A 18-year-old member asked:
If a doc orders a ct scan on abdomin. wouldn't it be the entire stomach? including in it the liver lungs etc. and would it catch tb?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gregory Hinesanswered
Family Medicine 26 years experience
Not necessarily: An abdominal ct scan would show the bases of the lungs, but may or may not show tuberculosis if there were no granulomas in the bases.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Lonna Larshanswered
Family Medicine 32 years experience
Lungs not visualized: An abdominal ct scan generally visualized everything from the diaphragm down to the pelvis. They often view a bit of the bottoms of the lungs, but they don't view a significant amount of lung tissue. Therefore, an abdominal ct would not be useful for diagnosing pulmonary (lung) tb.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Amrita Dosanjhanswered
Pediatric Allergy and Asthma 38 years experience
Skin test: If you are concerned about TB exposure, I would recommend a ppd skin test. If it is positive, then a chest radiograph is ordered. Usually your local public health department can provide the screening or most primary health providers.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Sep 15, 2014
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