 |
|
|
|
| |
Frequently Asked Questions
The following FAQ's are about our MRI and CT
scans. If you would like any information
not addressed in these FAQ's, please email or
call us with your questions.
CT Scans
-
A computed tomography
(CT) scan, also called a CAT scan,
is a type of diagnostic test that
combines X-rays and computer
technology to provide views of soft
tissue, bones, and blood vessels.
The technology creates sectional
images, or "slices", of the organs,
tissues, or vessels under
evaluation.
-
CT can help diagnose head
and spine injuries, lung, and liver
disease, cancer, tumors, blood
clots, internal bleeding and a host
of other diseases and injuries.
The test is often used when fast
diagnosis is critical - it can be
lifesaving for auto accident victims
and other emergency department
patients.
-
Unlike other imaging
techniques, such as X-ray and MRI,
CT has the ability to image a
combination of soft tissue, bone,
and blood vessels. This
capability proves very useful in
evaluating the chest and the
abdomen, making the modality a
preferred method for diagnosing
cancers such as lung, liver, and
pancreatic among others.
Advanced CT systems also are being
used extensively in detecting heart
disease and other vascular
conditions.
-
Our low dose protocols
minimize risk to non-calculable
levels. The chest CT study
exposes the breast tissue to no more
radiation than a mammogram (or
simply living in Denver for six
months!). Our low dose total
body technique produces 1/2 to 1/3
of the exposure to a conventional CT
study, more than 30 million of which
are ordered yearly by doctors in the
U.S. for known medical problems.
-
No. It is painless,
comfortable, quick and
non-claustrophobic.
-
No single test can find
every potential silent problem.
Microscopic cancers (those not
visible to the naked eye), can't be
detected. Certain specific
cancers require specific studies to
detect them in their earliest stages
(for instance, the PSA test to
detect very early prostate cancer,
and mammography to detect early
breast cancer. Just like with
conventional physical examinations
in a physician's office, some
abnormalities that are found may be
benign, and unimportant. It
may take a follow-up study, or in
rare cases a biopsy to determine the
importance of a finding.
-
At this time, traditional
medical insurance does not cover CT
screening. Medicare and other
traditional medical insurance
companies and HMOs only cover
procedures they deem "reasonable and
necessary" for patients with known
medical problems. They do not
consider screening and seemingly
healthy individuals for possible
silent disorders "necessary", and
hence are unlikely to cover the
service.
-
If you are pregnant, you
should not have a CT scan or any
X-ray examination, especially if
you're in your third trimester.
Depending on your need, there may be
other exams available, such as
ultrasound.
-
Advance CT technology
only required you to hold your
breath for a few seconds. Even
so, you can't move during the test.
Keeping still helps minimize blurred
images, which can be caused by
breathing and patient movement.
-
No, not at all. CT
is a painless test to enable
physicians to view the internal
organs and anatomy. However,
some CT exams require patients to
remain still during the scanning
procedure, which for some may be
uncomfortable.
-
Woman and men over 40
concerned about silent but
potentially serious conditions
within their bodies, especially
individuals at high risk for cancer
of the lung and colon, and heart
disease, particularly smokes, those
exposed to second hand smoke,
individuals with chronic lung
disease, and those with a strong
family history of certain caners and
vascular disorders such as aortic
aneurysms are the strongest
candidates for this evaluation.
MRI Scans
-
Magnetic resonance scanning
or imaging (MRI) is a revolutionary
technique that is capable of getting
accurate, detailed images of almost any
organ in the body, without X-ray or the
injection of a radioactive substance.
The procedure can yield detailed images
in three dimensions. MRI is
generally regarded as the most
significant diagnostic technique since
the discovery of the X-ray in 1895.
-
MRI images can result in an
early, accurate diagnosis, sometimes
eliminating the need for other
diagnostic tests and exploratory
surgery.
-
MRI can image bones,
tissues, and organs. For
example, cancer, tendon damage, and
multiple sclerosis in its earliest
stages can be detected and evaluated
with MRI.
-
No, the images are
acquired utilizing an
electromagnetic field instead of
radiation.
-
No, the only sensation
one might feel would be a slight
vibration.
-
Almost everyone.
However, there are some situations
that might make a scan inadvisable.
These include patients who have
pacemakers or metal implants such as
intracranial aneurysm clips.
Other metal objects may cause
problems as well. All of these
situations should be discussed with
the physician and/or technologist
prior to a scan.
-
Yes. If you have a
reason to believe that an MRI would
be beneficial in diagnosing your
Physical condition more accurately,
discuss it with your doctor.
If your doctor agrees, he or she
will refer you to a local MRI
diagnostic center for a scan.
-
Yes, it is important to
minimize movement in order to
achieve the best imaging results.
-
Not any one test will
show everything. But an MRI
scan is very good for demonstrating
tears in cartilage, tendons, muscle,
and fluid collections.
-
When your physician
feels there may be a possibility of
an internal injury to joints or
tendons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
