What does a CT scan of the brain show?

A CT of the brain may be performed to assess the brain for tumors and other lesions, injuries, intracranial bleeding, structural anomalies (e.g., hydrocephalus , infections, brain function or other conditions), particularly when another type of examination (e.g., X-rays or a physical exam) are inconclusive.

What is CT angiogram brain?

Your doctor has recommended you for computed tomography angiography (CTA) of your brain or neck. A CT scanner uses a combination of a high-tech X-ray scanner and sophisticated computer analysis to provide detailed, 3D images of the blood vessels in your body, such as those in the brain, neck, kidneys and legs.

What is CT brain without contrast?

The purpose of non-contrast head CT includes the evaluation of neurosurgical emergencies with high sensitivity, including acute intracranial hemorrhage, mass effect, territorial infarct, brain herniation or hydrocephalus. Due to its widespread availability, CT is more often performed than MRI in the acute setting.

What is the difference between CT head and CT brain?

Head CT scans produce pictures of the bones in the skull. CT scans of the brain can help identify brain tumors or injury, and they can be used to plan radiation therapy to treat brain cancers.

Is a brain angiogram painful?

What are the risks of cerebral angiography? You may feel some discomfort or pain with the placement of the catheter. The anesthetic that you are given should relieve most of the discomfort. With this procedure, there is a risk of stroke caused by the catheter.

Why do I need a CT angiogram?

Some reasons to have a CT angiogram include: To find an aneurysm (a blood vessel that has become enlarged and may be in danger of rupturing) To find blood vessels that have become narrowed by atherosclerosis (fatty material that forms plaques in the walls of arteries)

Which is best for brain scan MRI or CT?

Spine – MRI is best at imaging the spinal cord and nerves. Brain – CT is used when speed is important, as in trauma and stroke. MRI is best when the images need to be very detailed, looking for cancer, causes of dementia or neurological diseases, or looking at places where bone might interfere.