Common technologies we use to make a diagnosis

Question 1

Blood tests

Answer 1

(from 1930’s) We us blood samples to test for an enormous number of conditions without the need for invasive diagnosis methods.

Question 2

X-rays

Answer 2

(from 1890’s) Help to see inside the human body without cutting into it. Since the start of the 20th century, they have helped diagnose problems such as broken bones.

Question 3

Blood pressure monitors

Answer 3

(from the 1880’s) Help to diagnose high and low blood pressure.

Question 4

Blood sugar monitoring

Answer 4

(from the 1960’s) Allows people who suffer from diabetes to check their blood sugar regularly to ensure they manage their condition.

Question 5

ECG’s

Answer 5

(1900’s) Use electrical impulses to track heart activity.

Question 6

Ultrasound scans

Answer 6

(from the 1940’s) Use sound waves to build up a picture of the inside of the body. They are helpful for diagnosing things like gallstones and kidney stones.

Question 7

MRI scans

Answer 7

(from the 1970’s) Use magnets and radio waves to create an internal image of the body. They are better suited to diagnosing soft tissue injuries, such as ligament damage, than using X-rays.

Question 8

CT scans

Answer 8

(from 1970’s) Are a more advanced form of x-rays. They can be used to diagnose tumours and other growths in the body.

Question 9

Endoscopes

Answer 9

(from 1900’s) Use a camera on the end of a thin, flexible tube to see inside the human body. They are most commonly used to investigate digestive symptoms such as vomiting blood. Sometimes they can be used to assist in treatment by carrying small surgical instruments into the body.