Biological imaging techniques generate useful images of biological organisms and systems not visible to the naked eye. Magnetic resonance imaging is important in modern medicine, while bioluminescent imaging is useful in research. Other methods include ultrasound, gallium scans, and microscopy.
Biological imaging is a broad term that describes a set of techniques used in life and health sciences to generate scientifically useful images of various aspects of biological organisms and systems that are not visible to the naked eye. Some imaging techniques are used to develop images of subcutaneous tissue, while others are used to mark and trace biologically important processes at the molecular level. Imaging methods are very diverse and can be incredibly creative. While one method may use the rate of chemical decay of a molecule to develop an image, another may use pulses of near-infrared light to create useful images that represent brain activity over time.
There are many different biological imaging methods used by medical professionals to non-invasively gather information about the inside of a person’s body. One such method that has great importance in modern medicine is called magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance imaging. This biological imaging method uses a powerful magnetic field to magnetically align certain common atoms, usually hydrogen, in the water in an individual’s body. This alignment is rotated, allowing scanners to detect a rotating magnetic field which can be used to develop a relatively complete image of the inside of an individual’s body. This method is particularly useful for taking images of the brain or for detecting cancer.
However, biological imaging is not strictly used in a healthcare setting; many researchers in biological and biochemical laboratories use various biological imaging methods to gather information relevant to their research. One particularly common and useful laboratory imaging method is known as bioluminescent imaging. Naturally luminescent proteins are used to label cells and other biological components within an organism or system in order to observe various aspects of biological processes in a non-invasive way that does not alter the process in any way.
There are many other biological imaging methods that can be used for both diagnostic and pure research purposes. Ultrasound, for example, uses high-frequency sound to create images of organisms’ internal systems. Some biological imaging methods, such as gallium scans, use knowledge of radioactive decay to create internal images of organisms. Gallium, which binds to inflamed areas within the body, is used as a radioactive tracer to mark various areas of the body; it is especially useful for cancer detection. A fundamental and important method of biological imaging used in almost all branches of science and medicine is microscopy, the goal of which is to produce much larger images of small, often incredibly small, biological objects.
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