What is the difference between a CT scan and a MRI?

[kathleenmclaughlin]

A friend of mine who is a radiologist explained to me once that MRI creates more of a detailed images of the inner body, including its tissues, than CT scan. It is more of an enhanced digital imagery than the latter. If your friend is having something that needs a very detailed view of her kidney, I think its better to do MRI than CT scan. Her doctor should be the one who knows about this. If her doctor recommend both, I suggest she look for a second opinion from a doctor who is an expert in this.

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

MRIs are about 2000$ more expensive too. Sometimes insurance gives a hard time about paying for them before other options are tried first.

This is certainly the case. I have seen it time and time again from working in a medical setting. Insurance companies will give you a fit! They want a plain film done first to see if a dx can be made or ruled out.

Many times, even in an emergent setting they will deny it. I was trying to get a CT scan/brain authorized on a patient with a possible brain bleed... nope... can't do it.

Years ago it wasn't this bad, but I guess it's all about the bottom dollar.

I know CT is used a lot in the emergency room, over MRI, but I have no idea the difference. I know that I have to have an MRI/brain every couple years and never has it been replaced with a CT.

Whenever a dr is looking on something with me within the chest or stomach they always seem to do a CT.

[tvdxer]

CT is an older technology (developed in the early 1970s) that uses radiation similar to X-rays. It produces a 3D image composed of "slices" of the region being studied. CT is generally cheaper than MRI.

MRI is a somewhat newer technology (developed in the late 1970s) that does not use radiation but rather generates a strong magnetic field which causes atoms to emit a signal detectable by the scanner. Like CT scanning, MRI generates 3D images of the region being imaged. MRI produces pictures that are much clearer than those produced by a CT scan (with experimental scanners being able to resolve detail at the microscopic level), but also comes with a higher price tag, although it has decreased significantly since the 1990s as MRI machines become more widely available. Advanced MRI techniques can create maps of blood flow and volume, graph relations between the amount of certain chemicals contained within an image element, and even be used to study brain activity. One study was able to successfully reconstruct an image of a logo shown to participants while they were in an MRI machine by "reading" activity in the visual cortex of their brains.

MRIs cannot be used in those with pacemakers, but CT can.

Both technologies are digital. CT stands for Computed Tomography.

The cost of an imaging study depends on the organ being studied. Current billing rates (in the U.S.) are in the $2,500 range for a MRI of the brain with and without contrast.

[dolfinchris]

CT is very good for imaging bone structures. In fact, it's usually the imaging mode of choice when looking at the inner ears. It can easily detect tumors within the auditory canals and can demonstrate the entire cochlea on most patients.Great advantages of MRI is the ability to change the contrast of the images.

[danielpearl]

Ct and MRI scanners both can generate multiple three dimensional reconstruction of tissues and two dimensional slices of tissues. CT scan only uses X-ray radiations to generate images, whereas MRI has got a advanced list of properties that are used to generate image. Ct is suited for bone injuries, lung, chest, cancer detection, MRI is suited for soft tissues injuries like spinal cord, brain injury etc. doctors may suggest MRI after having a CT done for a more clear image.

[tgbwc]

After two CT scans (second with contrast), my urologist has ordered an MRI to get a closer look at my kidney.