O.T.-CT Scan

Phil9N3667 · Dec 11, 2017

Just a quick question for anyone who's had a CT scan. At my physical back in November, I mentioned my right shoulder'd been bothering me. They took an X-ray and the radiologist that read the x-ray noted a spot on the upper quadrant of my right lung. Had a chest X-ray done Friday and got an E:mail from the Dr to get a CT Scan done. I just wonder if anyone here has had one done and what's involved.

Mike(NEOhio) · Dec 11, 2017

I've had at least three. You just lay on a table that slides you into a large ring. It's really a 3-D X-ray. Not the same as an MRI. They may give you an injection of a contrasting agent for a better picture.

old · Dec 11, 2017

Pretty much the same as having an X-ray BTDT and for a couple of years I was having them done every 6 months and nothing to it

larry@stinescorner · Dec 11, 2017

yes,,good description,,just had one a while ago,,

Tom OConnor · Dec 11, 2017

I just had open heart surgery with a quadruple bypass and I had several ct scans in the process. Their is nothing to them as far as pain is concerned. They will usually have you lying on your back and run a small scanner over the organ they are concerned with and it will take a motion image as it is being scanned. The Doctor will read it and can stop it on any suspicious area and enlarge it on his monitor and make a much better diagnosis of the problem. They have been around a long time and can be of a great help. You will most likely be able to see on the monitor just what they are looking for and see the same thing they are seeing. I have seen Doctors take a small portable unit out of their pocket and watch as the images will come up on their smart phones. As far as the test goes there is nothing to worry about.

Phil9N3667 · Dec 11, 2017

Thanks, guys. If I don't hear from the central scheduling tomorrow A.M., we're going to call and try to get it done this week. I'm on vacation this week, trying to burn up some up some PTO and personal choice days that have to be used by year's end.

pete 23 · Dec 11, 2017

I had a CT Scan done at Mayo in Rochester, MN about 30 + years ago. They were looking for something over my kidneys and that was fine. Saw a spot on my lung and had to go back in 6 months. That time they could not find the spot from before and found a different one. Dr. said if it was him he would go home and forget about it that it was probably some scar from pneumonia when I was a kid.

So, no problem since, but, I did not like that tube one little bit. Put dye in me and that made me sweat then shake with cold. They pulled me in and out a couple times, warm blankets and kept an eye on me when I left walking down the hall.

Few years after than had an MRI done on injured shoulder. That was really the pits. No more of them. Said I had ruptured tendon and needed surgery. Said, I don't have time for that. It healed from shots and exercise until about ten years later it gave up again. I retired and when I got away from day to day pulling and lifting it is better than the other shoulder. Of course all points hurt at my age.

Goose · Dec 11, 2017

Same thing happened to me about 20 years ago. A doctor, not our family doctor, took a chest x-ray for something or other and noticed several white spots on one lung. He went nuts, diagnosed it as metastastic lung cancer, and ordered every test known to the medical profession that remotely applied.

Our family doctor said, "Now wait a minute!". He said it just looked like some scar tissue of some sort to him, and asked me if I'd cleaned a lot of chicken houses as a kid. Chicken manure has ammonia in it. He then dug through his files and found another x-ray taken 12 years earlier. Same spots, same size, same location. In his own dry way, he commented, "Well, I guess if those spots were anything to worry about, you'd have been dead a long time ago".

Then it dawned on me. The clinic the first doctor was attached to was undergoing a major renovation. All this dork wanted to do was milk my insurance and me for every nickel he could to help with the renovation. He didn't care what he did to my nervous system in the process.

leroy in ne · Dec 11, 2017

old mike and larry have it nailed, below. I have been having ct /x-ray and PET scans every 3 to 6 months since 2012 due to having lung cancer 3 times. the first one was for possible kidney stones and lung spot was found on edge of scan resulting in follow up CT of lungs then PET scan with surgery following. they have kept me going and frequent checkups since have found 2 more cancers. all clear for last 2 years. Good luck and may they find nothing, if the do get on it and get healthy. keep us posted so we can offer support and prayers if needed. Leroy

Paul in MN · Dec 11, 2017

I have had about 8 of them in the last few years. In my case, I need to drink some contrast fluid 2 hours and then 1 hour prior to the scan. Then they insert an IV into back of hand for die injection while in the tube. If I close my eyes I avoid the claustrophobia. Maybe the actual time in the tube is about 10 minutes. It is a big rotating drum which the motorized "bed" carries you into and moves you about until they get the detail they are looking for. When the dye is injected through the IV, you get real hot and can feel the heat moving through your body as the dye is pumped through your blood by the heart. I find the IV part to be the most annoying part of the procedure. Maybe I am subject to more scrutiny because they are looking for soft tissue lymphoma surrounding the heart and kidneys.

