctor will insert a small camera attached to a thin, long tube into your body. This device is referred to as a “scope.” They’ll then move the scope through a bodily opening or passageway to view the inside of a particular organ, like your lungs, heart or colon. You may need anesthesia for these procedures.
