#14919 02-16-2004 02:02 PM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 7 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 7 | hi i know nobody here are doctors but alot of usenknow from experience What is a better test an mri of the oral cavity or ct scan of the oral cavity if any noby knows it will be greatly appreciated | | |
#14920 02-16-2004 10:06 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Hi Joann,
Both CT and MRI scans are used in the oral cavity. The MRI is considered by many to be the "gold standard" for soft tissue imaging. When combined with a contrast agent, very high resolution images can be obtained with MRI.
My head & neck surgeon has told me more than once that scans in general only offer a piece of the diagnostic information. His opinion is that the visual and palpation exam is the most important (and the biopsy of course).
If your doctor orders an MRI be sure to wear hearing protection (they are noist machines) and don't wear any metal items. Most MRI scanners are very confining as well and if you are claustraphobic you should request medications to allow you to relax. I have had a number of them now and for me it's no big deal.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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#14921 02-17-2004 05:03 AM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 | One other benefit to getting the MRI is that you are getting no radiation like you would in a CT. Even many doctors do not know that when they order a CT study for you, you are getting betwseeen 300 and 500 times the radiation of a normal chest x--ray. It's all accumulative in your lifetime and when I go for my annual head and neck exam, I opt for the MRI with injected contrast for this reason. The CT is still safe when you balance out the catching of a cancer early (at a curable stage) or tthe amount of rads that you are building up that they themselve could cause cancer later in your life. After all later in your life is an academic term if you died from a cancer they didn't catch early enough because you opted out of getting the right kind of scans for what the doc is looking for. But as you get further and further out from your original diagnosis and have more and more tests, it's something to think about.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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#14922 02-17-2004 07:52 AM | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 76 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 76 | Hi, my husband has no alternative than to get a CT Scan, he has a metal plate in his jaw and also in his wrist (not related to the cancer)
On a CT scan a year ago they thought they saw something in his head and they could only do another scan a week later because if you have metal(or the type he has) you can't get an MRI. It ended up being nothing...they say that happens alot...not alot of comfort!
I hope this will be enough for the doctors.
Sherrie
Sherrie wife to Dan, Tonsil cancer survivor, Stage IV diagnosed July/2001
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