New research from a study reported on HealthImaging.com shows that advanced medical imaging techniques have extended the life expectancy of patients in the U.S by reducing the need for much more expensive treatments. The same study showed that U.S. states using more advanced medical imaging, even with the higher cost, saved on medical spending per person in the long run.

One example of the power of prevention present in advanced medical imaging technology is the latest discoveries in how imaging can spot Alzheimer’s disease. The high tech medical imaging technique called PET Scans is now being used at research centers across the country to scan for the telltale amyloid protein “clumps” in the brain that are indicative of the development of Alzheimer’s.

Traditionally, the methods of diagnosing Alzheimer’s were observing the progressive mental deterioration in living patients and then, after the patient expires, using brain tissue pathology to reveal the amyloid protein trademarks of the disease. The main focus of the research, however, is pharmaceutical.

Researchers hope to use the PET scan to test the effectiveness of drugs intended to decrease the presence of amyloid protein, a protein that doesn’t show up on other imaging techniques such as CAT scan, X-Ray or MRI. The researchers also have dreams of using this same technology as a diagnostic tool someday beyond Alzheimer’s Disease.

With health care workers across the board in high demand and that need expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future, this is an excellent time to consider a career in medical imaging. This is a field that is evolving so quickly that many hospitals find it a challenge to keep up with the latest and greatest equipment and technology.

Skilled, dedicated medical imaging technicians are needed in hospitals and clinical settings across the country. And as a “recession proof career,” medical imaging is a cutting edge educational investment!