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Home > Archive > Radiology > February 2006 > Which CT scanner should patient choose?
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Which CT scanner should patient choose?
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| I just got a script for an abdomen + pelvis CT with and without contrast
for hematuria. This will be my first CT scan and I'm trying to learn a bit
more about them and make a decision as to which center I should go
to. There are a variety of machines around here and I'm wondering if
some are better than others in terms of image quality, lower radiation
dose, etc. I don't have exact model numbers or anything, all I know is
they are:
- Siemans Emotion Duo 2-slice (@ satellite office)
- GE Hi-speed 2-slice (@ hospital)
- Siemans 16-slice (@ hospital)
- GE Lightspeed 16-slice (@ satellite offices and hospitals)
All other things being equal... availability, insurance coverage,
convenience, etc... which would you choose?
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| Ray Laughton 2005-11-30, 5:58 pm |
| Wug <wug@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> I just got a script for an abdomen + pelvis CT with and without contrast
> for hematuria. This will be my first CT scan and I'm trying to learn a bit
> more about them and make a decision as to which center I should go
> to. There are a variety of machines around here and I'm wondering if
> some are better than others in terms of image quality, lower radiation
> dose, etc. I don't have exact model numbers or anything, all I know is
> they are:
>
> - Siemans Emotion Duo 2-slice (@ satellite office)
> - GE Hi-speed 2-slice (@ hospital)
> - Siemans 16-slice (@ hospital)
> - GE Lightspeed 16-slice (@ satellite offices and hospitals)
>
> All other things being equal... availability, insurance coverage,
> convenience, etc... which would you choose?
The first. (Its Siemens, BTW)
RL
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| Andrew Kerr 2005-11-30, 5:59 pm |
| Wug wrote:
> I just got a script for an abdomen + pelvis CT with and without contrast
> for hematuria. This will be my first CT scan and I'm trying to learn a bit
> more about them and make a decision as to which center I should go
> to. There are a variety of machines around here and I'm wondering if
> some are better than others in terms of image quality, lower radiation
> dose, etc. I don't have exact model numbers or anything, all I know is
> they are:
>
> - Siemans Emotion Duo 2-slice (@ satellite office)
> - GE Hi-speed 2-slice (@ hospital)
> - Siemans 16-slice (@ hospital)
> - GE Lightspeed 16-slice (@ satellite offices and hospitals)
>
> All other things being equal... availability, insurance coverage,
> convenience, etc... which would you choose?
>
I'm not a CT or Xray tech but this is what I'm thinking. The 16-slice
machines will be faster, but they will also have a higher radiation
dose. The image quality will depend on the resolution (thickness of each
slice) and the reconstruction parameters used, neither of which I know
anything about.
The biggest factor is of course one you can't control, the experience
and "quality" of the Radiologist reading the scan.
Andrew
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| Imabug 2005-12-01, 10:58 am |
| The 16 slice scanners will offer a faster scan time, so you'll be in
and out in less time. They are also newer scanners with improved
detector technology, so image quality will be a little bit better than
on the older 2 slice scanners. As for where, that's mostly a
convenience thing.
Radiation dose between 2 and 16 slice scanners is not significantly
different, although the 16 slice scanners both have dose saving methods
incorporated into them that varies the x-ray intensity throughout the
scan to minimize dose while maintaining adequate image quality.
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| Ray Laughton 2005-12-02, 1:01 am |
| Andrew Kerr <apkerr@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> The biggest factor is of course one you can't control, the experience
> and "quality" of the Radiologist reading the scan.
Good point. With the question being cause of hematuria you'd want good
imaging of the bladder and kidneys. This is not a high tech indication
so the dual beamers can do the job with excellent recon quality. We're
not going after coronary abberations etc.
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"Ray Laughton" <rlaughton@invalid.com> wrote in message news:1h6v32m.10tt4n7cbpdeeN%rlaughton@invalid.com...
> Wug <wug@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
> The first. (Its Siemens, BTW)
Why the Emotion Duo, if I may ask?
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"Imabug" <eugenemah@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1133449060.086951.15360@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Radiation dose between 2 and 16 slice scanners is not significantly
> different, although the 16 slice scanners both have dose saving methods
> incorporated into them that varies the x-ray intensity throughout the
> scan to minimize dose while maintaining adequate image quality.
Uh, so 16-slice scanners tend to give you a greater dose but the
dose minimizing features allow them to reduce their dose so that
there is no significant difference between them and say that Emotion
Duo?
On the subject of dose, I understand that there are many factors but
is there a ballpark estimate for an abdomen+pelvis with and without
contrast? I've come across some rough numbers for such a study
(10-12 mSv) but it wasn't clear whether that was with contrast,
without contrast, or both. If you get with and without, are you
actually getting two scans and thus the 10 or 12 would need to be
doubled?
Thanks for putting up with my questions, and FWIW, the context
is a case of hematuria which seemed to be clearing up on its own.
The last urine test was normal except for a trace amount of blood,
and the doctor was actually wishy washy as to whether I should have
the CT scan done. Eventually she said "eh, go ahead with it and lets
be safe". If the context were different I wouldn't be wasting time...
