Does the benefits of CT scan in pregnant women do not aware the risks?

Introduction

New studies by radiologists have shown that MRI can be just as accurate as CT scans at helping radiologists diagnose pathologies such as cancer, cysts and kidney stones while carrying less risk, especially for pregnant women. The magnetic waves and radiofrequency energy used in MRI are a safer alternative to the potentially carcinogenic X-rays of CT scans, especially during gestation. CT scans are still much faster, but medical physicists are working on developing faster MRI machines (Groves, 765-770).

Background

A new study from the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill shows that MRI is both safe and accurate for diagnosing pregnant women with acute pain in the abdomen and pelvis, surpassing the limits of both CT scans and ultrasound for this purpose. The researchers analyzed the MRIs of 29 pregnant patients who had been experiencing acute abdominal pain, and correctly diagnoses the cause of that pain in 28 of those cases. Some of the problems that can be diagnosed include acute appendicitis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, kidney stones, gall bladder problems, and problems with the fetus itself (Ratnapalan, 1107-1109).

A New Alternative

It can be difficult to diagnose acute abdominal pain in pregnant women because the enlarged uterus pushes organs out of their normal locations, so the pain is not in the usual place. There are also more possible causes for pain. Today, CT scanning is normally used for diagnosing abdominal pain, but there is a risk of exposing the fetus to harmful ionizing radiation, increasing cancer risks in both fetus and mother. Ultrasound (sonography) doesn't use radiation, but its imaging potential is limiting. MRI is becoming a desirable option as the medical community and the public becomes more aware of the risks associated with radiation, particularly for pregnant women. The latest generation of MRI scanners has reduced the time needed to image a patient, so it is becoming possible to see what is actually happening inside the abdomen or pelvis (Doll, 130-139).

About CAT Scans

CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scans are similar to conventional X-ray imaging, but instead of imaging the outline of bones and organs, a CAT scan machine forms a full three-dimensional computer model of the inside of a patient's body. Doctors can even examine the body one narrow slice at a time. The X-ray beam moves all around the patient, scanning from hundreds of different angles, and the computer takes all that information to compile a 3D image of the body.

They can pinpoint the precise location of a potentially fatal blood clot in the lungs. And they can show pictures of a beating heart so clear that a cardiothoracic surgeon knows what he will encounter before he has made the first incision. That's all improved diagnosis and treatment for countless millions. But these scans aren't without risk. They deliver much more radiation than X-rays. And some fear that these tests can cause cancer later in life, particularly in children. CT, or computerized tomography, scans use a series ...