[ RadSafe ] Medical x-ray vs. CAT scan

[Mike Quastel]

Hairline and early fractures generally show up prominently using  
nuclear medicine scans after injection of methylene diphosphonate-  
Tc-99m, when the X-rays are generally not helpful. The scans are much  
quicker to carry out and have lower radiation doses than CT. Such  
scans are particularly useful for the detection of hairline fractures  
in skiing trauma or for military recruits newly exposed to unfamiliar  
exercises such as in marching.
Mike Quastel (Nuc Med physician).


On Oct 8, 2010, at 12:49 AM, garyi at trinityphysics.com wrote:

> I wondered about that when the thread was more active: would a  
> fracture really be more
> evident on CT than on an x-ray?    It seems unlikely, but I'm not a  
> radiologist.
>
> -Gary Isenhower
>
>
> On 28 Sep 2010 at 10:34, Dan W McCarn wrote:
>
> [ Double-click this line for list subscription options ]
>
> Dear Chris & Joel:
>
> As one of my orthopedic surgeons explained, the locus of a fracture
> undergoes several changes over time that make it more visible with  
> a normal
> x-ray. The plane of the fracture tends to demineralize and the  
> adjacent bone
> tissue forms a denser callus giving more of a signature on x-ray. This
> process takes a few days. From personal experience, I've never had a
> fractured rib diagnosed on the first x-ray (except for a dislocated
> fracture), but they could be easily seen after several days.
>
> Dan ii
>
> --
> Dan W McCarn, Geologist
> 108 Sherwood Blvd
> Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
> +1-505-672-2014 (Home - New Mexico)
> +1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
> HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
> [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Alston,  
> Chris
> Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 08:21
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing  
> List
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Medical x-ray vs. CAT scan
>
> Joel
>
> The doc likely could not tell that he would need a CAT scan, until  
> he saw
> the radiography.
>
> Cheers
> cja
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joel C. [mailto:cehn at aol.com]
> Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 2:25 PM
> To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Medical x-ray vs. CAT scan
>
> My wife recently had an x-ray; they were looking for a bone  
> fracture.  The
> Dr. wasn't happy with the x-ray and ordered a CAT scan.  Is there  
> any reason
> why drs. don't skip the standard "film" and go right to the CAT  
> scan, if
> they suspect they need the extra resolution?  Do they have to show  
> that the
> film isn't adequate first?  I know the film exposure is low, but if  
> there's
> no benefit...
>
>
> Joel I. Cehn, CHP
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelcehn
>
>
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