As many of you know I am very much a supporter of ultrasound being the first medical imaging modality utilized when a patient needs medical imaging to establish a diagnosis. I am on the record as saying medical ultrasound is a great way to start out when a patient presents with symptoms of appendicitis. As an example, ultrasound is not used to R/O the disease, it is used to "rule in" appendicitis. The reason is two fold: 1) a CT scan is expensive 2) A CT scan involves ionizing radiation. Many people are realizing these issues. Here is part of an article I saw online addressing this topic.
OREM, UT, June 02, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Just as insurance carriers are scrutinizing the higher cost of a CT scan versus that of an ultrasound for diagnostic screenings, patients are becoming aware of and concerned about the amount of radiation delivered by a CT scan. This is leading to an increased number of ultrasounds being performed in several medical situations.
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