Understanding CT Scans: Do They Include Head and Neck Areas?
Examination site Hello doctor, six months ago I underwent a CT scan due to a salivary gland tumor. I remember the machine scanned back and forth between my head and neck. I would like to ask if this means that my head was also included in the scan?
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello: The head at the same level as the parotid gland will be within the scanning range. Wishing you peace and health.[Read More] Understanding CT Scans: Do They Include Head and Neck Areas?
Understanding Radiation Exposure from Frequent X-rays and CT Scans
I have health anxiety, so I had many X-rays taken this year, raising concerns about radiation exposure? I have health anxiety, so I often worry that I have something harmful in my body. Due to concerns about radiation causing cancer, I would like a doctor to evaluate whether my e...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello, regarding the estimation of radiation doses and risks, you can refer to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists website at http://www.xrayrisk.com/calculator/calculator.php. According to the data from that site, the radiation dose for a head and neck CT scan is ap...[Read More] Understanding Radiation Exposure from Frequent X-rays and CT Scans
Understanding Radiation Exposure: Risks and Safety Tips After CT Scans
Questions regarding radiation? In June of this year, I had an accident and since then I have undergone a total body CT scan once, a head CT scan twice (one with fine cuts), seven X-rays of the head (from different angles), and ten X-rays of the shoulder (from different angles). D...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello, the "radiation" produced by X-ray machines is a form of energy that penetrates objects to create images of them. For example, sunlight is a type of energy that does not accumulate, and similarly, the radiation from X-ray machines does not accumulate in the body, ...[Read More] Understanding Radiation Exposure: Risks and Safety Tips After CT Scans
Understanding Radiation Exposure from Multiple X-rays and CT Scans: Risks and Insights
Radiation issues Hello Dr. Wang: This year, I went to a clinic for X-rays due to lower back pain, and they told me I have scoliosis. I then went to Asia University Hospital and had two more X-rays to check for scoliosis, totaling three spinal X-rays (two images taken at different...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello Mr. Huang: The spine can be divided into the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions. According to the website supported by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, the radiation dose from a head CT scan is approximately 2 millisieverts, two chest X-rays ar...[Read More] Understanding Radiation Exposure from Multiple X-rays and CT Scans: Risks and Insights
Understanding Low-Dose CT Scans: Safety and Pregnancy Considerations
Low-dose computed tomography (chest) Hello Dr. Wang! I went to the hospital for a premarital health check on October 17, and yesterday (November 6), after receiving the examination results, I found out that the chest X-ray was diagnosed with a suspected lung nodule. I am concerne...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello Ms. Chen, there are multiple factors to consider regarding the timing of pregnancy. It is advisable to monitor the results of the lung nodule examinations and discuss them in detail with both a pulmonologist and an obstetrician-gynecologist before deciding on the timing of ...[Read More] Understanding Low-Dose CT Scans: Safety and Pregnancy Considerations
Can CT Contrast Agents Be Used with Low Blood Pressure?
Can a contrast agent be administered for a CT scan in patients with low blood pressure? Due to the side effects of Parkinson's medication, I cannot stop taking it. My average blood pressure is 90/60. Is it safe to use contrast agents for a CT scan? Could there be serious con...
Dr. Ye Weicheng Reply:
The use of contrast agents may cause hypotension, so it is important to monitor blood pressure changes when administering contrast agents to patients with low blood pressure. Hypotensive shock is one of the potential side effects of contrast agents, but it does not occur in every...[Read More] Can CT Contrast Agents Be Used with Low Blood Pressure?
CT Scans in Infants: Understanding Radiation Risks and Concerns
Pediatric Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Hello, doctor. My baby is five months old and fell from the bed. The doctor performed a full-body CT scan, and the brain received about 2 millisieverts, while the body received about 9 millisieverts. Will this increase the risk of developin...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Hello, computed tomography (CT) scans can assist physicians in quickly diagnosing acute conditions such as intracranial hemorrhage, pneumothorax, visceral bleeding, or fractures in trauma patients, allowing for timely and appropriate interventions. This has advantages for clinica...[Read More] CT Scans in Infants: Understanding Radiation Risks and Concerns
Should You Worry About Radiation Exposure from Recent Medical Imaging?
