What a CT Scan Can Tell You About Your Lungs

Over the last half century, technology has made possible the probing of the solar system and galaxy beyond. People can instantly correspond with anyone in the world. We can see —in real time—events and phenomena heretofore only reported by second and third hand accounts. Yet with all of the distance breached by modern devices, we are also able to know in detail the goings on inside our own bodies. With the advent of computed tomography (CT) imaging, known familiarly as “CAT scans,” doctors and their patients now get a bird’s eye view of internal organs. This scientific know-how goes beyond simple x-rays to reveal cross-sections of tissue. Few parts of the anatomy benefit from this to the degree of the lungs.Lungs – The Ins and OutsThe lungs are porous organs on each side of the chest that receive and dispel air. Air is received through the windpipe, or trachea, and its oxygen is transmitted into the bloodstream by means of tiny sacs calledalveoli. These sacs work in two directions as they also remove carbon dioxide from the blood and enable its exhalation. This exchange of oxygen and CO2 is called respiration. With each breath the lungs expand and contract, movement made smoother by the covering of pleura, a membrane lubricated by thoracic fluid. Comprised of sections, the right lung has three lobes whereas the left lung has two. Operating without obstruction, the lungs supply oxygen to the cells of the body while disposing of waste gases that would otherwise be t...
Source: ePharma Summit - Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Anatomy CT Scan Lungs Medical Devices Source Type: blogs