Friday, April 10, 2009

Equipment Used In Hospitals

When you enter a hospital you will notice that there are many pieces of equipment available. Not all hospitals will have the exact same equipment, but this article will provide a glimpse into the most common equipment that may be used to diagnose or treat you the next time you visit a hospital.


Hospital equipment that you should know about


X-ray


Your doctor may order an X-ray to determine whether or not a bone is broken or there may be something lodged in your body after an accident. The X-ray machine is found in the radiology department and can determine any number of ailments. Patients are covered with a lead vest to protect against radiation while pictures of the affected area are being taken.


MRI


A Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to obtain pictures of your soft tissues, organs, bones and other parts of your body. According to radiologyinfo.org, this machine gives a better picture than the X-ray and can determine whether or not certain conditions such as cancer, heart problems and liver disease are present.


Electrocardiogram


The electrocardiogram will provide your physician with a history of your heart rate. This information is used to determine whether or not the heart is functioning properly. It can also determine what effects certain medications have on your heart rate and detect any problems with the rhythm of your heart rate.


Urine Alalyzer


A urine analyzer is used in most hospitals to assist in diagnosing any number of diseases and conditions. Conditions such as pregnancy, drug use, kidney/bladder infections, and urinary tract infections are some that can be detected with the urine analyzer.








Autoclave


When you go to the hospital you want to be sure that the equipment and instruments being used are sterile. To ensure that this is the case, the hospital will use an autoclave. According to batch-retort.com, this is a pressure cooker type of machine that heats water to produce a pressurized steam that kills all germs on the instruments placed within.

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