How many scans can i have

Studies show that the risk of cancer from CT scans is extremely low. Sometimes, your health condition will require an imaging exam that uses ionizing radiation. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor about the need for and importance of the exam.

CT is a proven, lifesaving imaging technology. It allows the physician to see inside the body. For the past 15 to 20 years, CT has helped guide treatment in ways we previously never thought possible. More importantly, it helps the physician determine if no treatment is necessary.

A CT scan should never be withheld from a child or adult who has a medical condition where the scan could provide important healthcare information. It may save the patient's life. The question you should ask is: "What should be done regarding my healthcare and diagnostic imaging tests?

Keep a record of your imaging history. It may be useful in the future. You may move from facility to facility, and your imaging history copies of examinations and reports may not. Recent exams done at one facility do not necessarily need to be repeated if you are referred to another hospital.

Take copies of previous exams with you when you go to a different healthcare provider or facility. This can prevent the exam from being repeated unnecessarily. An accurate record of your medical imaging history can help promote optimal care of many medical conditions. For example, patients with chronic diseases, like kidney stones or Crohn's disease, may require many CT exams.

If the scan and blood tests show that your baby has an increased chance of having Down syndrome, you have the option of having further testing such as amniocentesis or NIPT non-invasive prenatal testing. Sometimes the sonographer will need to do an internal transvaginal ultrasound to get good images of your baby. Many important structural problems can be seen with a scan at this stage. This scan is usually the most detailed examination and includes assessment of the development of your baby and the position of the placenta.

Placenta previa where the placenta is covering your cervix may be diagnosed during the anatomy scan. However, as your baby develops and your uterus gets bigger, the placenta usually moves away from your cervix. It is usually not possible to know if the placenta has moved far enough for a normal birth until 32 weeks and sometimes even later. You may be offered additional scans later in your pregnancy to check for this. A report of the ultrasound findings will be sent to your doctor or midwife.

They will discuss the results with you. A pregnancy ultrasound is normally carried out by specially trained clinicians called sonographers. You will be asked to lie on the examination table and to lift your top to your chest and lower your skirt or trousers to the top of your hips, to expose your puku stomach. You can find out more about the week dating scan and the week or mid-pregnancy scan. No, not if you do not want to.

Some people want to find out if their baby is more likely to have a condition, while others do not. The week dating scan and week scan will be offered to you, but you do not have to have them.

Your choice will be respected if you decide not to have the scans, and your antenatal care will continue as normal. You'll be given the chance to discuss it with your maternity team before making your decision.

Most hospitals do not allow children to attend scans as childcare is not usually available. Please ask your hospital about this before your appointment. Remember, an ultrasound scan is an important medical examination and it is treated in the same way as any other hospital investigation. Ultrasound scans can sometimes find problems with the baby. Most scans show that the baby is developing normally and no problems are found.

This is because most babies are healthy. You can continue with your routine antenatal care. If the scan shows your baby is more likely to have a condition, the sonographer may ask for a second opinion from another member of staff. You might be offered another test to find out for certain if your baby has the condition. If you're offered further tests, you will be given more information about them so you can decide whether or not you want to have them. You'll be able to discuss this with your midwife or consultant.

If you want to find out the sex of your baby, you can usually do so during the week mid-pregnancy scan but this depends on the policy of your hospital.

Tell the sonographer at the start of the scan that you'd like to know your baby's sex. For example, if your baby is lying in an awkward position, it may be difficult or impossible to tell.