When most people get hurt, injured, or become sick they go to the doctor to figure out what is wrong and what can be done to fix it. It is true that most doctors will be able to tell what is wrong once they examine you, but they will oftentimes have to confirm their examination or get a better understanding of what might be causing your symptoms. And, this is where tests and exams come in handy. Doctors can use a number of scans to help determine the underlying causes of your symptoms. That being said to give you a better understanding of these tests and what they are capable of doing, you need to understand each test and what it can reveal.

Understanding CT Scans

One test that many doctors utilize on a daily basis is the CT scan. This scan is simply an X-ray that provides doctors with the inside images of your body. You will usually lay down on your back while an arc sends thousands of x-ray beams through the body, collecting them on the other end. Many people have probably heard of these types of tests, but they don’t really know when they need to get one. If you need to have your blood vessels examined a radiology New Mexico professional might issue one of these tests. If you need to examine a part of the body with small bone components a CT scan will be handy if you suspect that you have tissue damage a CT scan will help, and if you have a tumor that the doctors are performing surgery on they might require a CT scan beforehand.

Understanding The MRI

Another common scan that doctors utilize daily is the MRI scan. An MRI scan is a test that utilizes powerful magnets, radio waves, and a computer to make a detailed image on the inside of your body. MRI tests are much different than CT scan because they do not use those damaging ionizing radiation rays. There are a number of reasons that one might get an MRI. If you have blood vessel damage, undergone a brain injury, had a stroke, experienced a back injury, or have cancer an MRI test might be issued by a medical professional.

Understanding The DXA Scan

Another type of scan that is available is the DXA scan. This scan might not be as well known as the MRI or CT scan but it is crucial. This is especially true for older individuals. This type of test measures the bone density. Pretty much it will tell you how strong your bones are. This type of test is the only way to know if you have osteoporosis. The DXA test will focus on two main areas of the body. And, this will be the hip and spine. If for some reason these areas cannot be tested the test will probably take place on the forearm. This test can also determine if you have fractures in the bones. Anyone over the age of 65 should consider one of these tests.