Which imaging modality first came into use in the 1980s?

Which imaging modality first came into use in the 1980s?

• A. X-rays
• B. Ultrasound
• C. MRI
• D. PET

Answer: (C)

Timing of when imaging methods began to be used clinically is what this question is about. Magnetic resonance imaging uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed pictures of soft tissues. Its development happened in the 1970s, and its clinical use began in the early 1980s, which is why it fits the 1980s timeframe. X-rays were discovered and adopted in the late 19th century, so they’re well before the 1980s. Ultrasound technology became common in medicine starting in the 1950s and 60s, also well before the 1980s. PET imaging started later, with broader clinical use mainly in the 1990s onward. So MRI is the imaging modality that first came into use in the 1980s.

Timing of when imaging methods began to be used clinically is what this question is about. Magnetic resonance imaging uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed pictures of soft tissues. Its development happened in the 1970s, and its clinical use began in the early 1980s, which is why it fits the 1980s timeframe. X-rays were discovered and adopted in the late 19th century, so they’re well before the 1980s. Ultrasound technology became common in medicine starting in the 1950s and 60s, also well before the 1980s. PET imaging started later, with broader clinical use mainly in the 1990s onward. So MRI is the imaging modality that first came into use in the 1980s.