Oct
10
What Are The Indications, Contraindications And Risks Assoc With:?
By
Question: 1) CT
2) MRI
3) Nuclear medicine tests
4) plain xray
………..and does anyone know about their reliability and vaildity in interpretating results.
I know, a kinda BIG and stoopid question, but help would be appreciated, thanks
2 Comments
October 10th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Well, in short each of the modalities you’ve mentioned involves the use of reasonable, low-dose ionizing radiation (except MRI) to obtain images of the human body.
The indications for each of the modalities you’ve asked about is way beyond the scope of what can be addressed in such a forum as entire volumes have been written addressing this. Suffice it to say that we have some incredible methods to non-invasively look inside the human body using energy.
With respect to the reliability and validity of interpretation, it really depends on the given indication and diagnosis that you’re interested in, therefore, I must be clear that your question is simply too complex to answer in a forum like this.
If you’d like a more “thorough” description of these matters, perhaps I may recommend the source listed below.
Good luck.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:39 am
X-ray, MRI, and CT are (mostly) indicated for detection/imaging of everything from bone fractures to soft tissue damage to internal bleeding. They are listed in order of cost, speed and resolution.
Contraidincations include metal implants (in MRI)–you can still use CT with most implants, but it wipes out the resolution around the implant; and, pregnacy. You can safely use low radiation in pregnant women if necessary, with the most dangerous period being the period between 2 and 15 weeks gestation.
Risks include cancer with prolonged exposure, and even full tissue-thickness burns with flouroscopy.
Nuclear medicine tests are WAAAAYYY variable as far as indications go, but you can test things from heart muscle damage to thyroid-uptake–anything that has blood flow, and you want to image the structure or function, Nuc Med has a poison for it.
Contraindications depend on the test–but all are absolutely CI for pregnancy.
Risks for NM are death and destruction of any or all organs.
Reliability of any of these tests depends on the test-Nuclear Medicine is no good for locating a bullet, or determining the location of a fracture; by the same token, X-ray cannot give any value for Thyroid uptake.
Interpretation is dependent upon the test used, it’s implementation, and the experience of the interpreter.