# CT or MRI



## 20791 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hello:I'd like to know if anyone has had an abdominal CT or MRI? If so, what do they check? What is it like? And what's the differences between CT or MRI? Is one better than the other?Thanks


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## 15180 (Sep 22, 2005)

I have had neither of these tests, but I have family members who have had them, not for IBS however. Both are painless, the biggest issue is if you are claustrophobic as you need to lay really still in a narrow space. My family member had a sedative when they had the CT, don't know about an MRI in terms of small space. An MRI will show much more than a CT, but the MRI is more expensive. I believe the test chosen really depends on what they are looking for. Sorry I can't be of more help.


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## 22943 (Aug 27, 2005)

I've had an abdominal CT scan. The worst part was drinking the barium. As for going into the scan, your head never goes in, the machine looks more like a donut. I also had IV contrast, which didn't really hurt at all and actually makees you feel kind of funky. It makes you feel all warm and tingly and almost like you're peeing yourself, but your not. It's weird. I would call it about the most benign of all the tests I've ever had. You do have to lie still, but the test only takes a few short minutes, I think it was about 5 and you're done. CT scans also use a small amount of x-ray type radiation to produce the images.MRI's are a bit more tricky, depending on what part of the body they want to see. If you are claustophobic, you will need sedation unless you are lucky enough to have a place with an open MRI scanner. The MRI scanner is like a big tube and they move you into it on a table. It takes longer to produce the images, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. It's noisier too. They make you wear earplugs or headphones. This test uses magnets instead of radiation to produce the pictures. While you are on the table they put a little antenna over the part of the body they want to photograph and that draws the magnetic stuff to the right place. Neither test hurts or is hard. You just have to lie still. Most of the time, they can see what they want with an abdominal CT scan, it's faster and easier on the patient. Depending on the structures that they want to look for, will determine which test they will use. I believe the MRI can have a little better resolution. They ususally start with the CT scan and if they need to move on to the MRI.


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## 22943 (Aug 27, 2005)

Oh, I forgot to add that I've never had an Abdominal MRI, just 3 shoulder MRI's (one more coming up in a month or so), two knee MRI's, and four head MRI's.I've had two abdominal CT's, one for my IBS and the other for a bruised liver (hockey puck hit me).


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

I've had both abdominal CT scan and abdominal MRI, neither was done due to IBS issues. In my expereince the difference is an MRI is more expensive and IMO shows more than a CT as its multi dimensional. A PET scan gets even more specific.There was no prep other than nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night before both, with the CT I had to drink tons of barium on a specific schedule and more still at the hospital. There was no barium involved in the MRI. I had contrast (dye) IV for both, it outlines structures better than w/out.Neither test was painful, the MRI was very loud and slightly claustrophic feeling (to me).


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