Is a CT Scanner risky?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Luu Thi Bich Ngoc - Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

With the roles in pathology diagnosis and treatment support, it is undeniable that CT Scanner technique is very important in medicine. However, some risks that patients may face when having a CT scan is the possibility of radiation exposure or a pregnant woman having a CT Scanner that can cause birth defects,...

This is an imaging technique that uses X-rays to scan up a site or the entire body in cross-sections. Depending on the generation of CT Scanner, the images taken will correspond to the cross-sections. The captured images will then be coordinated by a computer to produce the results.
The results of CT Scanner technique will obtain many 2D images or detailed 3D renderings of the body position to be taken. CT Scanner will produce black and white images with different dark and light colors, this will depend on the level of X-ray blocking of soft and hard tissues in the body.
CT Scanner technique is considered to give much more detailed images than traditional X-ray techniques, clear images, no overlap because this technique is separated according to images. slice capture. In addition, the fast imaging time and fast results make it very suitable for evaluating emergency diseases or moving organs in the body, so it has an important meaning in disease diagnosis.
Some diseases can be diagnosed with CT Scan including:
Diagnosis of muscle and bone disorders, such as bone tumors and fractures. This imaging technique can also detect organ damage and internal bleeding. Determine the location of tumors in the body, inflammatory lesions, infections. At the same time, this technique can also guide procedures such as surgery, biopsy or radiation therapy. Detect and monitor the status of cancer, heart disease, lung or liver tumors and monitor the effectiveness of disease treatments. Depending on the purpose of the diagnosis, when using the CT Scanner technique, the patient may or may not use contrast medium. When using contrast agents, tissues, organizations, and blood vessels will be clearly visible, the boundaries of the tumor will become clearer; thereby, for a more accurate diagnosis. Typically, contrast-enhanced CT scanning is often performed when differentiating lesions or when evaluating the vascular system based on different contrast absorption capacities.
Not only rendering 2D images, CT Scanner 3D - CT also helps to accurately assess the location of the lesion in 3D space. Therefore, this technique is of great significance when orienting surgical treatment, radiation therapy for cancer and pathological abnormalities requiring corrective plastic surgery or congenital malformations also based on 3D images - CT Scanner to guide treatment implementation.

With the roles in pathology diagnosis and treatment support, it is undeniable that CT Scanner technique is very important in medicine. So is CT Scanner risky? Accordingly, this technique has an appropriate cost, is often the first priority in many cases of pathology, but it has some risks that the patient may encounter when taking the scan:
CT Scanner There is a possibility of radiation exposure Although the time of exposure to X-rays when taking a CT Scanner is quite short, however, due to the large and concentrated amount of radiation, the radiation level will be higher than that of the X-ray technique. If a patient undergoes a CT Scanner scan, the radiation exposure exceeds the safe limit, it may increase the risk of cancer and lead to some harmful health effects later on.
Therefore, the patient should have a CT Scanner as prescribed by the doctor to match the frequency and appropriate dose, these risks are very rare for the patient.
CT Scanner has the potential to cause birth defects If a pregnant woman has a CT scanner, it can cause birth defects due to radiation. That will affect the development and health of children in the future. Therefore, it is important for women who are pregnant to inform their doctor so that they can consider switching to a safer diagnostic test such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Contrast can cause side effects In some cases, contrast can cause allergies. Contrast contrast allergy can range from mild to severe, if the allergy is mild, the patient may have a feeling of warmth, heat, nausea or vomiting, hives, chills, dizziness, sneezing, ... Usually these symptoms will fade away in a short time.
However, if you have a severe allergic reaction, you may experience swelling in your throat, asthma, low blood pressure, shock, cardiopulmonary failure and, more importantly, death. Therefore, in order to prevent allergy to contrast dye, if you have a history of allergy to any drug, it is necessary to inform your doctor about the condition and the drug that is allergic to it.
Note: If after injection, the patient has venous pain, do not apply heat; People with hyperthyroidism, adrenal myeloma, severe myasthenia gravis... should inform their doctor to switch to another method, because using contrast agents in these patients will make the condition worse. In addition, patients with serum creatinine values ​​> 2.0 mg/dL should not receive contrast injection or patients with poor renal function should discontinue metformin for 48 hours prior to administration of the drug. Perform CT Scan or contrast treatment.

In order to limit the risks as well as increase the diagnostic value of the disease when taking a CT Scanner, patients should note a number of issues as follows:
For cases where contrast injection is required, before performing the procedure carefully This procedure requires fasting for more than 4 hours, but patients can still take their daily medication, except for diabetes medications that need to be temporarily stopped. To avoid hypoglycemia in blood pressure patients, can eat some sweet candy. When having a CT Scanner, the patient should wear non-metallic clothing as well as remove metal jewelry on the body to reduce the problem of image noise. The CT Scanner has ionizing radiation, so pregnant women should notify their doctor. As for patients who are in poor health or need contrast injection, they should be accompanied by relatives. For patients receiving contrast injection, serum creatinine values ​​must be within 3 months. Therefore, it is necessary to complete the blood test within 3 months before the CT Scanner. In the case of inpatients or emergency patients, if there is a short-term or acute change in renal function, it is necessary to confirm the serum creatinine value within 3 days before the scan. Patients who need contrast injection should clearly inform the doctor or nurse about the history of poor kidney function, severe hyperthyroidism or myasthenia gravis, adrenal myeloma, or a history of allergy to the drug. contrast or other drugs. In addition, the clinician should be provided with the necessary information in the assessment of disease progression. If the patient cooperates well, the failure rate is very small. After a CT scan, the results are considered normal if the doctor does not see any tumors, fractures or other abnormal lesions on the scans. In case of abnormal findings in the CT scan results, the patient needs to do some other diagnostic tests, depending on the abnormalities shown on the x-ray.

Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the leading prestigious hospitals in the country, trusted by a large number of patients for medical examination and treatment. Not only the physical system, modern equipment: 6 ultrasound rooms, 4 DR X-ray rooms (1 full-axis machine, 1 light machine, 1 general machine and 1 mammography machine) , 2 DR portable X-ray machines, 2 multi-row CT scanner rooms (1 128 rows and 1 16 arrays), 2 Magnetic resonance imaging rooms (1 3 Tesla and 1 1.5 Tesla), 1 room for 2 levels of interventional angiography and 1 room to measure bone mineral density.... Vinmec is also the place to gather a team of experienced doctors and nurses who will greatly assist in diagnosis and detection. early signs of abnormality in the patient's body. In particular, with a space designed according to 5-star hotel standards, Vinmec ensures to bring the patient the most comfort, friendliness and peace of mind.