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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Does My Scan Reports Indicate?

Hi Dr. I fractured my c7 in a 5 foot fall onto my back on 9-18-15. MRI and CT scan showed the fracture. I am due to go in for another CT scan on 12-8-15 and see my neurologist on 12-10-15. My neck stiffness has gotten better, but has a ways to go yet. However, my headaches have gotten worse the past several weeks. They come and go daily a few times. They make me feel foggy, dizzy and interrupt my thinking. The past 2 years I have hit my head 3 times, this fall at training, a fall on ice 2 years ago when I fractured my radial head and neck at work and hit the back of my head on the ground, and about a year and a half ago when a suspect with a warrant elbowed me in the mouth causing a bloody mouth injury. I am a 53 1/2 year old police officer with 30 1/2 years on the job. Also, again at work about 25 years ago a drunk damage to property suspect punched me in the eye causing a bad black eye. When I was a teenager I got hit in the head with a baseball. I m concerned about these many head injuries and how this one is staying with me. Will the CT be enough or should I have another MRI too? Anything else that I can or should do ?
Tue, 29 Dec 2015
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Radiologist 's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.

For bone injuries of the spine CT scan is the better but if you have any neurological symptoms then doing MRI is recommended. CT scan gives high bone contrast and therefore will show the fracture healing clearly. The MRI scan has higher soft tissue resolution and provides information about the spinal cord in detail.

The head injuries are unlikely to have any significant influence on your health if it happened many years back. If your headaches have got worse after the fall then please consult your doctor and get MRI scan brain done at the same time. Please do not worry.
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What Does My Scan Reports Indicate?

Hi, Thanks for writing in. For bone injuries of the spine CT scan is the better but if you have any neurological symptoms then doing MRI is recommended. CT scan gives high bone contrast and therefore will show the fracture healing clearly. The MRI scan has higher soft tissue resolution and provides information about the spinal cord in detail. The head injuries are unlikely to have any significant influence on your health if it happened many years back. If your headaches have got worse after the fall then please consult your doctor and get MRI scan brain done at the same time. Please do not worry.