I'd be in the first machine no matter what kind it was ;-)
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| Andrew Kerr 2005-12-03, 11:14 am |
| Wug wrote:
>
>
> On the subject of dose, I understand that there are many factors but
> is there a ballpark estimate for an abdomen+pelvis with and without
> contrast? I've come across some rough numbers for such a study
> (10-12 mSv) but it wasn't clear whether that was with contrast,
> without contrast, or both. If you get with and without, are you
> actually getting two scans and thus the 10 or 12 would need to be
> doubled?
It's very hard to get anyone to agree on how much radiation is actually
absorbed during any diagnostic test. There are many factors in play,
including type of equipment and departmental policy. The 10 mSv dose
that is most often quoted seems to come from a paper written in 1997
(Wall BF, Hart D. British Journal of Radiology, May 1997). There have
been a lot of changes in technology in the last 8 years. You could call
the department you choose and ask for an estimated radiation dose.
It is very likely that the lowest possible number to quote will be
quoted, and that the effective dose quoted is the one for the entire
body. The organs in the field of view will receive more radiation.
If this were a Nuclear Medicine test, I could look up in my dose tables
the amount of radiation various organs would receive per millicurie of
tracer you had. I can't find any nice easy tables for CT.
If you are scanned twice you will receive twice the radiation.
> Thanks for putting up with my questions, and FWIW, the context
> is a case of hematuria which seemed to be clearing up on its own.
> The last urine test was normal except for a trace amount of blood,
> and the doctor was actually wishy washy as to whether I should have
> the CT scan done. Eventually she said "eh, go ahead with it and lets
> be safe". If the context were different I wouldn't be wasting time...
> I'd be in the first machine no matter what kind it was ;-)
You'll have to decide the risks/benifits on your own. If it were me, I'd
have it just to be sure everything's ok down there. But if you and your
doctor are fine leaving it alone (provided it's completely cleared up),
I'd support that option too. I'm not a doctor by the way, so my opinion
is just that, my opinion.
Andrew
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| Ray Laughton 2005-12-03, 11:14 am |
| Wug <wug@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> "Ray Laughton" <rlaughton@invalid.com> wrote in message news:
>
>
> Why the Emotion Duo, if I may ask?
Its one that I know well and I know the quality imaging it can produce.
GE CT is an unknown factor for me, but I have dealt with their LINACs
and the quality was crap. For the reason behind my choice of dual beam
instead of multibeam see further in the thread.
Ray
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| Hello,
I am a medical scientist involved in CT/MR imaging.Between choices
given,I would definitely recommend Siemens Somatom Sensation
16,16-slice CT,with excellent spatial and temporal resolution.No mich
greater effective radiation dose is anticipated.
Sincerely,
Danny
Wug wrote:
> "Ray Laughton" <rlaughton@invalid.com> wrote in message news:1h6v32m.10tt4n7cbpdeeN%rlaughton@invalid.com...
>
>
> Why the Emotion Duo, if I may ask?
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"Wug" <wug@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:AIadnYbS7veYgRPenZ2dnUVZ_sSdnZ2d@comcast.com...
>I just got a script for an abdomen + pelvis CT with and without contrast
> for hematuria. This will be my first CT scan and I'm trying to learn a
> bit
> more about them and make a decision as to which center I should go
> to. There are a variety of machines around here and I'm wondering if
> some are better than others in terms of image quality, lower radiation
> dose, etc. I don't have exact model numbers or anything, all I know is
> they are:
>
> - Siemans Emotion Duo 2-slice (@ satellite office)
> - GE Hi-speed 2-slice (@ hospital)
> - Siemans 16-slice (@ hospital)
> - GE Lightspeed 16-slice (@ satellite offices and hospitals)
>
> All other things being equal... availability, insurance coverage,
> convenience, etc... which would you choose?
I doesn't matter. It's the expertise of the radiologist that's important.
Since your subsequent post seems to indicate that you're getting better, why
don't you have an ultrasound of your kidneys and bladder? No radiation, and
you can r/o a lot of bad things.
Segue
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| Ray Laughton 2006-02-25, 8:54 pm |
| Segue <segue@nospam.net> wrote:
>
> I doesn't matter. It's the expertise of the radiologist that's important.
If one sees the radiologist as being one of the "other things being
equal" then a discussion on the merits of various CT machines is
certainly legitimate, or at least entertaining. In the end all the
models mentioned are capable of answering the diagnostic question, so it
comes down to a matter of personal preference. Radiation dose may also
vary between the 2- and 16-slice imagers..
RL
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| I have experience with both the 16 slicers, either will be more than
adequate for this application. As the poster earlier said I would at least
get the Ultrasound or CT to look at the Kidneys and Bladder. I have seen
several cases of transient hematuria turn out to be Renal Cancer. Odds are u
are fine and u will never know what caused it.
JPW
"Ray Laughton" <rlaughton@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:1h94ari.13aery9zvgim8N%rlaughton@invalid.com...
> Segue <segue@nospam.net> wrote:
>
> If one sees the radiologist as being one of the "other things being
> equal" then a discussion on the merits of various CT machines is
> certainly legitimate, or at least entertaining. In the end all the
> models mentioned are capable of answering the diagnostic question, so it
> comes down to a matter of personal preference. Radiation dose may also
> vary between the 2- and 16-slice imagers..
>
> RL
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