Non-invasive (medical) Totally Explained

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The term non-invasive in medicine has two meanings:* A medical procedure which doesn't penetrate mechanically, nor break the skin or a body cavity, for example, it doesn't require an (invasive) incision into the body or the removal of biological tissue.

An abnormal tissue growth, such as a neoplasm or tumor, that doesn't spread (invade) to the surrounding healthy tissue.

For centuries, physicians have employed many simple non-invasive methods based on physical parameters in order to assess body function in health and disease (physical examination and inspection), such as pulse-taking, the auscultation of heart sounds and lung sounds (using the stethoscope), temperature examination (using thermometers), respiratory examination, peripheral vascular examination, oral examination, abdominal examination, external percussion and palpation, blood pressure measurement (using the sphygmomanometer), change in body volumes (using plethysmograph), audiometry, eye examination and many others. The discovery of the first modern non-invasive techniques based on physical methods, electrocardiography and x-rays, dates back to the end of the 19th century. Since then, non-invasive methods – which penetrate the body nonetheless, but by electromagnetic or particle radiation rather than a scalpel – have continuously enlarged the scope of medical technology. Non-invasive techniques commonly used for diagnosis and therapy include the following:

Diagnostic images

Ultrasonography and echocardiography using ultrasound waves for imaging

Radiography, fluoroscopy and Computed Tomography, using x-rays

Magnetic resonance imaging, using external magnetic fields

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Gamma camera and other scintillographical methods, such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single-Photon Emission Tomography (SPECT), using radioactive tracers in the body

Infrared imaging of the body

Diffuse optical tomography

Elastography

Posturography

Optical coherence tomography

Bioluminescence imaging

Dermatoscopy

Gene expression imaging A recent advance is the substitution of invasive medical tests, such as colonoscopy by computer-based 3D reconstructions, such as virtual colonoscopy.

Diagnostic signals

Electrocardiography (EKG)

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Electromyography (EMG)

Photoplethysmograph(PPG)

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT)

Electroneuronography (ENoG)

Electroretinography (ERG)

Electronystagmography (ENG)

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Evoked potentials, such as the visual evoked potentials (VEP) and the brain evoked response audiometry (BERA) tests

Body impedanciometry

Impedance phlebography

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Percutaneous light spectroscopy (such as in pulse oximetry and capnography)

Actigraphy

Breath tests, such as the urea breath test

Intelligent biomedical clothing

Non-invasive biomedical sensors

Endoluminal capsule monitoring

Therapy

Radiation therapy and radiosurgery, procedures that uses external atomic particles (protons, neutrons, photons, alpha particles, etc.) or gamma rays to destroy pathological tissue within the body

Lithotripsy, a procedure that uses ultrasound shock waves to break urinary calculus

Defibrillation, a procedure to block heart fibrillation and start normal rhythm

Mechanical ventilation, such as the iron lung.

Transdermal patches, used to deliver drugs applied to the skin.

Biofeedback

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) used to treat sleep apnea

VPAP

BIPAP

Biphasic Cuirass Ventilation (BCV, eg. Hayek RTX)

Photodynamic therapy

Therapeutic ultrasound

Extracorporeal thermal ablation

Extracorporeal magnetic innervation (External Link

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Photo-infrared pulsed bio-modulation (External Link

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Transcranial magnetic stimulation In some cases, non-invasive methods won't work for the intended purpose, so medical technology has developed minimally-invasive methods, such as hypodermic injection (using the syringe), endoscopy, percutaneous surgery, laparoscopic surgery, coronary catheterization, angioplasty, stereotactic surgery and many others.
The benefits for the patient are self-evident.

Further Information

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