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INJURIES - DIAGNOSTIC TOOLSAll of the diagnostic tools listed below may help to determine the nature of the injury you have sustained. Such procedures may be covered by provincial health insurance, but only if your family doctor or a specialist recommends them. Therefore it is important to see your family doctor regularly and describe your symptoms thoroughly. XRAYSAn Xray is a common diagnostic tool used by doctors. Your doctor may want you to have an Xray if he or she suspects an orthopedic (bone) injury or a neurological injury. An Xray is made by directing electromagnetic radiation through your body and onto a film, which is then developed much like a photograph. An Xray will show if bones are broken or out of place, but it is of limited assistance in dealing with soft tissue injuries. CT SCANS OR CAT SCANSA computed tomography scan (known as a CT Scan) or a computerized axial tomography scan (known as a CAT Scan) is a series of computerized Xray pictures, usually of the spine. The Xray pictures are done in "slices", so that fine details can be seen. It aids in the diagnosis of diseases or injuries that cannot be diagnosed by ordinary Xray methods. A CT Scan is useful to examine problems with discs or vertebrae in the spine. MRIsA magnetic resonance image (known as MRI) uses electromagnetic energy to examine areas of the body. Certain atoms are subjected to a radiofrequency pulse, causing them to absorb and release energy, which is passed through a radiofrequency receiver, and transfomed into an image. This technique is valuable in providing soft-tissue images of the central nervous system and musculoskeletal systems, and is useful in examining soft tissue, swelling, and pooling of blood or other fluids. BONE SCANA bone scan is an Xray picture enhanced by a contrast agent. A dye is first injested , which finds its way through the body's blood stream. The dye shows up on the Xray, indicating areas in the bones where there is increased blood activity. This increased activity may indicate a healing fracture that would otherwise not show up on any Xray.
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LawOne Network Vancouver Lawyers: Abbotsford Langley Personal Injury Lawyers |
