Drive through certain areas of Los Angeles, and you might find as many billboards advertising body scans as burger joints. Or maybe you've seen an ad on TV or on the Internet that says, „Protect your health! Get a body scan today!“
Can a full body CT scan really do that? And what are the risks? And is a DEXA scan a good way to check body composition?
Although techniques vary, most of these high-tech tests use computed tomography (CT) scans to examine the whole body or specific areas. heart and lungto try to detect dangerous diseases at an earlier, more curable stage.
During the 15- or 20-minute scan, you lie inside a donut-shaped machine as an imaging device rotates around you and sends radiation. This technique combines multiple X-ray images and creates cross-sectional views of the body with the help of a computer. By examining the view, your doctor can find early signs of abnormalities.
Scanning isn't cheap. Full body scans cost him anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per scan and are usually not reimbursed by insurance. And the question of how useful these scans actually are is debated among medical experts.
Advocates promote scanning as a smart part of daily life Physical examination. But if you are healthy and have no worrisome symptoms, a scan is usually not warranted, says Earl Van Moore, MD, a radiologist and clinical assistant professor of radiology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. . American College of Radiology (ACR).
The ACR's official position is that there is not enough evidence to recommend scanning for people who have no symptoms or family history suggestive of the disease. But Van Moore thinks there may be an exception. „People at high risk for lung cancer, such as current smokers or people with a long history of smoking, may benefit,“ he says.
For healthy people, a scan can cause undue worry, for example, finding something that turns out to be benign. In addition, radiation exposure is another concern, especially with frequent scans. Scanning too frequently can actually increase the number of people infected due to radiation exposure. cancer According to the journal's 2004 report, cases are long-term Radiology.
The American College of Preventive Medicine says that full-body scans are „not very good at detecting cancer in people without symptoms“ and that the radiation they provide can increase the risk of cancer. There is.
Before scheduling a body scan, talk to your doctor about your overall health risks and how a scan may or may not help you. In particular, ask yourself:
- What is your background?Do you have a personal or family history of: lung diseaseheart disease, or certain cancers?
- Did you inhale it? Are you a long-time smoker?
- If so, for how long?parable quit smokingHow many years have you been a smoker?
This is a different type of scan called DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry). You may have heard of a DEXA scan to check your bone density to see if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia. Low-level X-rays are used to check your body composition, including how much body fat you have and where it is located on your body.
There are various ways to measure body fat. experts told WebMD. In the past, DEXA scanning was described as a „very good technology“ and „one of the most accurate methods.“ And researchers call it the „gold standard“ for checking body composition, especially bones, fat, and muscle. However, insurance won't cover it unless you get a DEXA scan to test your bone density. The cost of a DEXA scan varies, sometimes starting around $75.