Should a full-body CT scan be used to screen for cancer?

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Whole body CT scan for cancer screening is a modern technique to detect and diagnose pathologies and abnormalities in the human body. However, this method still has some disadvantages, so the current indications for CT scanning of the whole body need to be considered, depending on the needs and subjects.

1. What is a CT scan?

CT scan, also known as computed tomography, is a modern technique that uses X-rays projected from different angles on a part of the body to be examined in cross-sections and through a processing system. Computer management results in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of the part.
CT scans are used diagnostically in the following situations:
Diagnosing muscle and bone disorders, such as bone tumors or fractures Locating a tumor, blood clot or infection Support surgery, biopsy and radiation therapy Detect and monitor cancer or cardiovascular diseases,... Monitor the effectiveness of treatment as in cancer treatment,... Detect internal lesions and bleeding in. A CT scan is painless and only takes a few minutes, after which the patient can rest for a short time and return to normal activities. However, a CT scan may have some other risks such as:
Harm to the fetus: radiation from a CT scan does not damage the fetus, but doctors often advise pregnant mothers to switch to other methods. other tests to prevent the fetus from being exposed to radiation.

Radiation exposure: when taking a CT scan, the patient is exposed to ionizing radiation for a short time. The amount of radiation in a CT scan is greater than in an X-ray, but this risk is small and rare. Reactions to contrast material: In some cases, it is necessary to inject contrast dye intravenously before CT scan and can cause reactions such as rash, itching,... Very rare cases of reaction severe allergic reactions.

2. Full body CT scan

Whole body CT scan is a technique belonging to the advanced group, this is a modern technique used to detect and diagnose pathologies in the human body. This technique uses X-rays to observe the structure and details of the part to be examined. Whole body CT scan can detect early diseases such as cancer, tumors in the body such as breast cancer, lung cancer, thyroid and brain diseases, .. without invasiveness and pain. ,...
Whole body CT scan is to capture each part of the human body such as abdomen, heart, brain,... Therefore, this technique will take more time. The CT machine will have to flow the entire patient's body to check, which may take about 30-50 minutes.
The patient will be placed on the table and moved into the machine frame, which has a head that emits light similar to an X-ray, it rotates around the patient, rotates and shoots rays to form slice compartments. At this time, the X-ray absorption of different components will be processed by the computer and output images with different density. These slices will help the radiologist see clearly the anatomical location and determine the nature of the lesion.

3. Should a whole-body CT scan to screen for cancer?

Whole-body CT scan can examine the patient's body parts including: brain, bones, blood vessels, soft tissues, and internal organs,... to detect abnormalities in the body. . From there, it is possible to screen for cancers and detect dangerous tumors in the body early. This is also the basis for doctors to diagnose diseases and provide timely and effective treatment.
However, the whole body CT scan still has some disadvantages such as:
This method also uses X-rays to shine on the body, although this level is safe for health, if applied many times can expose the patient to radiation. The CT scan method is not applicable to patients who are children, women who are pregnant or suspected of being pregnant, ... because the X-rays can affect the development of the fetus in the pregnant belly. For a few cases indicated for the use of contrast dye, the patient shows signs of reaction to the drug causing allergies, rashes, difficulty breathing, etc. Because the scan is the same for all organs, it is still possible. omission of lesions and is not yet widely available as a national program in other countries, the current indication of total body CT is considered, depending on needs and subjects. Although, CT scan is an effective health check and cancer screening method, but not everyone should do it. A full-body CT scan should only be performed in patients over 50 years of age, or those with suspected chronic diseases. Because after the age of 50, the body begins to age and aging, hormones change, when the risk factors have enough time to accumulate and form disease. Therefore, cancer screening and early detection of abnormalities are very important in diagnosis and treatment. For those in their 30s is not recommended to apply.

In summary, full-body CT scan is a modern method that can examine the patient's body parts including: brain, bone, blood vessels or soft tissues,... in order to detect the abnormalities in the body. From there, it is possible to screen for cancers and detect dangerous tumors in the body early. To ensure safety as well as accurate and clear CT scan results, patients should choose addresses that have modern CT scanners, full medical equipment, a team of highly qualified doctors and nurses. experience.
With the desire to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment, to meet the needs of customers, now Vinmec International General Hospital has been and continues to invest in modern machines to serve the imaging work. computer class, X-ray, MRI ... in diagnosing images, thereby identifying diseases that customers may have and giving timely treatment directions, avoiding dangerous complications that may cause problems. may happen.
Especially in order to bring high efficiency in medical examination and treatment, Vinmec now also designs many accompanying medical services under the implementation of leading specialists both at home and abroad. will bring the best treatment results for customers.

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Full-body computed tomography scan What is a CT scan? In which case contrast injection is required? Does magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) require fasting?