The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
Introduction
Diagnosis of several diseases or body ailments is done by the use of several diagnostic tools, including the computed tomography, also known as CT scan.The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper With this tool, the technician takes images of the body, in order to scan the patient for any health complications. When a full body scan is done, the images taken, cover the entire body, from head to toe(Horton, 243). Sometimes, doctors perform full body scans even without a diagnosed condition. It could seem as if it is a good thing, but full body scans, especially where no issue has been diagnosed, have become subject of too much controversy. This essay seeks to answer the question of whether hospitals should allow for full-body CT scans, even for those without diagnosed conditions.
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Discussion.
When CT scans are performed, they take images of your organs, tissues, muscles and other internal systems. CT scans are approved worldwide for their results in diagnosing certain conditions or diseases, scanning the body for health conditions and helping in understanding the extent of a disease, including how far it has spread(Horton, 243). They have been attributed with saving lives because of early diagnosis. Some doctors could end up performing CT scans on patients, without a condition being diagnosed(Graves, 115). In most cases, it is very helpful. In attempting to understand why doctors order for these scans, here are some points to consider:The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
When There Is A Disease
A doctor could have compelling reasons to order for a full body scan. For example, in the presence of a certain condition, like cancer, a doctor can order for a scan, in order to determine the progression of the disease, how far the cancer has spread, the surrounding organs that could be at risk, or how well the treatment has worked(Bailey, Qureshi&Kamaly-Asl, 350). This way, a CT scan is used to report to the doctors how a patient?s body is, and how effective their medical actions are fairing within the patient?s body. These scans are best for persons who already have been diagnosed with these conditions, and where doctors are trying to understand how far the condition has spread, or how the treatment is working. These scans can also help prevent other conditions from generating, especially in patients who have advanced ages, and whose immune system gets weaker with time(Chaurasia, Siroliya& Parihar, 2).
When Doctors Have Compelling Reasons
A doctor could also order for a CT scan when he or she has compelling reasons to do so. For example, a doctor could order such a scan, when one is experiencing pains, for example, chest pains, fatigue or an irregular heartbeat. This way, they tend to check if the patient could be suffering from heart diseases, and if so, diagnose the condition early enough, so that action is taken(Chaurasia, Siroliya& Parihar, 6). The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper This way, a CT scan helps determine serious health conditions, when a doctor suspects them, following current health conditions of a patient. This best applies to much older people, who might develop symptoms of certain health conditions, without knowing. These symptoms could arise as a result of advanced age, side effects from using certain medication over the course of their long life or as a result of past experiences, traditions or behaviours, for example, smoking while the person was younger(Bailey, Qureshi&Kamaly-Asl, 349).
When There Is an Absence of Disease
A doctor could also order for a full body scan even in the absence of a disease or any symptoms. For example, a mammogram test or colonoscopy test can be used to confirm if the person being tested is okay(Horton, 243). It, therefore, applies as a preventative measure or tool, preventing certain conditions or diseases from generating or spreading before they do. Some medical experts believe that full body scans, can detect very early stages of diseases, and therefore give the doctors the chance to treat it before it develops and therefore offer higher survival rates. This especially is best for younger people, who might downplay the need for a body scan, but might be in need of the scan. For example, even the super-fit marathoners, can suffer from heart attacks. Non-smokers can also develop lung cancer, and therefore such scans are important, even when the doctors do not see any disease or symptoms(Schmidt, A118).
Concerns
Although full body scans have been proven to be helpful, preventing ailments from generating, understanding the current condition and understanding the effects of the treatment methods, they are surrounded by concerns(Horton, 243).The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper Scans that are performed by doctors, especially without a diagnosed condition, generate too much controversy, because of these concerns. The first and major concern is the amount of radiations that follow. Although these scans are approved by the medical authorities, locally and worldwide, a full body CT scan can expose a patient to radiations that are hundredfold as compared to other conventional diagnostic scans, like traditional x-rays(Graves, 119). These radiations can have long-term effects, not necessarily on the current condition, but on conditions that could arise in the future. These radiations are also associated with the risks of cancer(Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, 2). Therefore, CT scans are a battle between treating a condition and exposing the patient to other conditions, or in other words, whether the benefits of diagnosis and therapy, outweigh the risks involved(Schmidt, A120).The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
The other concern is the fact that although CT scans are FDA-approved, full body scans are not. Many insurance covers, therefore, do not cater for full body CT scans and they leave the patient on their own, to foot their own bills(Graves, 117). This raises two issues: one is the fact that they are expensive. They cost too much, of course depending on the facility, and they force the patient to dig deeper into their pockets in order to pay for them. The other issue is the fact that scans, which are performed by doctors without the approval of the patient or their family, whether they were done because the doctor sensed that some symptoms could be the beginning of something crucial or because they just wanted to do them as preventative measures, will still require the patient and their family to pay for them nonetheless. This will mean that the patient foots for the unexpected bills since insurance companies will not. It can be seen as a selfish means of getting more money into the healthcare facility by doctors and hospitals(Schmidt, A119). These, therefore, requires more intervention by the state and federal Departments of Health, so as to stop misuse of patients by money-hungry, evil-minded and selfish doctors and hospitals.
Conclusion
Any technological advancement, especially in the medical field, is always welcome. There are tons of benefits of technologically advanced medication to support this argument. Full body CT scans are therefore a good thing. They are beneficial in more than one way and therefore need to be encouraged. However, the health concerns that come with them, put the entire operation into question. Although they reveal a person?s health condition, and they should be encouraged for the same, they leave too much risk on the side of the patient. Seeing that most insurance companies do not cover for these procedures, they leave the patient owing too much money to the hospitals. The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
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In my opinion, therefore, I believe that full body scan should not be allowed to be conducted, unless the patient or their family agrees to them, or unless the hospital agrees to charge them fairly. As regards the radiations, the risk is too high, especially for persons who are not diagnosed with any condition already and therefore, full body scans should be done in cases where a diagnosed condition needs follow up, or where doctors strongly believe that an illness could have caused damage to more organs than the originally-affected one.
References
Bailey, Matthew, et al. ?The Role of CT Body Scans in the Investigation of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Brain Tumours.? British Journal of Neurosurgery, vol. 28, no. 3, June 2014, pp. 347-350. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.847169.
Chaurasia, I. D., et al. ?Serial CT Scan Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Its Significance and Analysis.? International Archives of Integrated Medicine, vol. 5, no. 5, 5/1/2018, pp. 1-7. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=129961745&site=ehost-live.
?Elective Full-Body CT Scans Raise Cancer Risk.? Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, vol. 22, no. 10, Dec. 2004, p. 2. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15494988&site=ehost-live.
Graves, Ginny. ?Too Many Scans?.? Health, vol. 28, no. 10, Dec. 2014, pp. 114-119. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=99291379&site=ehost-live.The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
Horton, Karen M. ?Whole Body Screening.? Critical Reviews in Computed Tomography, vol. 43, no. 4, Aug. 2002, p. 243. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=7356419&site=ehost-live.
Schmidt, Charles W. ?CT Scans: Balancing Health Risks and Medical Benefits.? Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 120, no. 3, Mar. 2012, pp. A118-A121. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=8gh&AN=73834284&site=ehost-live.
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Research Essay(4) The Role of CT Body Scans Sample Paper
