What are the advantages and disadvantages for CT scans in the diagnosis of stroke?
Advantages CT scan is a painless non invasive procedure with good sensitivity to detect pathology of the head CT scan is far superior to an MRI when evaluating skull fractures Ct scan can provide detailed images of the brain nervous tissue CT is excellent for individuals involved in head trauma CT can rapidly identify the presence of a stroke early in evolution CT is excellent in making a diagnosis of bleeding in the brain (Subarachnoid hemorrhage) CT scan is much cheaper than an MRI an equally as fast The newer generation of CT scans can combine angiography and assess the blood supply to the brain The motion artifacts are less of a problem with a CT scan compared to an MRI. CT scan can be performed in patients with implanted medical devices. CT scan provides dynamic imaging and thus allows for needle biopsies to be performed simultaneously Disadvantages unlike MRI, CT scan is associated with a radiation (this is about the same radiation exposure that a normal individual would get in a
