Introduction to Engineering and Technology Concepts Unit Five Chapter Two – Medical Technologies

Instructions for Success: Each chapter of every unit will begin with a “Mindjog.” This is a warm up question that you should answer in your workbook in the proper chapter. Please take notes as you move through the presentations in the notebook that has been provided. Sections will come up in each presentation with an assignment notice. Turn to the section detailed on the slide in your workbook and complete the assignment before proceeding. Good luck!

Objective Students will define wellness and the technologies used by the medical industry to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness.

Mindjog! On your worksheet, please respond to the following question: “What should humans do in order to remain healthy?”

Wellness/Illness When discussing health, there are two perspectives: Wellness – a state of physical well being. Illness – a state of poor health. Both science and technology play a role in wellness and illness. Wellness contains four major factors: nutrition and diet, environment, stress management, and physical fitness (Wright, 2004).

Medicine Medicine can be described as the diagnosing, treating, and prevention of diseases (Wright, 2004). Disease is any change that interferes with the appearance, structure, or function of the body (Wright, 2004). There are many professionals that treat disease and injury: physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical technologists, dentists, dental hygienists, and pharmacists (Wright, 2004).

Goals The aforementioned health care professionals respond to health care in three ways: Diagnosis – performed by conducting interviews, physical examinations, and medical tests. Treatment – involves applying medical procedures to cure disease. Prevention – actions taken to keep people from contracting a disease (Wright, 2004).

Technology in Medicine In the past, physicians depended on people to describe their symptoms. Today, many different types of diagnostic devices exist. For our discussion, we will examine three: Routine Diagnostic Equipment Noninvasive Diagnostic Equipment Invasive Diagnostic Equipment (Wright, 2004).

Routine Routine diagnostic equipment is used to gather general information about the patient. The equipment can include technologies like scales, thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes (Wright, 2004).

Noninvasive Noninvasive diagnostic equipment gathers information about the patient without entering the body. Some examples include: Diagnostic Radiology – uses electromagnetic radiation and ultrasonics to diagnose disease and injuries (Wright, 2004).

Radiology and Diagnostics We’re going to go into detail regarding the types of noninvasive, diagnostic tools: X-Ray – a camera that uses x-rays instead of visible light to expose film. Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) – the scanner produces images of any part of the body without using dyes by rotating around the patient with an X-ray beam. Crystals opposite the beam pick up and record the absorption rates of the bone and tissue Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – produces computer-developed cross sectional images of any part of the body very quickly. This procedure uses magnetic rays instead of X rays. Ultrasound – uses high frequency sound waves and their echoes to develop an image of the body. Electrocardiograph (EKG) – produces a visual record of the heart’s electrical activity (Wright, 2004).

Invasive Invasive diagnostic equipment is used when drawing and testing a blood sample or taking tissue samples (biopsy) for laboratory examination (Wright, 2004).

Treatment Technologies Treatment of illnesses can also require drugs, specialized equipment, or both. A drug is a substance used to prevent, diagnose, or treat a disease. It can be used to prolong the life of patients with incurable conditions. Other areas of technology include developing life support equipment, artificial body parts, medical computer systems, blood chemistry sensors, therapeutic instruments, and medical imaging and treatment systems (Wright, 2004).

Treatments (continued) The last slide discussed areas where medical engineers are improving various technologies for treatment. This slide will detail three major treatments: Radiation Therapy – therapeutic radiology is used to treat cancer cells using high energy radiation. Intervention Radiology – uses images produced by radiology for non-surgical treatment of ailments. Surgery – common way to treat a disease, remove organs, repair bones, and stop bleeding. Prosthesis – artificial body parts such as the heart or a limb. Emergency medicine – deals with unexpected illness and injury (Wright, 2004).

Assignment #1 Please turn to the section in your workbook entitled, “Unit Five, Chapter Two – Medical Technologies.” Complete the extension questions under the “Assignment #1” header before moving onto the next section of slides.

BEFORE MOVING ON: Did you complete the “Assignment #1” Section under the “Unit Five, Chapter Two – Medical Technologies” section of your workbook? If you have, please proceed to the next slide.

Chapter Two Completed! Please close this presentation and launch the file entitled, “Chapter 3 – Optical and Fluid Technologies.”

References Wright, R. (2004) “Technology” The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc.