The following techniques can also be used for other parts of the body. These allow for the study of brain anatomy and possible structural abnormalities. Developed in the early 1970s, this is one of the earliest imaging techniques. Basically, CT emits a beam of X-rays that rotates around the patient.
Detectors placed on the other side of the patient's body pick up the radiation.
The computer aspect of CT then translates the pattern of radiation into images of detailed, cross-sectional slices. CT has proven useful in spotting brain abnormalities that may be connected with different types of mental illness, including schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. Additionally, it is a painless procedure that requires no special preparation. One of the more consistent findings using CT is an indication that schizophrenia patients appear to have larger ventricular sections of the brain when compared to other individuals. The ventricles are cavities in the brain filled with fluid, and it is thought that an enlargement in this area occurs at the expense of other brain tissue.