Safety/Radiation from CT scan?

Nine_Lives

After suffering from daily headaches for a number of months i saw my GP who's booked me in with the neurology dept at a nearby hospital & he mentioned a scan - i'm assuming CT scan, based purely on reading up on what may be causing it & what others have had.

As a kid i wasn't bothered about scans, rays & the like. As i get older i wonder about the radiation levels & the negative effects of having these scans.

So, how bad in terms of radiation exposure is a CT scan of the head? Is there anything else that would be better, such as MRI scan perhaps? Or is this equally as bad/worse?


I'll raise my concerns with the hospital, but that's a few month off yet, so figured i'd ask here in case anyone had looked into it themselves & knew.

Hermia

Have you read the NHS article: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/CT-scan/Pages/Risks.aspx

Don't feel you can't ask the consultant. I had to have a few scans/x-rays when I was ill and I know the medical staff always made a note of how may I had had that year. To be honest, I think this is a risk v benefit issue. Constant headaches are a worry and I personally would feel the risks of the scan is worth it if it means you will find out what is going on.

**professor~yaffle**

If it's a one-off I wouldn't have thought it's anything to worry about. The letter from the hospital should say what type of scan it is, particularly if it happens to be an MRI, for which you need to fill out a medical questionnaire sheet.

Nine_Lives

I've had an MRI before, though that one was for my lower leg. Just a bit weary about scans of the head. Not sure why because it's not like there aren't negatives to scans of other parts of your body.

This is early doors, so i don't know for 100% what scan it is yet (i'm speculating) or how many i'll end up having.

Thanks for the link.

Cooper18

No scan is carried out without 2 doctors deciding that the benefits vastly outweigh the risks. If you've been having headaches for a long time with no explanation you need to know what's causing them. Your own doctor thinks its worthwhile, and then an X-ray doctor (radiologist) will approve it. The radiation dose is nothing to worry about, don't forget you are exposed to radiation from the rocks in the landscape every day. And on flights. You will be more in danger travelling to the hospital in a car.

Ps there is no radiation in an MRI scan, but it might not be the type of imaging they require to solve your problem.

Racheldevon

I had an MRI for my severe headaches when I was referred to neurology, it may not be a CT scan

sillygoose

I work for a well known company that makes both. CT scanners use quite low levels of X-ray as they are very sensitive so don't need to put much through you. you won't be radioactive afterwards or anything, when its off its off.

Personally I would rather have a CT than an MRI! MRI's take ages and what it does to you is more scary IMO - (rattles every Hydrogen molecule in your body, being mostly water there are a lot!) - not to mention a magnet strong enough to fling a wheelchair across the room.

Really both are perfectly safe and are carefully monitored and maintained with numerous safety systems which is why they cost millions.