Indications for CT scan
- Head trauma
- Headaches with red flags
- Cancer metastases
Contraindication for CT scan
- Minor head trauma
- Seizures
MRI scan indications
- Seizures
- Demyelination
- Spinal cord lesions
MRI contraindications
- Pacemakers
- Cochlear implants
- Aneurysm clips
- Implanted heart valves
- Insulin pumps
- Pregnancy
What is angiography useful for ?
- AV malformations
- Aneurysms
- Uncontrolled epistaxis
What is CT perfusion/Functional MRI be used to see ?
Look at blood flow in patients with tumours and who have had a stroke.
Define perfusion
The volume of blood (ml) passing through a mass of tissue (g) per unit of time (min).
What is a PET CT scan used for ?
To look at dopamine transport and uptake and glucose usage.
How can you distinguish between a CT and MRI brain scan ?
On an MRI the ventricles are white and on a CT brain scan they are black. MRI doesn’t tend to be grainy where’s as CT does.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of USS ?
Advantages
- Allows some movement
- Can be used during pregnancy
- Cheap equipment
Disadvantages
- Fontanelles needed in children to view brain
- Interpretation depends on user
What are the advantages and disadvantages of X-Rays ?
Advantages
- Quick and easily available
Disadvantages
- Don’t give good soft tissue detail
- Radiation
What are the advantages and disadvantages of CT ?
Advantages
- Good clear images
- Fast
- Pacemaker and metal tolerance
Disadvantages
- Radiation
- More expensive equipment
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Radio-nucleotide Radiology ?
Advantages
- Can see glucose usage and dopamine uptake
- Can see tissue perfusion well
Disadvantages
- Expensive radio-tracers
- Unclear anatomy
What are the advantages and disadvantages of MRI ?
Advantages
- Good soft tissue detail
- No radiation
Disadvantages
- Dont tolerate metal or pacemakers
- High cost
- Slow
