Question 1

if i had a mri oct2012 & cat scan in dec 2012 & both where normal should i b worried bout a brain tumor? can a ct scan show a brain tumor n the brain

Accepted Answer

No worry: Very unlikely you would have a brain tumor, and not have it show up on the tests you mention. Very unlikely it would develop since then.

Question 2

had a fear of brain tumor for 7 months. ct scan without contrast was clean. would i be having severe symptoms by now if it was malignant?

Accepted Answer

Brain tumors aren't easily categorized into benign or malignant: Although the most aggressive type of brain tumor, glioblastoma, would likely be causing severe symptoms by now, there are other types of brain tumors that can be serious but not grow as quickly.  The majority, however, would be associated with progressive symptoms during this time period. An MRI is the best test to evaluate potential masses in the brain.

Question 3

if im in the er and they wanna check for a brain tumor by doing a ct scan. can i request an mri without contrast instead or is that not an option?

Accepted Answer

Yes/No: A ct scan has the advantage of being fast (and cheap from the insurance companies standpoint) and gives a good enough resolution as a screening test.  You can request an MRI without contrast, however, if something is found, you need to get another MRI scan which is a longer, and more expensive, time commitment.

Question 4

is smelling smoke a symptom of a brain tumor a myth? had ct scan 2 years ago for phantom smells. everything normal. now constant smell of smoke x2 days. dry sinuses? no other neuro symptoms.

Accepted Answer

Rarely caused by...: Your condition is called phantosmia. While brain tumors can cause it, that's an unusual cause. I advise having  neurologist re-evaluate. I'm unaware of research on how to treat this but some have success with Gabapentin ; other meds for epilepsy- see http://chemse.Oxfordjournals.Org/content/27/7/611.Full
when western medicine doesn't have answers consider homeopathy ; chinese medicine/acupuncture.

Question 5

can a ct scan also scan for brain tumors? i had a ct scan done a while ago to check my sinuses, but now i fear i may have a brain tumor.  i was wondering if a doctor could look at the same ct scan to check for brain tumors.

Accepted Answer

No, : No, unfortunately a ct scan performed to evaluate the sinuses generally cannot be used to evaluate the brain for tumor. There are two reasons for this. First, the field-of-view of a sinus ct generally only includes the face and small portions of the front part of the brain; this view provides excellent evaluation of the sinuses but does not include the majority of the brain. Second, the computer algorithm used to reconstruct the images on a sinus ct emphasizes bony detail but this is suboptimal for evaluation of the brain.

Question 6

ct scans good for catching brain tumors? i did a ct scan several months ago because i was having head and neck pain.  the ct scan turned out to be normal, but the head and neck pain have returned.  i was wondering what the odds are that the ct scan missed

Accepted Answer

Based : Based on the symptoms you are describing, it is extremely unlikely that the previous ct scan missed a brain tumor. Occasionally a ct scan can miss a brain tumor if it is very small.

However, there are dozens of possible causes of head and neck pain, and it is unusual for a brain tumor to only cause head and neck pain without other signs or symptoms. Now, add to that the fact that you already had a ct of the head which showed no tumor.  I would not worry about a brain tumor unless additional symptoms develop such as seizure, paralysis, loss of feeling in the extremities, vision loss, etc.

Question 7

if blood work, neurology report were normal, and doctor did an examination, he suspects no brain tumor, no ct scan, am i most likey safe? optic nerve looks good, just have gallstones that cause nausea

Accepted Answer

No: If you have persistent neurological symptoms - you need an MRI scan.  Best is a 32 channel 3t MRI scanner which is hard to find but worth looking for.  I say to get medicine better you have to ask for the best.  

At our facility this costs 500 dollars.

Notice he said he suspects.... He is not sure.  To be sure you need a brain MRI with and without contrast.

Question 8

can a ct scan find a brain tumor?

Accepted Answer

Brain tumor: Some kinds of tumors are better diagnosed by ct and some by mri. Are you having issues with headaches, etc? You should see a doctor if you have any symptoms that make you worry about brain tumor.

Question 9

could ct scan cause a brain tumor?

Accepted Answer

Rare: Many ct scans of the head can theoretically cause brain cancer several years later. See radiology physicist at your hospital to calculate your dose and risk if you had many head ct scans.

Question 10

can a full body ct scan find a brain tumor?

Accepted Answer

Definitely: A head CT will pick majority of brain tumors, in the range of 90-95% with MRI even better as far as resolution.

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Doctor answers about:

Brain tumor ct scan

A member asked:

If i had a mri oct2012 & cat scan in dec 2012 & both where normal should i b worried bout a brain tumor? can a ct scan show a brain tumor n the brain

A member asked:

Had a fear of brain tumor for 7 months. ct scan without contrast was clean. would i be having severe symptoms by now if it was malignant?

A member asked:

If im in the er and they wanna check for a brain tumor by doing a ct scan. can i request an mri without contrast instead or is that not an option?

A member asked:

Is smelling smoke a symptom of a brain tumor a myth? had ct scan 2 years ago for phantom smells. everything normal. now constant smell of smoke x2 days. dry sinuses? no other neuro symptoms.

A member asked:

Can a ct scan also scan for brain tumors? i had a ct scan done a while ago to check my sinuses, but now i fear i may have a brain tumor. i was wondering if a doctor could look at the same ct scan to check for brain tumors.

A member asked:

Ct scans good for catching brain tumors? i did a ct scan several months ago because i was having head and neck pain. the ct scan turned out to be normal, but the head and neck pain have returned. i was wondering what the odds are that the ct scan missed

A member asked:

If blood work, neurology report were normal, and doctor did an examination, he suspects no brain tumor, no ct scan, am i most likey safe? optic nerve looks good, just have gallstones that cause nausea

A member asked:

Can a ct scan find a brain tumor?

A member asked:

Could ct scan cause a brain tumor?

A member asked:

Can a full body ct scan find a brain tumor?

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