CBS Research Team

Brain CT Head Injury Complete Guide: What the Scans Detect

After a head injury, doctors need answers fast. Is there bleeding inside your skull causing pressure? Are bones fractured and pushing into brain tissue? Is dangerous swelling building that could cause permanent brain damage? A brain CT head injury scan provides these critical answers within seconds of completing the imaging study. CT (computed tomography) serves […]

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Hernia imaging: How scans reveal hidden abdominal wall defects

CT, ultrasound, and MRI each serve distinct roles in detecting hernias—though physical examination remains the gold standard for clinically apparent cases, imaging becomes essential when symptoms are unclear, complications are suspected, or surgical planning requires precise measurements. Approximately 32.5 million people worldwide have a hernia at any given time, and 27% of men will develop

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Gallstone Imaging: Understanding Symptoms and How Ultrasound and CT Detect Gallbladder Disease

The pain arrives like a knife under your right ribs – sharp, intense, and impossible to ignore. You just finished dinner, maybe something rich or fatty, and now this. Is it indigestion? A heart problem? Or could it be your gallbladder? Gallstones affect 10-15% of adults in the United States, with most people never knowing

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Diverticulitis Imaging: How CT Scans Detect Inflammation and Confirm Diagnosis

Sharp pain stabs your lower left abdomen. It started yesterday as a dull ache, but now it’s impossible to ignore. Fever. Nausea. Every movement sends another wave of discomfort through your gut. You know something is wrong, but what exactly is happening inside your colon? This is where medical imaging becomes essential. Diverticulitis – inflammation

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Which Scan Detects Kidney Stones the Fastest? A Guide to Medical Imaging for Stone Detection

The pain hits without warning – a sharp, stabbing sensation in your back that makes you double over. If you’ve experienced kidney stone pain, you know there’s nothing quite like it. When that pain strikes, the last thing you want is confusion about which test will give you answers fastest. In emergency rooms and imaging

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Appendicitis Imaging: How CT and Ultrasound Confirm Diagnosis and Why Time Matters

The pain starts suddenly – sharp, focused in your lower right abdomen. Within hours, it intensifies. You can’t stand straight. Walking hurts. Something is seriously wrong, and your body is sounding every alarm it has. This is appendicitis announcing itself, and the clock just started ticking. Every day that passes without diagnosis and treatment increases

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Gadolinium Contrast: Clear Safety Information and When Doctors Consider Alternatives

Gadolinium contrast agents have been used safely in more than 300 million MRI scans over 35 years – but knowing the real risks versus the fear-mongering helps you make informed decisions about your health. When your doctor orders an MRI with contrast, that gadolinium-based agent makes the difference between seeing a tumor clearly or missing

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CT Scan With Contrast vs No Contrast: When Doctors Choose Each and What to Expect

Stop second-guessing your scan. The difference between a CT scan with contrast and without isn’t just medical jargon – it’s the choice that determines whether your doctor can see the problem hiding inside you or misses it entirely. When your physician orders imaging, that decision about contrast material shapes everything from what gets detected to

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Can You Eat Before a CT Scan or MRI? Complete Food and Drink Guidelines

Can you eat before a CT scan or an MRI? Patients preparing for CT scans and MRI appointments face conflicting information about fasting requirements – one facility says fast for six hours, another says eat normally, your friend says they weren’t allowed breakfast, and online sources contradict each other. This confusion creates unnecessary stress when

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Claustrophobia and MRI: Your Complete Guide to Comfortable Scanning Options

Stop letting claustrophobia prevent life-saving medical imaging. Millions of people avoid or delay necessary MRI scans every year because the thought of lying in an enclosed tube triggers overwhelming anxiety. Your heart races just thinking about it. The confined space feels suffocating before you even arrive at the imaging center. Maybe you’ve already canceled an

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