A 31-year-old member asked:
can a ct scan without contrast be accurate?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Steven Chmielewski answered
Diagnostic Radiology 30 years experience
Depends.: For kidney stones we use no contrast, but we don't get as good a look at the solid organs. Contrast is usually helpful, but not always necessary.
5168 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Ramkaransingh answered
Interventional Radiology 20 years experience
Yes: It depends on what you are looking for. CT scans without contrast are very good at evaluating for kidney stones, evaluating lung nodules, looking at the spine and bones and looking for acute bleeding in the brain. Contrast is better when looking at the solid organs of the abdomen, looking for infections and looking for tumors. Ask your doctor.
3884 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Similar questions
CA
A 39-year-old member asked:
Do I have to bring someone along, or can I drive after a CT scan?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Valentin Drezaliu answered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 20 years experience
Drive after CT scan: If you had no medication prior ct scan it is safe to drive back home. If you had medication for anxiety, pain, you should have someone with you to drive back home.
6026 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
I would like help in getting CT scan results?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Seth Zeidman answered
Neurosurgery 33 years experience
How: The results should be available from the radiologist who reads the study. Interpreting the results make take the assistance of a clinician.
5878 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Is getting a second CT scan within a year too much radiation?
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Michael Thompson answered
Hematology and Oncology 20 years experience
Too much?: "too much" is a relative term. Basically no. If you have a medical condition, ie cancer that is being monitored by ct then the benefits outweigh the risks. If you are getting a ct for no reason then the risks (small but finite) outweigh the benefits. Any medical procedure is not a binary state. There is a continuum of risks and benefits.
5876 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
AZ
A 27-year-old female asked:
Is a CT scan without contrast less accurate than one with contrast?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Michael Gabor answered
Diagnostic Radiology 33 years experience
It depends: what kind of CT is being performed and for what purpose. for certain indications, adding contrast offers no significant diagnostic benefit. For other indications, contrast is essential and the diagnosis cannot be made without it. What kind of CT are you talking about, and what is your doctor looking for?
1369 viewsAnswered Jan 9, 2021
A 50-year-old member asked:
What is CT scan used for?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Bronk answered
Radiology 40 years experience
Multiple indications: CT is very widely used in diagnosis, from evaluation of the nervous system to cardiac and lung pathology to abdominal diseases and even musculoskeletal assessments.
3579 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Jan 5, 2019
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