What would a ct head scan show versus having a mri head scan? and with or without contrast?

Need to talk with : Your ordering doctor. Depends on what is being evaluated, and the differential diagnosis. Ct is a good quick screen for bleed, masses, skull fractures, etc. And MRI gets you good soft tissue details, and lets you better evaluate the gray and white matter, also allows you to evaluate bleeds, helps you tell if old or new bleed, also helps you see tumors, strokes (ischemic areas, atrophy, etc.).

MRI shows more: Ct will show bones better, MRI shows more detail and has no radiation. Contrast also will help show more detail.