What Does COVID-19 Look Like on a CT Scan?
If you have COVID-19, your doctor might order a CT scan. Have you ever wondered what doctors look for when they review the results of the CT scan? COVID-19 typically causes fever, shortness of breath, and cough. Doctors usually order blood tests, such as PCR and antigen testing, to diagnose the disease. They also use […]
Chest X-rays Can Help Doctors Predict the Severity of COVID-19 in Young and Middle-Age ER Patients
Like many diseases, COVID-19 can be unpredictable. For example, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 seemed to affect mainly the elderly in the earliest days of the pandemic, and now it seems to be affecting younger people. Many of these younger patients get sicker now too. Unpredictability can make detecting and treating a disease difficult, though, […]
Imaging Shows how COVID-19 Affects the Brain
COVID-19 affects the lungs to make it hard to breath, but it can also affect other areas of the body, such as the heart and kidneys. A number of recent radiology studies using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) show that infection with coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, can also affect the brain and […]
Is Calcium Scoring Right for Me?
Calcium scoring is a medical test that provides important information about a person’s risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Also known as coronary artery calcium scoring, calcium scoring measures the amount of calcium in the walls of the heart’s arteries. Doctors have been using calcium to assess the heart health of their […]
Study Suggests Chest CT is Better for Diagnosing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) than Lab Test
The new coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, is a serious viral infection responsible for more than 90,000 illnesses and more than 3,000 deaths worldwide. Doctors typically use blood tests to diagnose illnesses like coronavirus, but the results of a new study suggests that computed tomography (CT) of the chest might be a better test for […]
The Difference Between CT and MRI: How Does Your Doctor Decide Which to Order?
CT and MRI are two different types of medical imaging that create images of organs and tissues inside your body. While CT and MRI are similar in many ways, there are differences between them. Because of these differences, doctors might choose one imaging method over the other. Both CTs and MRIs are non-invasive and pain-free, […]
Brain Scans and Dementia – What do the Medical Tests Show?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of brain conditions that affect memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily life. About 50 million people worldwide have dementia, according to the World Health Organization, and there are almost 10 million new cases each year. There are many different conditions under the […]
Doctors Use CT Scans to Diagnose and Manage Lung Disease Associated with Vaping
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or “vaping,” have been making the news lately. As of October 10, 2019, the CDC had linked vaping with 29 deaths and 1,299 lung injuries. The cases occurred in 49 states, the District of Columbia and the United States Virgin Islands. Illinois and California were the hardest hit, although […]
Can Contrast Hurt my Kidneys?
Your doctor may order an MRI, CT scan or other diagnostic tests to learn important information about a disease or injury, and to help in the diagnosis and treatment of the problem. Depending on your exact case, your doctor may request the use of a contrast dye to enhance the results of the test. While […]
What is Contrast Material and How Does it Work?
If you have ever undergone medical imaging, such as an MRI or CT scan, chances are good that you received contrast. MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) are types of medical equipment that creates image of internal organs and structures. Contrast material enhances and improves the quality of these images. Contrast material can […]
