Which is more efficient...MRI or CT Scan?

[Marj28]

Hi guys. I would to ask an advice which process to undergo having this lower ab pain. MRI or CT scan? I had a HISTOLOGY (Endometrium Curettings) and nothing was detected. What's the best procedure to know my case? Please help me.

[girli1111]

I honestly think they don't know which process is best until they look. I recently had an urgent referral through gynae oncology as I had ovarian masses and a high tumour marker in my blood. I was sent for a 'CT staging scan' initially but the team weren't able to decide my treatment from that and I then had an MRI. It was decided that my issues were probably not cancer so I had surgery with endo team. I don't think the extent of my endometriosis was fully apparent until surgery

[Marj28 in reply to girli1111]

Would it be MRI the next best procedure for me? So not to waste time and money. I'll go for the efficient one. Thanks for your time. =)

[girli1111 in reply to Marj28]

My understanding is that ct scan does not visualise pelvic organs as well as MRI does. I think it's a lot cheaper because it's a lot quicker. My tests were done under our national health service here in the UK, and MRI was only performed because ct wasn't clear, but as I say, even on the MRI it wasn't all clear, adhesions were also a big part of my problem and these were not apparent on ct or MRI.

[Marj28 in reply to girli1111]

Gosh I really don't know what to do now. I hope the doctor that I will meet next week will be more knowledgeable about my case. I don't know why I have to suffer this pain wherein I believe I'm so healthy and fit. So unfair.....

[girli1111 in reply to Marj28]

Endometriosis is terribly unfair, I do sympathise and hope you can get some good guidance from your doctors

[Fabbird in reply to Marj28]

Hi, You need to ask the doctor you see which scan will be best for you. I think it all depends what they are looking for. I know endo shows up on MRI as I've had one. Generally MRI is safer (no radiation) but it requires a gadolinium contrast to work (injected in your arm). Also the waits are often longer because the equipment is expensive. CT is easier to do, but because it is a kind of X ray, there are things which simply don't show up.

I hope you have a good consultation.

[Rach3187 in reply to Fabbird]

Mri is better as u see more into dept as I was told

[Vicky2708 in reply to girli1111]

Hi girli1969 - your case sounds similar to mine in that I had an urgent referral and got sent for a MRI (gynae wondered if CT would show anything up). Can I ask how long after your MRI did you have your surgery? Did you have to have a diagnostic op first? I've been told I'm likely to be waiting until October for diagnostic and then potentially a further 3 month wait for anything further to be done. Thanks, Vicky x

[girli1111 in reply to Vicky2708]

My op was scheduled for two weeks after my MRI scan, then got cancelled and reschedules for the following week, so three weeks after MRI. I think this was all treated as an urgent pathway until the histology results said otherwise