Preventative medical care is a crucial part of an effective healthcare strategy. Instead of waiting for issues to arise, you prevent health problems that could affect your quality of life or lifespan.
There are some common preventative healthcare strategies people use daily, such as taking vitamins and exercising, or seasonally, like getting a flu shot. Booking an annual physical exam is another way to confirm you’re in good health or ensure your doctor detects and treats health issues before they become serious problems.
However, your doctor can’t see everything going on inside your body. Your doctor may order blood work, explain the benefits of a preventative medical scan, and refer you for a scan as part of your preventative healthcare plan.
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Preventative Medical Scan Explained
Preventative medical scanning involves using medical equipment, such as CT scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, or X-ray machines, to gather detailed information about what’s happening inside your body. These machines produce images of your blood vessels, bones, organs, and soft tissue. Doctors use the images generated to diagnose and determine how to treat internal health problems.
What Does a Preventative Medical Scan Show?
The medical information a preventative medical scan reveals depends on the type of scan. CT scans can reveal the following:
- Benign growths
- Bone fractures
- Bone tumors
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Infections
- Internal bleeding
- Muscle disorders
- Tumors
Some preventative medical scans focus on a specific body system, while others can generate diagnostic images of multiple systems. Doctors may also use scans to check on the progress of ongoing medical treatments or prepare for other procedures, such as a biopsy.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Preventative Medical Scan?
A CT scan usually takes just a few minutes. This includes any time needed to complete paperwork and remove jewelry before the scan. Whether getting a calcium score test, virtual colonoscopy, heart scan, or lung scan, it won’t take long to complete your scan and get the medical information you need.
Types of Preventative Medical Scans
There are several preventative medical scans, including calcium score tests, colonoscopies, heart scans, and lung scans.
Body Scans
A full-body CT scan is an effective way to verify or rule out multiple health issues, including the following:
- Aneurysms
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Gallstones
- Heart disease
- Hernias
- Kidney stones
Bone density scans
Bone density scans are the most effective way to test for osteoporosis. Doctors also use bone density scans to determine whether a patient’s osteoporosis treatment is effective, enabling them to change the treatment plan to improve the results.
Calcium Score Tests
What is a calcium score, and how does it affect your health? A calcium score test is a diagnostic test that calculates how much calcium has built up in your arteries. Doctors use this information to determine if you may have plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing your risk of a heart attack. Heart disease claimed 695,000 lives in 2021, making it the number one cause of death in the United States. Calcium score tests are an effective preventative tool to determine if you’re at risk.
Colonoscopies
Colonoscopies check the health of your large intestine and are commonly used to diagnose colon cancer. Traditional colonoscopies involve sending a tube with a camera attached to it into your colon. Fortunately, you can avoid that invasive medical procedure and still get the health answers you need with a virtual colonoscopy, using a CT scanner to produce images of your colon without inserting equipment into your body.
Lung scans
CT scans can provide the information needed to diagnose lung cancer. A preventative lung scan can reveal small tumors so you can get the treatment you need before tumors grow or spread.
Who Needs Preventative Medical Scans?
Preventative medical scans are ideal for those with pre-existing health conditions or a family health history that puts them at risk of cancer, arthritis, heart disease, and other serious health issues.
It may be time to get a preventative medical scan if you’re getting older. Depending on your gender and risk factors, your doctor may recommend you get a colonoscopy, heart scan, or mammogram once you turn 40 or 50.
Do I Need a Doctor’s Referral?
Preventative Diagnostic Center offers preventative medical scans for patients who don’t have a doctor’s referral. Sometimes, it can take months to receive a doctor’s referral and confirmation your health insurance will cover the medical tests. At Preventative Diagnostic Centers, we offer affordable, preventable medical scans for those who want prompt answers about their health.
Where Can I Get a Preventative Medical Scan in Las Vegas?
If you’re looking for a ‘preventative medical scan near me,’ look no further than Preventative Diagnostic Center in Las Vegas. Our team includes a licensed medical doctor, a CT technologist, and a board-certified radiologist. Let our team know about your health concerns when you get in touch to book an appointment, and we’ll ensure you get the best scan available to confirm or rule out health conditions you’re at risk of developing. Preventative medical scans are the most effective way to restore your peace of mind or ensure you get the treatment you need to restore your health. Our team at Preventative Diagnostic Center is standing by to get you those answers.
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Sources:
CT Scans. (2022).
