health scans
There are many different types of health scan all of them are used to discover whether a person has something wrong with different parts of the body. Some health scans provide more information than others, the MRI scan for example may be used to uncover neurological problems and bone density problems among other things.
 
CT (usually referred to as cat scans) scans are used to uncover problems with the heart or the lungs. A CT scan checks for calcium deposits in the main arteries of the heart as this can reveal future heart disease. This scan can predict heart problems that may not appear for ten years or more and takes around fifteen minutes to perform and sends a radiation beam through the body.. With suspected lung disease a CT scan searches for blockages and tumours that suggest either cancer or a lung disease like emphysema.
 
 
MRI scans are used to scan the brain and can also reveal problems with bone structure. The MRI scan is safer than the CT or even the traditional Xray because it does not use radiation but a magnetic beam to discover problems.
 
Dexa scans are dual energy Xray absorptiometry tests that use low energy Xrays to ascertain bone density in suspected cases of osteoporosis.
Ultrasound scans can produce images of most of the body’s internal organs and they are also used on pregnant women to get a picture of the developing foetus This scan does not use radiation and is very safe.
 
Why Should I Get a Health Scan?
 
Private companies are now promoting health scans, while the NHS normally uses such scans if a doctor suspects a patient has a certain problem such as lung disease. Private health scans can be very expensive but if you believe that you have a problem, or just want to set your mind at rest about something, then a health scan may be the answer.

If you suffer from chest pains of have a history of heart disease in your family then you may want to consider a CT scan, sometimes called a cat scan, as this can reveal heart problems. A CT scan uses a beam of radiation to show up areas of the body that might otherwise not be seen. The great thing about a CT scan is that it can give an indication as to whether heart disease may develop as much as ten or fifteen years in the future.

A Dexa scan might be appropriate for you if your family has a history of osteoporosis. This scan is quick and easy and uses low energy Xrays to measure bone density. If you believe that you have a problem with one or more of your organs than an ultrasound scan might be the way to go, this scan is perfectly safe.

Make sure that you have all the information you need before you approach your practitioner for a health scan. You should seek the advice of your GP to see whether you actually need a health scan before going ahead with one.

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