Preventative Imaging vs. Diagnostic Imaging: Understanding the Difference
In the United States, 1.8 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. While these numbers are scary, the CDC speculates that up to half of cancer deaths could potentially be prevented by increasing screenings, vaccinations, and reducing the populations’ exposure to things that cause cancer.
Keep reading to learn more about the difference between diagnostic vs. preventative imaging.
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Diagnostic vs. Preventative Imaging
The main thing that distinguishes diagnostic vs. preventative imaging is the underlying reason the imaging is being done.
What Is Preventative Imaging?
According to the National Cancer Institute (NIH), preventative imaging (commonly referred to as a screening test) is used as a health monitoring tool to check for early signs of cancer or other diseases before symptoms even appear.
Screening tests are not meant to diagnose anything but rather to check for early warning signs of cancer or other problems inside the body.
Preventative medical imaging is done in the hopes of finding diseases early while they are the most treatable and before they become life threatening.
What Is Diagnostic Imaging?
Diagnostic imaging is imaging that is done to properly diagnose a health issue either after an abnormal screening test or to search for the root cause of already existing symptoms.
Diagnostic imaging, along with other tests, are done to properly diagnose an illness and to help your doctor come up with the best treatment plan for you.
When Is Diagnostic Imaging Usually Recommended?
Diagnostic imaging is recommended anytime a patient is experiencing symptoms that may indicate a problem that requires medical imaging to diagnose.
Preventative diagnostic imaging may also be recommended when another type of preventative healthcare screening test comes back abnormal.
Why Might Someone in Las Vegas Consider a Preventative Scan?
Preventative screenings can help identify potential health concerns early, detect cancer before it spreads, and find cancer at an earlier stage when treatment may be more effective.
The American Cancer Society recommends preventative screenings for specific types of cancer, regardless of whether symptoms are present or not. This is done to find any abnormalities, ideally, before cancer even develops.
The following preventative screenings are recommended by a certain age, based on individual risk factors:
- Breast cancer screening
- Cervical cancer screening
- Colon and rectal cancer screening
- Lung cancer screening for at risk groups
What Types of Scans Does the Preventative Diagnostic Center Offer?
At the Preventative Diagnostic Center, you will find affordable options for low-dose CT scans, including scan package deals. The Preventative Diagnostic Center uses the superior SOMATOM go.All CT scanner that uses up to 20 times less radiation than other CT scanners.
Our scans include:
- Heart scan
- Lung scan
- Bone density scan
- Calcium score test
- Full body scan
- General ultrasound screening
What Do I Do With My Results?
You should always share your CT scan results with your primary care doctor, so they can know your current health status and make any further recommendations based on your medical history. Preventative imaging is not a replacement for receiving regular preventative medical care.
After you receive your low-dose CT scan, your scan will be reviewed by a board-certified radiologist. Your results and the radiologist report will then be sent to you in the mail. If you have any further questions, you can book a consultation with the Preventative Diagnostic Center’s Medical Director.
The difference between diagnostic vs. preventative CT scans is simply the reason behind getting the scan. The procedure itself is easy, noninvasive, and will give your doctor a better idea of what is going on with your health.