Cat Scans
- They can show us tumours or brain damage and used following head traumas to show damage done. Unable to show us how brain functions.
- Multiple beams will pass around the head gathering large amounts of data and it is processed through a computer for a detailed picture.
- We can see damage, growth, brain activity and where there is no activity. We can understand parts of the brain working when doing different tasks e.g reading, remembering. As well we can learn links between brain activity and mental illness, such as depression or Schizophrenia.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Accurate detail of brain structure | They pose risk as patients are exposed to radiation beams. |
| Very quick and easy to carry out | Pregnant women advised not to use them as radiation harms babies |
| Help doctors make diagnosis | Aren’t as effective anymore due to better & more detailed scans such as MRI, FMRI and PET |
| Help plot surgery easier as it’s detailed image and know where to operate | |
| Safer as patients spend less time under anaesthetics |
PET Scans
- They can show different levels of metabolism in the brain. Investigate cases of cancer determining how far it’s spread and how well treatments working. Help plan surgeries and diagnose conditions affecting normal working brain.
- Patients are injected with Flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) which is similar to natural glucose. Brain neurons use glucose for energy and the radiation is used to trace how much glucose each brain area is using and how well they are working.
- Help diagnose Alzheimers as patients with disease use less glucose in cerebral cortex (thin outerlayer responsible for complex functions).
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Show how well certain body parts work, rather than showing what it looks like. | Risks caused by radiation used by procedure. It is short but equivalent to 2 X-rays. No suitable for pregnant women. |
| Study Biochemical functions and able to detect disease before changes in autonomy | Radiation means exposure can be endured only a few times and limited amount of scans |
| Study metabolic functions and alternative biopsy and exploratory surgeries seeing how far disease spread. | Requires cyclotrons, an expensive machine creating radioscopes which makes the image. Not offered in every medical centre. |
| Can distinguish between cancer and non-cancer cells stopping unnecessary surgeries. | Expensive £700-£1200 |
| Effective in diagnosing neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and dementia. |
FMRI scan
- Shows brains general autonomy, indicates which parts of the brain handle critical functions. Assesses effects of brain injuries such as strokes on brain functioning. Monitors growth of tumours & shows injured brain tissue. Analyses human emotions.
- The brain is placed within a strong magnetic field where nuclei of hydrogen molecules align with direction of the magnetic field increasing brain activity. This increases blood supply meaning sufficient oxygen, oxygen repels magnetic field and deoxygenated blood follows the magnetic field. FMRI detects changes and creates an image.
- Meta-analysis is uses to increase reliability of findings when they support another’s showing brain scan improved. Brain scanning is objective.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Doesn’t use radiation like X-rays, CT & Pet Scans | Some people are unable to have FMRI scan such as those with cardiac peacemaker |
| Almost no risk when done correctly | Distressing for those with Claustrophobia |
| Non-invasive and does not involve injecting radioactive substances | Expensive to carry out |
| Objective | Person has to stay completely still to get a clear image. |