science

17748 readers

92 users here now

A community to post scientific articles, news, and civil discussion.

rule #1: be kind

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

TIL before CT and MRI’s were available, doctors used to replace the fluid in and around the brain with air to do imaging with X-rays. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

21 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/1779005

Apparently this was done because air captures less X-rays than CSF and thus creates more contrast with brain tissue compared to the cerebrospinal fluid.

Unfortunately this was pretty painful and uncomfortable.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago

Gives new meaning to the term “air head”.

I’ll see myself out, but only after I’ve read the Wikipedia article in full. Morbid curiosity and all that.