What’s Best - CT or MRI

[KevinMac1]

Has anyone had to decide on having a CT or MRI scan ?

Appreciate the downsides of CT are the radiation but will MRI give enough information ?

[Murderfan58]

If I am ever given the choice between CT or MRI. I would always go for MRI I hate them as I don't like being in a small space but they give a better view of what is exactly going on in your body . Because they take pictures in slices through your body when all the pictures are together they give a complete view of your body .

[Alison_L]

An MRI will generally show more detail than a CT. Why have you been given the choice? What does the doctor want?

[Avagra]

had both during the last few months after my heart attack 2022 .The best is a cardiac stress MRI for showing up all the heart functions etc it’s a lot claustrophobic in the scanner and noisy but well worth the trouble .

[fishonabike]

That's a bit like asking whether apples are better than oranges - It depends what they are looking for - both types of imaging are extremely useful but both also have limitations - the professional requesting the investigation should be able to explain which is better suited to you specific situation

[Lexi72]

usually you would be guided by the cardiologist depending on what they are looking for. - you are just told what is needed. I have had several of both scans and lots of echos. The CT in my case was more for looking at the ascending aorta (mine is dilated) and the MRI for looking at the valve (bicuspid ) and the aorta as well. I have been told MRIs are more accurate than echos. MRIs are very noisy and a bit claustrophobic and you have to hold your breadth when the technician tells you too.

[Sonny657 in reply to Lexi72]

Hi. I've heard out of all the scans available, a 'gated' CT scan is the most accurate scan for measuring the ascending aorta. Is this true?

[Lexi72 in reply to Sonny657]

Sorry I don’t know the last ones I had were CT angiogram and CT calcium scoring. These are pre operation scans

[nilmonisikdar40]

Yes MRI scanning is improving all the time and the ultimate answer to most of daiagnostic problems unless you have a pacemaker or any other implant in the heart in which case the second best choice which is CT. I am aware of the potential hazard of radiation by having too many CT.

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to nilmonisikdar40]

They can still do an MRI with many prosthetics and with some pacemakers; it just takes special protocols. I had one with a mechanical aortic valve in place.

[nilmonisikdar40 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Hi there, You are right about it. However many hospital consultants are work shy and do not want to get involved with so many precautions before MRI., I am sorry to say. I had a cardiac pacemaker in 2000 and when I attended Kings College Hospital recently, I asked for MRI and was turned down. I was told when I looked through that my pacemaker was compatible