December 2017

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Health Capsule

How Do Medical Scans Work?

Is your doctor sending you for an MRI, a CT scan, or other medical scan? Do you know what to expect? Or how the test results can help with making a diagnosis or planning treatment?

There’s a free app from NIH to answer your questions. It’s called “Understanding Medical Scans.” You can use it anywhere to help you prepare for a medical scan.

The app describes MRI, CT, ultrasound, PET, and X-ray. Colorful images and videos show you what the machines look like. You can also see what kinds of images they make.

This app has lots of information that will help you prepare for a medical scan. Plus, you’ll be better able to ask your health care team specific questions about the procedure.

Download the app for free to your iOS or Android mobile device.