High-Quality Brain Scan at Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican Hospitals

Your doctor may order a brain scan if you are experiencing symptoms of a neurological condition. The term brain scan refers to several different types of imaging tests, including PET (positron emission tomography) scan, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, and CT (computed tomography) scan.

Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican neurologists diagnose neurological issues using diagnostic testing, including brain scan, in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. Call (702) 616-4900 or Find a Doctor online today. 

 

Why is Brain Imaging Needed? 

A brain scan helps your doctor see and evaluate structures within the brain. A PET scan can also show how your brain is functioning. A brain scan may be used to monitor or help diagnose a number of neurological disorders, including:

 

What to Expect During a Brain Scan in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV

There are three major types of brain scans: PET, MRI, and CT. They can help measure cerebral blood volume, oxygen usage in the brain, and other very specific aspects of brain function or structure.

PET Scan 

A PET scan can show actual brain function. It involves the injection of a radioactive tracer substance through an IV line in your arm or hand. This material takes about an hour to circulate through your system. You will lie on a table that slides through the scanning machine. Aside from the quick needle for the IV, a PET scan is painless.

MRI Scan

An MRI test is performed at an imaging center or Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospital. The MRI uses radio waves and magnetic fields to produce images. You will lie on a table that moves through the MRI machine. You cannot have any metal inside or on your body during the test. Sometimes gadolinium, a common type of contrast dye for brain MRI, is administered through an IV line. 

CT Scan

Similar to a MRI scan, a CT scan may be performed at an imaging center or a Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospital on an outpatient basis. CT scan imaging uses X-rays, a type of ionizing radiation. The procedure may be performed with or without the use of contrast dye. In either case, you will lie on a special table that travels through the narrow opening of the imaging machine. If iodine-containing contrast dye is used, you will receive an intravenous (IV) line.

Some people find it difficult to lie still for extended periods of time. If you have claustrophobia, you may feel uncomfortable inside the scanning machine. Talk to your technician or doctor about any anxiety you have. He or she will tell you what steps can be taken to make the scan easier for you.

Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospitals offers high-quality testing, including brain scan, in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV.