Diagnosis

 

“Finding out the cause of Symptoms”

 

“When I kept getting dizzy and had those terrible migraine headaches, I finally went to the doctor to get checked out.  I went so the doctor could tell me what was wrong with my body and so that he could diagnose me.”  These words were used by one American Indian woman when she first experienced the symptoms of a possible brain tumor.  Diagnosing is like giving one word to a bunch of symptoms, the same way one word is given for oranges, apples and watermelons:  they’re called fruits.  The doctor’s diagnosis was giving one word to all those symptoms that where happening to this Native American woman.

 

One of the most important reasons for finding out the cause of the symptoms is to find a solution for them.  Taking the time to list and acknowledge the symptoms is the first step to treating or controlling them.

 

 The Native American woman went to the local Indian Health Service for a doctor.  In the process of diagnosis the doctor asked this woman about her past medical history and about her family medical history.  To find the cause of the symptoms the doctor also performed a physical and neurological exam.  The exams included checking for these general signs of health:    

                                                         *      Alertness

                                                         *      Muscle Strength

                                                         *      Coordination

                                                         *      Reflexes and Sensory

                                                         *      Response to Pain

                                                         *      Swelling of Eyes

 

Depending upon the outcome of the exams and past medical histories, the doctor may also request further detailed testing with CT Scans and/or MRIs.  In this case the doctor requested both CT and MRI scans.

 

What is a CAT or CT Scan?

 

CT is short for Computerized Imaging Test.  The high tech machine used for this procedure is in a shape of a large donut which contains the detector array that sweeps around the body and table.  The detector sends and receives the beams of x-rays.  The patient lies on the table while the procedure is being done.  The table will slide in and out of the center of the donut hole.  The next important piece of the equipment is the computer, which is connected to the detector.  This takes all the information from the detector and relays it out as a picture.  In some cases, a special dye is put into the veins of the patient to help show differences between the tissues of the brain.  The dye is not dangerous and will eliminate naturally from the body.

 

This procedure is similar to slicing a loaf of bread very thin, like for toast, to look at the whole loaf in detail.  The pictures will reveal very thin slices of the brain from front to back, of course there is no actual physical slicing done with the procedure but given an example of the loaf is more relevant.

 

“Although both procedures where very dreadful and nervous raking because of possible outcomes, the CAT scan wasn’t so difficult for me compared to the MRI.  I get closter phobic in tight closed in areas.  I had to have my mother stand beside the bed during the entire procedure.   I  also didn’t like the dye that was put inside of my body because it seemed like I could taste the dye although the doctor injected into my veins directly.”  Stated by Native American woman. 

What is a MRI?

 

MRI is short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.  The high tech machine for this procedure in a tubular shape, like a CT Scan, the MRI produces images of the brain.  MRI scanners reveal the underlying anatomy in detail, which was previously unknown to doctors without surgical procedures.  MRI is useful in diagnosing brain tumors because it is able to pass through the skull to the tissue beneath it.  A dye may also be used to show differences between tissues within the brain, in order to detect a brain tumor.

 

Just as with the CT scan, the MRI will slice the brain like toast but also the MRI will slice bread the long way of the loaf.  The slicing of the brain will be from front to back and/or top to bottom.  The computerized layouts of the MRI contained more colors other than black and white, which gives more detailed images of specific brain tissue.  The MRI images can be read as 3-D captions unlike CT scans.  MRIs are considered to be more useful other than CT scans but do cost significantly more.

 

 

Many diseases are now readily diagnosed on the basis of an MRI exam alone.  The availability of this technology has significantly affected the practice of medicine.

 

 

Other possible tests listed on the web by MedNets (www.mednets.org):

 

 

*      Skull X-Ray :  This procedure checks for changes in the structure of the skull.  It also shows calcium deposits that could demonstrate tumors.

 

 

*      Brain Scan :  A special kind of dye (radioactive material) is injected into the body so that when the scan is done the tumor (if any) will have absorbed the dye and it will show up on the computerized layout.  The dye is non-harmful and is usually completely out of the body within 6 hours after injection.

 

*      Angiogram / Arteriogram :  This procedure also uses a dye along with x-rays.  The dye helps locate the tumor and the blood supply for the tumor.  This procedure is done mostly for surgical purposes.