How an Echocardiogram Is Done, How Long It Takes, and Echo vs ECG
A standard echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of the heart. You undress from the waist up, wear a gown, lie on your left side,…
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Blog Category
Scans & Imaging
Articles on medical imaging: MRI, CT, ultrasound, PET-CT and X-ray, covering preparation, contrast agents, radiation and how to read the wording of a report. The report is interpreted together with your symptoms by your doctor.
EMG Test Preparation: Lotions, Pacemakers, Blood Thinners and What to Wear on the Day
To prepare for an EMG test, arrive with clean, lotion-free skin, wear loose clothing that lets the examiner reach the arms and legs, and…
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How to Prepare for a PET-CT Scan: Fasting, Blood Sugar Checks and What to Wear
To prepare for a PET-CT scan, most people are asked to stop eating for about six hours beforehand, drink only plain water, avoid sugar,…
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Can an MRI Detect Cancer? What It Shows, When It Is Used and What Comes After
An MRI can show many cancers, often in fine detail, because tumors tend to have different water content and blood supply than the tissue…
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MRI vs CT Scan: How Doctors Choose Between Them
Doctors generally choose a CT scan when speed matters, suspected bleeding, fractures, lung problems, or trauma, because it takes minutes and is available around…
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The Coronary Calcium Score: The 10-Minute Scan That Grades Artery Health
A calcium score test, also called a coronary artery calcium scan, is a brief low-dose CT that measures hardened plaque in the heart's arteries…
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The TEE (Transesophageal Echo): Why Some Hearts Are Imaged From Inside
A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is an ultrasound of the heart performed from inside the esophagus, which lies roughly a centimeter behind the heart's left…
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Angiogram: How Long It Takes and How Serious It Is
A standard coronary angiogram usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, though the whole hospital visit is often half a day because of preparation and…
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How Long CT Scan Results Take: Typical Timelines, Urgent Cases and What Delays Them
Most routine outpatient CT scan results reach the ordering clinician within a few days to a couple of weeks, while emergency department scans are…
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Ultrasound vs CT vs MRI: When Doctors Choose Sound Waves and When Another Scan Is Needed
Doctors usually choose ultrasound first when the question involves soft tissue near the surface, fluid, the pelvis, the pregnant uterus or moving blood, because…
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EKG vs ECG (Same Test): What the Heart Tracing Shows
EKG and ECG are two abbreviations for the same test: the electrocardiogram, a painless recording of the heart's electrical activity taken through sticky electrodes…
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Ultrasound Scan: Preparation, the Full-Bladder Rule and How Long It Takes
An ultrasound scan is a painless imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves, not radiation, to build live pictures of organs, blood vessels and…
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The Echocardiogram: What Heart Ultrasound Shows and What to Expect
An echocardiogram is a painless ultrasound scan that shows the heart's size, pumping strength, valve function, and blood flow in real time. Doctors order…
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Cardiac Stress Tests: Treadmill, Echo and Nuclear: What Each Shows
Cardiac stress tests show how your heart performs under demand. A treadmill test records the heart's electrical activity during exercise; a stress echocardiogram adds…
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Full-Body MRI Scans: What They Find, What They Overcall: an Honest Review
A full-body MRI scan can detect some tumors, aneurysms, cysts, and structural abnormalities without radiation, but no major medical organization recommends it for screening…
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The MRI Visit: Duration, Preparation and What Happens in the Tube
Most MRI scans take between 15 and 90 minutes, depending on the body part, the number of imaging sequences, and whether contrast dye is…
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Can a CT Scan Detect Cancer? What It Shows, What It Misses and the Tests That Follow
A CT scan can detect many tumors, especially solid masses in the lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, bones and lymph nodes, often when they are…
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The Holter Monitor: Living With a 24-48 Hour Heart Recorder
A Holter monitor is a small, portable device that records every heartbeat for 24 to 48 hours through adhesive chest electrodes. It helps doctors…
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