CT Scanning - Research Paper Example

?Running head: CT Scanning CT Scanning s CT Scanning Introduction CT scan stands for computed topography which is an x-ray test that is used to produce cross sectional images of the different parts of the body using an x ray and a computer. This allows the doctor to take an inside look into the different areas of the body and study them as to what problem is going on and then diagnose it for the patients. CT scan is used to evaluate the brain, neck, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis etc. The CT scanning technique has made it relatively easy for doctors to diagnose and treat the patients and also is safe and well tolerated. A CT scan provides a very different view of the body than an x ray. The major difference lies in it giving a cross sectional image of the body which allows the doctors to examine from within the body. It is also used by cancer patients to look inside the body for the spread of the disease. Some of the advantages of using CT scanning are that it is one of the fastest methods of examining chest, pelvis and abdomen as it views all types of tissues. Also it diagnoses wide varieties of cancer. Moreover it is also useful in examining the spinal problems and injuries to hands, feet and other body structures (Jacoby, 1981). CT scanning works much like X ray machines in the sense that numerous X rays and electronic x-ray detectors revolve around the person and measuring the amount of radiation that is being absorbed by the body. The examination table simultaneously moves through the scanner so that the x ray beam follows a spiral path. A special computer program processes the volume of data to create two-dimensional cross-sectional images of the body parts, which are then displayed on a monitor. This technique is called helical or spiral CT (Morgan & Emberton, 1994). The Disease it cures As mentioned above CT scanning can be used to diagnose different types of cancers such as lung cancer, liver, prostate cancer and enables doctors to see the size of the tumor and see the rate at which it is increasing. The size of the tumor, its exact location, and its effect on nearby tissues is also seen through this. CT scanning is also used to see inside the head and the brain region of the person to check if there is internal bleeding or not. Also it helps in analyzing the vascular condition of the person. Vascular condition pertains to the blood flow of the person and if it’s not normal it can lead to kidney failure and even to a heart disease and stroke. It can help assess the bone disease, bone density and the state of a patient’s spine. before CT scan was introduced the examination of such things were not easy for the doctors and now the life expectancy for the patients have increased world over as they are exposed to better health benefits and treatments (Haaga, et al., 1977) (Coburn, 2008). In an article (Foster, Scott, & Payne, 1990) it is also believed that CT scanning may help cure dementia. Dementia is a disease in which the person loses his or her memory as they get old and the living gets tough. The article says that some dementia is reversible and early CT scanning can help establish that whether the treatment can take place or not. It says there are about 50 different reasons for the dementia but the most common one is Alzheimer’s disease which accounts up to about 50% of the cause of dementia. Then CT scanning is not to diagnose the disease but to find that whether it is treat-able or not. The article talks in detail about the dementia and what are the instances when it can be reversible and only in those circumstances should CT scanning are used. Some areas which should be looked upon are that does the patient have a history of family dementia. age again is an important factor which states that the older the patient is the lesser their chances of surviving dementia and the lesser their age is the more the chances they have of being treated for dementia. The statistics for the dementia can be as high as 20% which is an alarming rate. the article also says that CT scanning is an expensive method and almost half of the cases that are diagnosed are treatable but it should be noted that elderly people have lesser benefits of doing CT scanning as their chances of cure are much lesser. It says more harm than good can be done to the patients by scanning. It also says that one should judge whether the routine CT scanning should be worthwhile or not and that it is more worthwhile for younger rather than the older patients. The health commissioners should look over this and instead of spending money on CT scanning for the old patients they should concentrate on providing them a better and comfortable life. This is being said because in majority of the cases the dementia in people above 65 years of age is irreversible (Foster, Scott, & Payne, 1990). Another area where CT scanning is used regularly is the (Tiwari, Gerritsen, Balm, & Snow, 1986) diagnoses of the Para nasal sinuses which is a form of cancer that affects the head and the neck region. It is pretty rare and comprises of 2-3% of all malignant tumors. The importance of CT scanning cannot be ignored and once when the cancer is diagnosed, it is then treated with the help of the radio therapy and radiology. In some cases the CT scanning may even tell that the person in actuality does not have a cancer and there may be some lumps formed which are mistaken by the doctors for cancer. The Other Side of CT Scanning Although there are many uses and benefits of a CT scan however some light should also be shed on the disadvantages of CT scanning. One of the principle concerns of the doctors should be that even though CT scanning is used to detect various kinds of cancers, it can also be cause of cancers in some cases. The radiation that comes out of the machine can be detrimental for the human body. The average radiation that a person is exposed to is equivalent to three years of background radiation. Also it is not recommended for pregnant women as it imposes a potential risk to the development of the baby. Also CT scan is not good for young children. This is because the child is still young and his body and brain are in the developing and growing stages, hence it can result in stunted growth. So unless it’s absolutely necessary doing CT scan for children is not recommended. Another health risk is that the dye used in CT scanning is harmful and can cause kidney failures. Another drawback of CT scanning is that it is usually very expensive and not all patients can afford it. So therefore the government should provide such treatments free of cost to the normal public who can’t afford it (Hu, 1999). References Coburn, N. (2008). CT, MRI and Ultrasound Scanning Rates: Evaluation of Cancer Diagnosis. Journal of Surgical Oncology, 98, 490-499. Foster, G., Scott, D., & Payne, S. (1990). The use of CT Scanning in Dementia. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 15(2), 406–423. Haaga, J. R., Alfidi, R. J., Havrilla, T. R., Tubbs, R., Gonzalez, L., Meaney, T. F., et al. (1977). Definitive Role of CT Scanning of the Pancreas. Radiology, 124(3), 723-30. Hu, H. (1999). Multi-slice helical CT: Scan and reconstruction. Med.Phys, 26, 5-18. Illowsky, B., Juliano, D., Bigelow, L., & Weinberger, D. (1988). Stability of CT scan findings in schizophrenia: results of an 8 year follow-up study. Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 51, 209-213. Jacoby, R. (1981). Dementia, depression and the CT scan. Psychological Medicine, 11, 673-676. Morgan, N. J., & Emberton, P. (1994). CT scanning and laryngocoeles. The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 108(3), 266-8. Tiwari, R., Gerritsen, G., Balm, A., & Snow, G. (1986). A critical evaluation of the role of CT scanning. The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 100(4), 421-8. Read More