What are the advantages vs disadvantages of a CT scan of the head?
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
