The Importance of CT Scans
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As we age it’s important to keep a close eye on our bodies, but there are many things we can’t get a full grasp of from the outside. That’s where scans such as computed tomography (CT scan) come in.
John Cannaday, MD, DABR, a diagnostic radiologist at Cooper Clinic, uses CT scanning to detect early abnormalities and diseases that might otherwise not be discovered before signs or symptoms develop.
Why have a CT scan
CT scans can evaluate specific complaints or symptoms, find a diagnosis and conduct cardiovascular screening.
“Imaging such as CT scans, X-rays and ultrasound allow physicians to view their patients’ internal organs and structures,” Cannaday said. “It’s like surgery without the cutting.”
Knowing what’s going on inside the body helps physicians take the appropriate steps to delay or reverse dangerous conditions that may be brewing without your knowledge.
Your doctor may recommend a CT scan to help:
- Diagnose muscle and bone disorders, such as bone tumors and fractures
- Pinpoint the location of a tumor, infection or blood clot
- Guide procedures such as surgery, biopsy and radiation therapy
- Detect and monitor diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease, lung nodules and liver masses
- Monitor the effectiveness of certain treatments, such as cancer treatment
- Detect internal injuries and internal bleeding
Additional health concerns detected
“Without imaging, you only have a piece of the puzzle,” Cannaday said. “CT scanning and other imaging procedures help answer numerous questions regarding a patient’s health.”
Cooper Clinic recommends having a baseline CT scan at age 40 for men and age 40-50 for women to assess overall health due to most diseases showing up as we age.
“It’s important to have a baseline CT scan in your 40s and 50s when things commonly begin showing themselves,” Cannaday said. “Then we routinely follow-up with another scan in 3-4 years if nothing stands out.”
CT scans create cross-sectional, or sliced, images of your heart and body. With these images, early signs of heart disease and other health concerns can be detected. In many cases, CT scans detect calcium buildup in the arteries associated with coronary heart disease and other abnormalities before symptoms arise.
Patient Benefits
Oftentimes imaging demonstrates abnormalities that lead to early diagnosis of cardiac disease, lung disease, unsuspected abdominal pathology including some types of cancer and thyroid nodules.
Although there are no perfect tests or silver bullets for finding all possible abnormalities, CT scans often provide useful information to help physicians direct certain treatments and lifestyle changes.
Risks
Cannaday says the many benefits of CT scans outweigh any small potential risk. Doctors use the lowest dose of radiation possible to obtain the needed medical information. Also, newer, faster machines and techniques require less radiation than was previously used. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of your CT scan.
During a CT scan, you're briefly exposed to ionizing radiation. The amount of radiation is greater than you would get during an X-ray because the CT scan gathers more-detailed information. The low doses of radiation used in CT scans have not been shown to cause long-term harm, although at much higher doses, there may be a small increase in your potential risk of cancer.
A dual source CT scan is one of the six core components of Cooper Clinic’s preventive exam. To learn more about the exam and the other imaging procedures Cooper Clinic offers, visit the Cooper Clinic website.