1 November Medicine
Impacts in Medicine Drugs Procedures Health Care Information
Medical Imaging Diagnostic Better than exploratory surgery Ability to “see” soft tissues Produce 3D images from a large number of 2D slices Assistive in surgery
Computed Tomography Medical imaging method that uses x-rays
Magnetic Resonance Tomography Creates images of the inside of opaque objects Does not require radiation Excites hydrogen nuclei in water molecules Distinguishes pathological tissues from normal ones by density Image
Ultrasound Easily portable Based on sound echos
Surgery Assistance Laparoscopic Surgery Fiber optic system allows surgeon to see through a video feed Uses long thin instruments 2001: first transatlantic surgery was a laparoscopic gall bladder removal Laser eye surgery Requires precise direction of laser
Remote surgery Useful in Remote locations War zones Requires Telepresence: ability to act as if you were actually at another place Telerobotics: an agent at the other end to perform the tasks
Virtual Environments Usually requires head mounted display Displays images that you would see Adjusts the images as you move Also: Haptic feedback Audio placement Smells
Virtual Environments: Other Uses Training Simulators Urban fighting Emergency teams Acclimation Overcoming phobias Preparation
Research at UNC
Others Pace makers Insulin testers and pumps Wheel chairs Design of prosthetic devices Will we some day have a bionic person?
Health Care Record keeping Preventive care More diagnostic tests More vaccines Administering drugs Billing
Information General WebMD medco Individual diseases Diabetes: Alzheimer’s: Nutrition and fitness