Chest X-ray and CT are common imaging examinations in clinical practice. One is to scan the chest with X-rays and form an image, and the other is to observe the examination site through computer tomography. Both examinations can clearly determine the condition of the organs in the chest, but in clinical practice, doctors often ask for CT, which makes people feel confused. Why do doctors ask for CT when chest X-ray is simple, convenient and affordable? In fact, there is a difference between the two.

What is the difference between chest X-ray and CT?

1. The limitations of chest X-ray are greater than CT

The clarity and accuracy of chest X-ray are lower than CT. During the process, the chest X-ray projects the entire back onto the image,ctscan while CT scans the lungs in layers. It can rotate 360 ​​degrees for observation, so relatively speaking, CT is clearer and can accurately find the location of the lesion.

2. CT can further discover lesions

When lung cancer is suspected, chest X-ray can only achieve preliminary screening and find heart disease, etc., while CT can further confirm the location of lesions and heart abnormalities.

3. Different scopes of application

In clinical practice, chest X-rays are often used to examine the chest cavity, lung tissue, and heart tissue. If there is pneumonia, cor pulmonale, and heart disease, chest X-rays can be used to determine the presence of the disease. CT images have high clarity, and the lesions can be directly determined by scanning layer by layer. In addition to the diseases that can be detected by chest X-rays, it can also help find early lung cancer.

It can be seen that although chest X-rays are simple and cheap, they have certain limitations compared to CT. However, there are precautions for both CT and chest X-rays.

What are the precautions for chest X-rays and CT?

1. Pregnant women and infants cannot do it

Whether it is chest X-rays or CT, pregnant women and infants cannot do these two examinations because they contain radiation. Pregnant women and infants receiving radiation will affect their development and cause deformities, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, when the fetus's organs are being formed, and there are developmental abnormalities when they are examined at this time.

2. Remove metal objects

Metal objects will affect the examination, interfere with the examination and cause artifacts, so when doing chest X-rays or CT examinations, metal objects worn on the body need to be removed.

Whether it is an X-ray or a CT scan, you need to consult a doctor and follow the doctor's instructions. Do not do it blindly, and do not do it too frequently in a short period of time. After all, they both carry radiation, and excessive exposure to radiation can cause cell tissue to become diseased and cause harm. Especially for the elderly and children, who have weak immunity, frequent treatment can cause tissue disease.

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