Imaging is the future of modern Medicine.  In a world of procedures, surgeries, biopsies, and the like, non-invasive techniques will eventually eclipse current dogma.   In surgery, the risk of morbidity and death from anesthesia is present, and the longer the operation, the more likely complications and failures.   Biopsies demonstrate very little except the histologic picture of tissues, all of which are moot, and all biopsied organs bleed and lead to surgery.  Endoscopies show the presence or absence of inflammation and/or obstruction and the risk of perforation of a viscus is tantamount.  A perforated viscus leads to major laparoscopy to repair the hole made by a scope.

Enter CAT scans and static X-ray imaging.  These techniques focus on density differences and an increase or decrease in opacity usually means some sort of pathology.   X-ray techniques are easy, cheap, and reliable.   They cause little tissue morbidity and all the patients like their non-invasive nature.  One would think PET and MRI scans might be the new technology to evidence disease in situ, but they are not.   Magnetic resonance imaging relies on an atom changing orientation in the presence of a magnetic field, and when the current stops, the atoms jump to their natural configuration and liberate an electron.   This electron picture forms in a computer, and the pattern suggests various disease processes.  However, the picture produced on a screen reflects secondhand manipulation of nuclear data and sometimes does not illustrate what is happening.  MRI scanners cost an enormous amount of money and use fabulous amounts of electricity, and high Gauss magnetic fields cause cancer.  It is no secret that the cancer rate is statistically higher among people that live next to high power lines.  High-power electric lines emit magnetic fields.   Furthermore, the image on a screen generated by an MRI scan is a direct function of the program that creates the image, and the result is a nebulous picture subject to conjecture.  

What are we the people to do?    Do we rely on CAT scans?   X-ray technics show an increase in opacity dependent on the atomic mass of the tissue being assayed.   This is the reason physicians inject high-molecular weight contrast agents to delineate the area in question.   How about blue light and thermal imaging?    Shining a blue light against soft tissue can reveal masses that have calcium deposition or the presence of calcium in inflammation.  Tumors because of their change in tissue identity can be evidenced as lumps, masses, or accumulations of aberrant cells.   Why blue light?    Red light photons have the same wavelength as the bonds of water and are absorbed and diffused by soft tissue.  Yellow, orange, and green absorb to a lesser extent.  It is the blue light that exhibits the least absorption by protein and water and by Tran’s illumination; a scientist can see what is going on deep in the tissues without biopsy or surgery.  This technic has obvious significance for assaying soft masses and genital tissue.   The breast is a primary example

What is it with thermal imaging?  Isn’t thermal imaging what the Russians use to track jet airplanes and missiles in flight to identify adversaries at a distance?   Highly sensitive Russian thermos-sensors used for medical purposes can also identify and delineate disease.  Infected tissue and organs get hot compared to surrounding tissue.   A thermos-sensor can identify infection.   Cancerous tumors are cold.  Due to anaerobic metabolism and cellular metabolism according to Moore’s embryology, cancer of all types is cold in relation to healthy tissue.  From this primary difference, a physician can determine whether a lesion is an infection, an inflammation, or a cancer.  

Here is imaging in a nutshell.  All scientists relate that their discoveries occur because they stood on the shoulders of giants that preceded them.  This is no exception.  Let us, the public hope that medicine will take heed and not railroad sick patients into surgery.  Hope springs eternal and have a good day.