As computers have become mainstream appliances, they have found their way into virtually all aspects of human endeavors and medicine is no exception. Computers help physicians and medical researchers discover, test and apply medical techniques in virtually every hospital in the world. Furthermore, computer technology provides an infrastructure to allow for medical ideas and knowledge to be filed and shared globally with other medical professionals.
X-rays and CT scans use radiation to produce images of a patient's internal structure to search for abnormalities. X-rays allow for viewing of the internal structure of the patient from one perspective. CT scanning on the other hand uses computer technology to take several X-ray images that are two-dimensional cross-sections and turn them into a multidimensional picture that doctors use to make a diagnosis. These single X-rays are combined using computer programs that precisely reconstruct the internal structure of the patient.
Magnetic Resonance Imagining, more commonly known as MRI, is the process of using powerful magnetic fields to map the patient's internal structure and activity. According to Radiologyinfo.org, MRI is used to produce detailed images of soft tissue in the body without using radiation. The bio-electrical activity in the body is detected by the MRI machine and fed to a computer that interprets the structure of the area being scanned and presents a three-dimensional presentation of electrical activity in the region. This allows doctors to search for physical and operational defects in patients without invasive surgery.