CT Scans
CT (computed tomography) scans, also called CAT scans, are the type of imaging studies used most often for GIST. Some of their uses include:
- pre-operative detection of GIST, estimation of tumor size and location in relation to other organs
- post-operative monitoring to detect potential recurrence
- monitoring of unresectable tumors response to drug treatment with Gleevec or Sutent or other drugs.
CT Oral Contrast Choices: barium-based versus watery contrasts, tips for tolerating these
CT Intravenous Contrast: injected into your veins to show blood flow
"Reading" My CT Scans: Bev's story of how she started scrutinizing her own scans, and you can too!
Understanding Your Scans: links for self-study on recognizing anatomical features on scans
DICOM disk format for taking scans to another facility: DICOM is a data disk format that ensures your scans will be usable at a different medical facility