| Your doc has asked that you go for a
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| | that the CAT scan doesn't, while CAT
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| medical scan to take a closer look at
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| | scans provide more structural
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| what's ailing you-likely one of these
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| | information-about the heart, for
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| tests: a CAT scan, a SPECT scan, a PET
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| | instance. Together, they can provide the
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| scan, an ultrasound, an MRI-or some
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| | most detailed picture of what may be
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| combination of these. So how will it
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| | going on inside of you.
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| help you? Here's an overview of what each
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| | Nonradioactive scans
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| medical imaging device does and what
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| | The two most common are ultrasound and
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| information it captures:
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| | MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
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| CT scans (aka CAT scans)
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| | Ultrasound uses sound waves to take
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| A computed tomography scanner is an X-ray
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| | pictures inside the body. MRI can acquire
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| device. As a large doughnutlike ring
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| | images both in 2-D and in 3-D; it can
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| moves over and spins around the body, the
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| | look at the beating of the heart in real
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| beams are sent through the body from one
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| | time, as ultrasound can; and it is able
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| side and the emerging radiation is
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| | to tell tissues apart in ways other
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| detected and forms images on the other.
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| | technologies can't.
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| "When patients go through a CAT scanner,"
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| | Mind-Reading: EEG Reports
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| says Scott Daniel Flamm, M.D., head of
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| | An electroencephalogram (EEG) can detect
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| cardiovascular imaging at the Cleveland
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| | problems in the brain's electrical system
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| Clinic in Cleveland, "it takes a series
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| | that may indicate the presence of a
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| of 3-D pictures or axial slices very
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| | tumor, head injury or diseases, such as
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| quickly. It's much like getting a chest
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| | epilepsy and migraine. In the test, up to
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| X-ray-just a whole lot faster and more
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| | 25 electrodes are placed on the patient's
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| sophisticated."
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| | scalp; they record changing patterns of
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| SPECT scans
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| | electrical activity and convert the
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| In a single-photon emission computerized
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| | electrical signals into a series of spiky
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| tomography (SPECT) scan, a camera
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| | lines drawn on a moving piece of graph
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| photographs the travels of a radioactive
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| | paper. The doctor can then read the
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| tracer that is injected into the body.
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| | print-out to see if there are any
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| Dr. Flamm explains: "How it moves in
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| | abnormalities.
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| different areas of the body can highlight
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| | During an EEG, patients often have to
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| possible problems, such as inadequate
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| | stay motionless, because any movement may
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| blood supply."
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| | alter the results. Sometimes a patient is
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| PET scans
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| | asked to breathe deeply and rapidly or to
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| Positron emission tomography (PET)
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| | look at a bright flickering light.
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| scanners use a different kind of
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| | The procedure is very safe. If it happens
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| radioactive tracer and are considered a
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| | to trigger a seizure, the person
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| more powerful imaging tool. Both SPECT
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| | performing the EEG is trained to ensure
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| and PET scans usually produce no side
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| | the patient's safety.
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| effects, but PET scans are considered
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| | It's useful to know how medical imaging
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| better because they are more sensitive to
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| | tools work. After viewing your scan
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| some metabolic activities, such as the
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| | results, a doctor obtains precise
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| amount of glucose or oxygen used in
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| | information that could help make a
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| different parts of the brain. A SPECT
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| | diagnosis or guide treatment. And that's
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| scan focuses more on blood flow.
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| | what really matters: getting the care you
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| Combo scans
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| | need.
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| SPECT and PET scanners can be combined
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| | Writer: John McIntosh
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| with CAT scanners (at which point they're
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| | ©REMEDY, Summer 2007
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| called SPECT-CT scanners or PET-CT
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| | Get a FREE 2-year subscription to REMEDY,
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| scanners). SPECT and PET scans give some
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| | one of MediZine, LLC's award-winning
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