I have had 2 MRIs, and I hate those things. They are LOUD and shake the body somewhat violently. I thought I was going to explode from the internal pressure (massive internal infection of over 1 liter in the pancreas). That is one trip I hope to never make again. Comparatively, the CT scan is a walk in the park.

Best Wishes!

Paul in MN

RobCons · Dec 11, 2017

Only takes a few seconds. Had 3 in last few days. You cant take metformin for 48 hours afterward if your a diabetic and contrast dye is used.

gab · Dec 11, 2017

Nothing to it, I had one two weeks ago. In my case I had 5 stents put where my abdominal aorta joins my iliac arteries to my legs, They're checking their patch job for leaks. Sometimes I get an IV of dye and other times not. This time they said was my last CT scan or MRI because I guess I've had the radiation limit over the last couple of years, from now on its an ultra sound. The CT is fast though, the dye can be unpleasant but only for a minute or two, you'll do fine.

Mike(NEOhio) · Dec 11, 2017

I should have mentioned that it's a real heavy dose of X radiation. Pete, you're lucky. I let a lot of old shoulder injuries go and now one shoulder stopped working. I can't raise my arm. Getting a shoulder replacement in a month. The other side has two torn in the rotator cuff, don't know how long it will last.

steve706 · Dec 12, 2017

I have to get them on a yearly basis for the exact same reason, found a spot, but on the outside of the rh lung. As everyone has said, it?s simple and quick. When the dye is injected you can feel it heating your body up as it goes through your veins and in some cases it causes you to feel like you are urinating, the ct crew always warn of that, so far it hasn?t happened to me. Drinking a lot of liquid for a day or two afterwards purges the kidneys of the dye.

Texasmark1 · Dec 12, 2017

If you have a problem that is really making you feel bad, it's a no brainer. You just do it. The operators of the equipment and their aides tell you what you are going to experience and walk you through the process. You can get up and walk out at any time....not advised. The heating effect of the injection is not bad, just something that happens and you are advised ahead of time about it so that when you start feeling warm you don't start screaming and push the panic button (provided) for no reason. The biggest problem I found was just waiting, doing nothing, for the chemicals to get circulated in your body so that you could have the scan; about half an hour as I recall.

buickanddeere · Dec 12, 2017

After that dose of radiation , your winky won’t work for about six weeks.

jon f mn · Dec 12, 2017

I have one every 6 months too, but no dye for me. Nothing to it, just noisy.

Billy Shafer · Dec 12, 2017

Don't do as I did and take a nap. They get kind of grumpy if you do that. Nothing to them.

Dick L · Dec 12, 2017

I have had several CT scans over the years as well as MRI's. Had two MRI's last year. Don't worry about it. My brother was claustrophobic and he was sent to an open MRI place. MRI's make a lot more noise but they give you ear plugs.

JMOR · Dec 12, 2017

(quoted from post at 14:05:56 12/12/17) I have had several CT scans over the years as well as MRI's. Had two MRI's last year. Don't worry about it. My brother was claustrophobic and he was sent to an open MRI place. MRI's make a lot more noise but they give you ear plugs.

ight on! Nothing to either, except what is in the recipient's mind. Definitely some down-side mis-information in some posts in this thread.

olgentdc · Dec 12, 2017

oydnar · Dec 12, 2017

(quoted from post at 19:59:45 12/11/17) Only takes a few seconds. Had 3 in last few days. You cant take metformin for 48 hours afterward if your a diabetic and contrast dye is used.

I had TIA on Sunday evening, Ct scan as soon as the ambulance got me to the hospital, another Ct scan yesterday with contrast because I can't have MRIs (I have Meditronic Interstim implant)

over the years I've had at least a half dozen Ct scans, and a couple MRIs before the implant

Phil9N3667 · Dec 13, 2017

Got an appt for 8:30 Friday morning. Can't eat or drink before I go.

O.T.-CT Scan

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