Radiation Issues Hello: In January of this year, I had a CT scan of my head due to stones found during a tonsil examination. In April, I had a dental X-ray of my front teeth (not a full mouth series). Should I be concerned about the radiation exposure from these procedures? I had...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
According to the website supported by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, the radiation dose from a single head CT scan is approximately 2 millisieverts (mSv), while a single dental X-ray has a radiation dose of about 0.005 mSv. Therefore, the total radiation dose f...[Read More] Should You Worry About Radiation Exposure from Recent Medical Imaging?
Radiation Exposure in Color Localization for Lung Tumor Surgery
Radiation dose for localization of lung tumors? Before performing a wedge resection for a lung tumor, a dye localization procedure is conducted to pinpoint the tumor's location for minimally invasive surgery. It seems that multiple CT scans were performed during the localiza...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Although the process of a定位的電腦斷層檢查 (CT scan with localization) involves multiple scans, the scanning area is limited to the area of concern. Generally, the total radiation dose for this examination does not exceed that of a single diagnostic scan. According to reference doses pro...[Read More] Radiation Exposure in Color Localization for Lung Tumor Surgery
Understanding Lung Nodules: Coronal vs. Axial CT Scan Views Explained
Pulmonary computed tomography (CT) - Issues related to the location of nodules in coronal and axial views? Hello Dr. Wang: During a health check-up, two nodules were detected in the left lung. I have two questions to ask: 1. The following image shows one of the nodules in the c...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
1. The nodule in the coronal view corresponds to the nodule in the left red box of the axial view (referring to the viewer's left side). 2. The nodules in the image at https://imgur.com/a/2knzJs4 are located in the upper left lung. After a lung CT scan during a health check,...[Read More] Understanding Lung Nodules: Coronal vs. Axial CT Scan Views Explained
Understanding Lung Nodules: Coronal vs. Axial CT Scan Views Explained
Lung Computed Tomography (CT) - Issues Related to Nodule Location in Coronal and Axial Views? Hello Dr. Wang: During a health check-up, two nodules were detected in my left lung. The following CT scan shows one of the nodules in the coronal view: https://imgur.com/a/zu1QmsH. I wo...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
The nodule in the coronal view appears to correspond more closely to the nodule within the left red box in the axial view (referring to the viewer's left). A lung CT scan performed during a health check can generate over 400 images through computer reconstruction. To accurat...[Read More] Understanding Lung Nodules: Coronal vs. Axial CT Scan Views Explained
Can You Walk In for a CT Scan or Do You Need an Appointment?
CT appointment time In general, for a CT scan, it is usually necessary to make an appointment in advance. However, some facilities may allow for walk-in patients, depending on their availability and scheduling. For instance, if you arrive at the front desk in the morning, you may...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
The examination schedule will be arranged based on the patient's source. For emergency patients, after the emergency physician issues the examination order, the CT scan department will utilize available time slots to perform the examination as soon as possible. For outpatien...[Read More] Can You Walk In for a CT Scan or Do You Need an Appointment?
