Question 1

i have been told that i need a brain scan..any idea why?

Accepted Answer

Many possibilities: Probably the most common indication is worse headache of your life. Otherwise, has there been a new neurological symptom such as weakness, numbness,  temporary loss of vision, loss of sensation, etc? There must have been some neurological symptom your doctor is trying to track down as to its cause. Many times the scans are normal and this helps your doc exclude an intracranial cause for symptoms.

Question 2

what are the benefits of getting a brain scan?

Accepted Answer

Brain scan: To see inside living brain, for diagnosis &amp; follow up on progress of different brain pathologies.

Question 3

what could white patches on a brain scan suggest?

Accepted Answer

Few things: If by brain scan you mean mri, then "white patches" at your age are probably part of aging, nonspecific, unimportant. Of course they can also represent other things such as ms. I would recommend correlating your symptoms with the finding. If you weren't being worked up for ms than don't worry about it. Hope this helps.

Question 4

is it acceptable to request a brain scan out of curiosity?

Accepted Answer

No: Unless you want to pay out of pocket and find a physician that would humor your interest (I don't think it is appropriate however in that it is an inappropriate usage of healthcare resources).

Question 5

any suggestions on which kind of brain scan shows the frequency of thoughts?

Accepted Answer

None: Although there are some functional MRIs that can map which part of your brain is active under different circumstances, there are no tests to monitor the frequency of thought.

Question 6

when is it too late to have a brain scan from a fall if you think you have a concuccion?

Accepted Answer

Within 2 days: Optimally, you should get a head ct within 1 hour of the head injury, but as late as 2 days there may yet be utility in ruling out life-threatening hemorrhage. After 2 days, you can certainly get a head ct scan, but it will be academic: if it could have killed you, it would have done so already, so there is nothing the scan would show you that would need to be remedied.

Question 7

in regards to the brain, how long does it take to rewire? would a brain scan be able to distinguish a difference, say from time a to time b?

Accepted Answer

: Rewire ? The linkage between brain cells may/may not ever re-wire. The older you are the less chance recovery to any injury can occur. The idea of re-wiring depends on teaching the body to use accessory pathways to accomplish a task, not reviving those lost. PET scans would have more value in determining activity change. Regular scans likely have little value.

Question 8

brain scan says possible minor ischemic disease?

Accepted Answer

Maybe, maybe not: I assume the scan was a mri. I also assume you have had no symptoms of a stroke. This is not uncommon. You should have the MRI abnormality investigated, but the causes may include migraine, hypertension, and demyelination from any number of causes.  The abnormality is likely a warning sign of an underlying process that needs to be addressed. Have your physician refer you for evaluation.

Question 9

will a brain scan be able to show evidence of mental illness?

Accepted Answer

No: No it will not. Neither will an MRI or ct scan.

Question 10

is it possible to see signs of mental illness in a brain scan?

Accepted Answer

Often: The answer depends on the mental illness and the type of brain scan. But with most psychiatric disorders abnormalities in functional brain imaging can be demonstrated. None of these findings are specific enough to be used for diagnosis, at this point. But in some cases the findings can be quite dramatic.

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

Why do I need a brain scan

A member asked:

I have been told that i need a brain scan..any idea why?

A member asked:

What are the benefits of getting a brain scan?

A member asked:

What could white patches on a brain scan suggest?

A member asked:

Is it acceptable to request a brain scan out of curiosity?

A member asked:

Any suggestions on which kind of brain scan shows the frequency of thoughts?

A member asked:

When is it too late to have a brain scan from a fall if you think you have a concuccion?

A member asked:

In regards to the brain, how long does it take to rewire? would a brain scan be able to distinguish a difference, say from time a to time b?

A member asked:

Brain scan says possible minor ischemic disease?

A member asked:

Will a brain scan be able to show evidence of mental illness?

A member asked:

Is it possible to see signs of mental illness in a brain scan?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?