What You Need To Know About A Whole Body Scan
You may call it Full-body scan; we also know it as whole-body scan. The whole-body scan is a useful medical technology in the early detection of an individual’s health status. The number of medical facilities offering this health service is on the high. The computed tomography (CT) is used to carry out the whole-body scan. The CT takes X-ray images of some of human organs such as the heart, lungs, abdomen, and pelvis. To be precise, these images are very super thin, cross-sectional portions of the body interior. The moment each of the portions is reassembled with other portions on a computer, the doctor is able to view an in-depth image of bones, organs, and other tissues. The completion of the non-invasive process does not take more than fifteen minutes.
It is widely known that a computer tomography scan is deemed very helpful while diagnosing abnormality or certain diseases in patients who are showing the symptoms. Whole-body scans are great in the way they can specify the existence, location, and magnitude of tumors. Whole-body scans are also important in the way they verify and detect muscle and bone disorders as well as other internal abnormalities.
Here are some of the diseases and infections whole-body scan can verify.
1. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea has the following symptoms such as snoring, choking, gasping, morning headaches, et cetera. It is a potential sleep disorder that can trigger the release of stress hormones into your body system. This condition can increase an individual’s possibility of contacting high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, among others. This disorder affects 1 in 4 men, and 1 in 10 women, with only 15% of patients knowing that they are suffering from the disorder.
2. Breast Cancer
Mammography is able to detect breast cancer even in the early stage. A cancer patient can know about his/her status well before a lump develops within the cell. Mammography is recommended for women who have crossed the 40 age barrier. It is important to know how your health is faring by having this screening. This process helps you do the right thing at the right time, medically.
3. Pap Smear
This is highly recommended for women who are below age 65. Also, it is recommended to those who are still sexually active and have their cervix intact. With the early stage detection of whole-body scan, women have been able to assess their health status while being given directions on how to manage their conditions. The rates of cervical cancer have declined in recent years.