Which imaging modality visualizes the body in real-time?

Fluoroscopy is the imaging modality that visualizes the body in real-time. It uses X-rays to create a continuous image of the moving internal structures of a patient, allowing healthcare professionals to observe processes such as swallowing, digestion, and the movement of joints. The real-time observation capability of fluoroscopy makes it especially valuable for guiding various procedures and treatments, such as catheter placements or interventional surgeries.

In contrast, MRI and CT scans are considered static imaging techniques. MRI creates detailed images of internal organs and tissues using magnetic fields and radio waves, but the images are captured in slices and are not continuous like fluoroscopy. Similarly, a CT scan produces cross-sectional images of the body in a series of axial slices; while it provides detailed anatomical views, it does not visualize movement in real time. Ultrasound can also provide moving images, particularly useful for viewing blood flow and organ movement, but it primarily operates in a pulsed manner, which is different from the continuous visualization provided by fluoroscopy. Thus, among the options, fluoroscopy uniquely provides the capability of real-time imaging.