Donor Up
Medical imaging plays an important role in solid organ donation and transplantation. Working in CT I saw patients scanned to determine the viability of an organ to be transplanted. I also saw patients scanned prior to surgery who were going to receive a donated organ. Follow up CT scans can also be useful to monitor for signs of infection and organ rejection. The issue of ethics must not be overlooked when discussing transplanted organs. Some people don't agree with this practice while others wait each day for a life saving match.
Medical imaging may be used to make a clinical diagnosis of brain death. CT angiography and perfusion CT have emerged as fast and viable options to determine cerebral blood flow. Both of these exams require the technologist be well trained and understand how to properly perform the detailed reconstructions. Perfusion CT allows for the evaluation of blood perfusion into brain tissues through very small blood vessels.
Imaging applications reach far and wide and harvest hope in many different ways.