Exploring Brain Imaging Techniques: MRI and CT Scans

The human brain, a complex network of billions of nerve cells, orchestrates thoughts, emotions, behavior, movement, and sensation. Among various techniques to study the brain, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans stand out for their ability to provide detailed images of brain structures. Although both methods offer insights into the tissues, cells, and blood vessels within the brain, they differ significantly in technology and application. MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images, offering high-resolution details without ionizing radiation, making it suitable for soft tissue contrast and functional studies. In contrast, CT scans employ X-rays to create cross-sectional images, providing rapid imaging with excellent detail of bone structures but at the cost of higher radiation exposure. This essay delves into these differences, discussing their implications in clinical settings and how each technique contributes uniquely to understanding brain health and disease.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Essay B
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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PSYCHOLOGY
The brain has billions of nerve cells, which are arranged in such a way so that it can
coordinate among thoughts, emotions, behavior, movement and sensation. The massive part
of brain is known as cerebrum. However, cerebrum is further divided into two halves known
as hemispheres by a deep fissure. Further the hemisphere is separated into four lobes, which
they are frontal, the parietal, occipital, as well as temporal lobes. Each part has their subparts
that all together are responsible for the incredible number of tasks that the brain performs
(Ellison, 2010). The aim of this essay is to explain two of the different types of techniques
used to understand the brain.
Among the various accepted ways for safer study of the brain in today’s research
facilities and hospitals all over the world, psychologists are using MRI and CT scan for
studying their patient’s brains. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is a pain-free
and non-interfering test, which manufactures detail pictures of the brain as well as brain
system. The MRI machine generates the pictures through a magnetic field and radio waves
(Li et al., 2012). This technique is also known as cranial MRI. However, an MRI scan is very
divergent from a CT scan or an X-ray because in these radiation is not used to manufacture
images. The main information of brain that is obtained through MRI is that it can detect any
condition prevailing in the brain like cysts, tumors, bleeding, swelling, developmental as well
as structural abnormalities, infections, conditions that are inflammatory along with issues of
the blood vessels (El-Dahshan et al., 2014). Moreover, it can also inform that whether a shunt
is working or not as well as it can further detect that damage in the brain is due to injury or
stroke. The MRI of the brain can be effective to patients in assessing issues like continuous
headache, weakness, seizures, blurry vision; dizziness along with it can also guide in
detecting few of the chronic diseases of the nervous system like multiple sclerosis (Kolb &
Whishaw, 2013).

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PSYCHOLOGY
A patients MRI study includes examining the volume of the brain in three cross
sections, which are called coronal, sagittal and axial (Comer, Gould & Furnham, 2013). Each
of these cross sections involves more than 10 to 30, 2D slices that need effective storage as
well as computational techniques to manage, evaluate and process the MRI data. Moreover,
MRI mainly helps in further understanding of any kind of abnormalities in soft tissues
through scanning as well as detecting the structures in the brain. MRI further helps in
understanding the blood circulations and the conditions of the blood vessels and entitles the
detection of the issues related to blood circulation (Pinel, 2013). On the other hand, MRI has
certain limitations as well as it includes loud noises while processing the information as high
amount of electric currents are supplied. Moreover, brain MRI are comparatively expensive
thus, it becomes difficult for people to avail this technique. Thus, MRI creates a 3D image of
the brain with an extraordinarily high special resolution and provides the images of a living
brain with minute detailing for further understanding (Lamecker et al., 2014).
However, another technique through which the brain can be easily studied is the
Computed tomography (CT) scan, which utilizes special X-ray equipments to help obtain
information of the brains in case of head injuries. It further helps to plan out radiation therapy
for people with brain cancers (Shah et al., 2012). CT scan can further inform about internal
injuries as well as can detect bleeding in emergencies much quickly to save lives. CT scan
can guide with more detail information regarding skill factures, bleeding caused by leakage
or ruptures of aneurysm, blood clot, brain tumors or diseases or malformations of the skull
(Heimer, 2012). Neuroimaging however, is the process through which the picture of the brain
is obtained via MRI and CT scans. The two methods look very much similar in their physical
dynamics but in many other ways, they greatly vary. However, in both these techniques the
patients are inserted in a tube of a large machine in his or her back but the information that
each provides are quite different (Braun, Muldoon & Bassett, 2015).

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PSYCHOLOGY
Among the major differences, the most important one is that in many cases it can be
helpful for the neurologist to contrast dye so that they can gain a better understanding of a
human brain. This is mainly done so that the blood vessels are highlighted inside the brain so
that the vascular abnormalities involving the aneurysms are found. Therefore, if CT scan is
used to dye the brain then there are chances that it can cause life-threatening reactions for the
patients who are allergy sufferers because it contains iodine (Rorden et al., 2012). On the
other hand, an MRI scanner uses gadolinium, which rarely causes allergies. The advantages
that is very much clear for people who want to study brain with the help of CT scan is that
they can clearly visualize various types of tissues in the brain (Pauwels et al., 2013). To
understand the brain in a much broader way CT scan also initiates 3D images, which be
helpful for diagnosing the internal injuries of trauma victims. However, it has few
weaknesses as it utilizes ionizing radiation that can cause cancer in patients if they are over
exposed thus; it limits the number of scans. Moreover, CT scans are very harmful in
comparison to utilization of high doses of radiation used in X-rays (Pearce et al., 2012). CT
scan machines are also less portable than the machines of X-ray and the availability of CT
scans are also less than X-rays.
Thus, to conclude the above essay it can be said that the billions of nerve cells inside
the brain is altogether responsible for the different thoughts, emotions, behavior, movement
and sensation produced by humans. However, among the various techniques which studies
brain the chosen two techniques for this essay are Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and
Computed tomography (CT) scan. These two techniques though appear similar in their
physical dynamics but have huge differences in other areas. Both these techniques helps in
understanding the minute details of brain by providing the clear images of the various tissues,
cells and blood vessels present inside the brain.

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PSYCHOLOGY
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