User:Ldnelson7/sandbox

In accordance with the ever evolving field of medicine, new technology is being used to study links between mental illness and brain structure in order to assess whether morphological differences in the mentally ill compared to the general population are the cause of certain diagnoses. Some of the tools being used to increase our understanding of mental illnesses and the brain are technologies such as Computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). An MRI measures the reaction of water molecules while being in a strong magnetic field, which allows for the measure of brain density & blood flow in areas of the brain. A different type of MRI technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows for the measurement of use in specific areas of the brain while performing certain activities. A second imaging technique called a CT scan which is an x-ray imaging technique that allows a radiologist look at cross-sectional images of the body's internal structures. A third imaging technique called a SPECT scan is a technique that relies on nuclear medicine in order to measure cerebral blood flow and evaluates brain metabolism, this technique helps to track which specific parts of the brain are activated when engaged in certain tasks. The fourth imaging technique used for a better understanding of the neural anatomical causes of mental illness is a PET scan. A PET scan is an imaging technique that consists of an injection or inhaling of a radioactive substance that produces positrons within the body. After ingestion, the positron travels through the body to the area of interest and collides with electrons which produce gamma rays. These gamma rays are detected by the scanner and then become a color coded image that is used to detect any change in the body's metabolism and any changes in chemical activity.