Technology
has advanced across industries and greatly helped mankind. Although, the
advantages of technology are difficult to weigh across different industries,
but there is one sector that got tremendously served i.e. Healthcare or
Medical.
Examination
of many critical illnesses has become very easy with the help of advanced
diagnostic procedures; two of them are CT and MRI that are used to capture
detailed images of the internal body.
CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan help to diagnose a broad range of critical medical conditions.
CT vs MRI
The main difference between CT and MRI scans is that CT scan, X-rays are used that are radioactive to scan the individual part of the body and captures the images in the form of slices. In MRI scans, strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses are used to scan and capture the images of the body.
CT scan procedure is considered as a comfortable, calmer, and faster procedure. It is widely used to scan the chest, abdomen, head, skeletal system, and many more.
MRI can also scan all parts of the body like chest, abdomen, and head but it can’t scan the bone or skeletal structure.
MRI
scan can efficiently scan the soft tissues but it is more boisterous and takes
prolonged processing time.
Comparison Table Between CT and MRI (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | CT | MRI |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | CT scan is a faster and comfortable procedure to capture the images of the internal body parts for the diagnosis of critical diseases using X-rays. | MRI scan is a little longer and noisy procedure that captures the images of the body parts except skeletal structure for diagnosis of critical diseases using strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses. |
| Exposure to Radiation | There is minimal radiation exposure in CT scans as multiple X-rays are taken. CT scan is not recommended or strictly prohibited to pregnant women. | None |
| Cost | Less expensive. | More expensive. |
| Used For | It is a widely used chest, abdomen, head, skeletal system, and many more. | MRI can scan all parts of the body like chest, abdomen, and head but it can’t scan the bone or skeletal system. |
| Any Involvement of Reaction | Rarely, but patients with low immunity, who previously have kidney problems, very dehydrated patients, and diabetes holds the threat to kidneys. | Very rare, patients with low immunity can get allergic reactions to the IV contrast. |
| Comfort | CT scan machine is open enough to easily accommodate the patient, so a very comfortable and non-noisy process. | A narrow tube of the MRI scanning machine sometimes causes anxiety to the patient. It a very noisy process too. |
What is CT scan?
In the CT (Computed
Tomography) scan, detailed images of
different body organs, bones, and tissues are captured using an X-ray. There is
a table on which person or patient lies that basically moves through the
scanning ring.
Once the scanning is done and vital parameters are captured by
the machine, the same are assembled and used to create 3-D images of the said
body area. The captured images show the clear abnormalities in respective soft
tissue or bone if any like bone fracture, tumor, or pneumonia in the lungs.
CT scan can produce the detailed images of the entire
body in less than 10 minutes and captured images are produced in slices. CT
scan is used for diagnosing many critical illnesses like cancer.
It helps to identify its stage, monitor how the treatment is
going on, and also survey the body to check where it has spread. CT scan is the first choice to diagnose
cancer and its stage.
It is a less expensive, quick and comfortable scanning
process where the patient doesn’t feel any kind of anxiety and tiredness. But
there is an exposure to radiation.
What is MRI scan?
In MRI
(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan, a combination of strong magnetic fields and
radiofrequency pulses are used to scan the organs and tissues of the body to
capture their detailed images. MRI can be used to scan the abdomen, chest, and
head but can’t scan the skeletal structure of the body i.e. bone.
MRI is a revolutionized medical procedure that
is very helpful in diagnosing the critical illnesses that require the image
capturing at soft tissue levels. Few examples include uterine cancer, liver
cancer, prostate cancer, and certain cancers that are very difficult to scan
and detect using any other procedure.
In MRI,
there is no exposure to radiation but this process creates a little discomfort
to the patient as it takes a longer period. A narrow tube of the MRI scanning machine sometimes causes
distress and anxiety to the patient, and there is noise as well.
It’s an expensive medical procedure too.
Conclusion
Both, CT and MRI, scanning processes are very similar i.e. imaging internal body parts but produce different reports using different technology mechanisms. CT uses X-ray for scanning while MRI uses strong radio and magnetic waves for scanning.
CT and MRI both
ease in diagnosing the critical illness, doctor recommendation purely depends
upon the patient or person’s condition including the range of factors such as
level of detail required, which body part is to be scanned, what is the medical
reason, is a person undergoing treatment have claustrophobia or not, and is
woman patient is pregnant or not.
But both are brilliant
technological advancements that are helping the medical fraternity in assisting
people with accurate diagnostic analysis.
References
- https://www.healthline.com/health/ct-scan
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ct-scan/about/pac-20393675
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146309