Understanding Ground-Glass Opacity (GGO) in Lung CT Scans: A Guide
Please inquire about the interpretation of ground-glass opacities (GGO) in computed tomography (CT) scans? Hello Dr. Wang, A few weeks ago, I underwent a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of my lungs, which revealed a 0.5 cm ground-glass opacity (GGO) in the left lung that ...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Ground-glass opacities (GGO) are a nonspecific sign with a wide range of etiologies, including infections, chronic interstitial diseases, and acute alveolar diseases. In the provided images, the hazy appearance (GGO) is most prominent in the areas circled in red. When interpretin...[Read More] Understanding Ground-Glass Opacity (GGO) in Lung CT Scans: A Guide
Understanding Radiation Risks: Insights on CT Scans and Cancer Concerns
Radiation issues Dear Director Wang, Thank you very much for your detailed explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of computed tomography (CT) scans in response to my previous questions. I am particularly concerned about the potential harm caused by radiation, which is i...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, a 22-year-old male undergoing a standard abdominal CT scan has a 99.9% chance of not developing additional cancer risk. The benefit of undergoing a CT scan is that it provides diagnostic reference for physicians. Rese...[Read More] Understanding Radiation Risks: Insights on CT Scans and Cancer Concerns
Concerns About CT Scan Radiation Exposure and Its Health Risks
I am very concerned about the potential harm from radiation exposure during a CT scan? Hello Director Wang, I am a patient from the Taipei Chang Gung Emergency Department on the early morning of March 27. I am just 22 years old and experienced pain in my lower right abdomen that...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
1. The CT images are synthesized by a computer to form the final images. The number of breaths taken during the examination, as well as the scanning area and breath-holding time, varies from person to person. Since your main complaint is right lower abdominal pain, the typical sc...[Read More] Concerns About CT Scan Radiation Exposure and Its Health Risks
Understanding the Risks of Multiple X-Ray Exposures in Dental Care
Excessive exposure to X-rays in a short period of time? Hello, Doctor. Since December of last year until now in April, I have undergone multiple dental procedures, including wisdom tooth extraction. Due to my excessive concern about cavities in my wisdom teeth, I have visited sev...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
According to the calculation method provided by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, the radiation dose from five dental X-rays is approximately 0.025 mSv, while the dose from six full-mouth X-rays is about 0.06 mSv. A single 3D dental computed tomography (CT) scan h...[Read More] Understanding the Risks of Multiple X-Ray Exposures in Dental Care
Understanding the Relationship Between X-Ray Dose and Exposure Time
The relationship between X-ray dosage and exposure time is that the longer the exposure time, the higher the radiation dose received by the patient. This is because the amount of radiation delivered is directly proportional to the duration of exposure. Therefore, to minimize radi...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Dose unit: Sievert (Sv), which indicates the magnitude of radiation's impact on the human body. 1 Sievert (Sv) = 1000 millisieverts (mSv); 1 millisievert (mSv) = 1000 microsieverts (µSv). The radiation exposure dose is related to factors such as exposure time and distance, a...[Read More] Understanding the Relationship Between X-Ray Dose and Exposure Time
Can MRI and CT Scan Detect Brain Imbalance Issues?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain Hello doctor, can brain imbalance (as indicated by the eye movement test and visually evoked potentials) be detected through a head MRI (with contrast) and a CT scan?
Dr. Ye Weicheng Reply:
There are many causes of brain imbalance. It is recommended that you first consult a neurologist. After evaluation by the neurologist, further imaging such as a CT scan or MRI may be performed based on clinical necessity.[Read More] Can MRI and CT Scan Detect Brain Imbalance Issues?
Understanding Radiation Exposure from Pediatric CT Scans
Radiation Concerns in Pediatric Brain CT Scans Hello Dr. Wang, about six years ago, my child underwent a brain CT scan at a medical center when he was just over a month old. I am unsure how much radiation dose was absorbed based on the technology at that time. Could this have any...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
The assessment of radiation dose and risk is primarily based on average values for adults. An adult receives approximately 2 millisieverts of radiation from a single brain CT scan, with more than 99% of individuals not experiencing an increased risk of additional cancer. The calc...[Read More] Understanding Radiation Exposure from Pediatric CT Scans
Is Low-Dose Lung CT Enough to Replace Chest X-Ray in Health Checks?
Is low-dose computed tomography of the lungs redundant compared to chest X-ray examination? Hello, general health check-up packages usually include a chest X-ray. If I opt to pay out-of-pocket for a low-dose lung CT scan, can I skip the chest X-ray to avoid duplication? If both t...
Dr. Wang Yifen Reply:
Chest X-rays and low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans of the lungs are obtained using different imaging diagnostic tools and should not be considered duplicate examinations. For lung cancer screening, it is recommended to use low-dose CT scans as the screening tool. General he...[Read More] Is Low-Dose Lung CT Enough to Replace Chest X-Ray in Health Checks?