Noninvasive medical tests do not involve physical entry into the body or skin, such as blood pressure monitoring, chest exams, X-rays, and other scans. They are easier on patients and carry less risk, but are limited in scope. Controversy surrounds noninvasive testing for heart disease versus more invasive methods like cardiac catheterization.
Noninvasive testing describes medical tests that don’t involve physical entry into the body or skin. Most of the tests performed during a routine physical checkup are non-invasive. The most common of these tests are blood pressure monitoring, chest exams with a stethoscope, X-rays, and other types of scans.
Noninvasive tests are just one type of test that doctors can use to diagnose problems occurring in the body. These tests are limited in scope, but will generally be the first choice when available because they are easier on patients and carry much less risk. Semi-invasive or minimally invasive testing is another type of test that describes blood work or even colonoscopy in which a needle or tube is inserted into the body. Invasive testing usually describes surgery and is a last resort for doctors when diagnosing a problem.
X-rays, CT scans, and other types of scans are great examples of noninvasive tests. This technology uses radio waves that actually move through the body and can provide doctors with images of the inside of the body. This type of test qualifies as non-invasive because, although it provides an image of the inside of the body, it does not involve any invasive cutting.
Most of the tests done during a routine physical exam are considered noninvasive. Vision tests are non-invasive, requiring observation only and do not involve entering the body. Your doctor may shine a light inside your ears, nose, and throat to get a better picture of any inflammation or other problems going on inside your body. A stethoscope may also be used to listen to the heart and lungs to make sure they are working properly. All of these tests are considered noninvasive because they don’t violate the body’s natural boundaries, such as the skin.
There is quite a bit of controversy in the medical field surrounding noninvasive tests versus more traditional tests. This is especially true when it comes to testing methods for heart problems, such as arterial blood clots. Many mainstream doctors rely on cardiac catheterization, a very invasive type of surgical diagnostic method, to diagnose and then treat blood clots in the arteries. These doctors argue that cardiac catheterization is the most accurate way to find blood clots, and because surgery is already underway, the clots can be treated right then.
Proponents of noninvasive testing for heart disease argue that these mainstream doctors have misunderstood testing. Cardiac catheterization can only detect discrete blockages when they are present, while CT scanning can actually find the underlying causes of blockages before they become blockages and potentially heart attacks. Many heart attacks are caused by prolonged narrowing of the arteries, which is detected better by CT scanning than by invasive cardiac catheterization.
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