Ct scans or mri

Mmoses25
Mmoses25 Member Posts: 321 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

My last time I had my scans I was Ned I get scans every three months I had always got mri so we decided we could do ct scans every other three months do you guys think ct scans are as good as mri just wondering

Comments

  • Biner
    Biner Member Posts: 136 Member
    #2
    i had only ct scans and never

    i had only ct scans and never mri,mri more expencive and not every insurence will approve it

  • hope_123
    hope_123 Member Posts: 22 Member
    #3
    Biner said:

    i had only ct scans and never

    i had only ct scans and never mri,mri more expencive and not every insurence will approve it

    MRI is safer though in some

    MRI is safer though in some cases, no radiation... but a risk for potential death or disease from gadolinium contrast reaction MRI dye if your kidney functioning is extemely low. just FYI. I would push for MRI if you are able to but always have your blood drawn and kidney function tested before MRI, it's simple and inexpensive test.

     

  • Bay Area Guy
    Bay Area Guy Member Posts: 618 Member
    edited February 2021 #4
    I alternated between CT and

    I alternated between CT and ultrasound.  If my sieve-like memory is operating correctly, I seem to recall that CT is the detailed imaging of choice for soft tissue and organ scans, where an MRIis generally preferred for bone, catiledge and ligament scans.

    As for the contrast, I always was given a blood test (sometimes just a finger stick) to check creatinine levels before the CT scans, which were always done in two passes, both with and without contrast.

  • AliceB1950
    AliceB1950 Member Posts: 237 Member
    #5
    I've only had CT scans and

    I've only had CT scans and one PET scan since surgery in 2018.  I had an MRI the same year for breast cancer; for some reason CTs don't pick up breast tumors very well.

  • hope_123
    hope_123 Member Posts: 22 Member
    edited February 2021 #6
    Maybe look at Mayo Clinic,

    Maybe look at Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, MSKCC info or similar for information on what is best between MRI or CT and ask people what their CT or MRI was used for. I don't think any one person will have all the answers, it's more nuanced between MRI and CT.

     

  • hope_123
    hope_123 Member Posts: 22 Member
    edited February 2021 #7
    AliceB1950 said:

    I've only had CT scans and

    I've only had CT scans and one PET scan since surgery in 2018.  I had an MRI the same year for breast cancer; for some reason CTs don't pick up breast tumors very well.

    I've read MRI is superior for

    I've read MRI is superior for breasts but can yield false positives (which is better than missing something, then they go verify or prove negative with a biopsy). There's also abbreviated breast MRI that costs less than regular MRI.

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,042 Member
    #8
    Always CT or combo of...

    Chest x-ray with US of Chest and Abdomen.  Since mine had mets to the liver and nodes and then was found separately in single nodes in abdomen and pelvis, I had CT's for the first several years, then tapered to Xray/US.

    Never MRI's with kidney.  But that was the first thing my orthopaedist orderd when looking at the inside of my knee.  MRI defines the soft tissue of muscle, ligament, tendon aroung the bone much better.

    And most Oncologists I have dealt with or my friends have seen use CT's for Cancer DX.

    donna_lee

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    edited February 2021 #9
    Consistency

    Our different oncologists have said whatever scan you have, dont switch back and forth between the two.  Its more difficult to compare the previous scan to the current one.  They have also gone so far as to say to go to the same facility with the same machine.  Which means we travel to a newer and better machine.  Sometimes multiple radiologic oncologists review the scans.  So in all of that there is consistency for comparison.

    Interesting none of you mention this.  However, husband is stage 4 and maybe that is why.

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    edited February 2021 #10
    Also

    Its advised that anyone with spinal mets have an MRI to see the spine better.  Guess the CT isnt good enough.  So he has both.  CT/Pet head to toe and a spine mri.

  • Mmoses25
    Mmoses25 Member Posts: 321 Member
    edited February 2021 #11
    Thank you all

    Thank you very much for the information

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