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Jul 26, 2006 7:18 pm US/Eastern
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Study Uncovers Problems With CAT Scans
by Kellye Lynn
Baltimore, MD (WJZ) ―
There are new concerns about CAT scans, after a study shows they give too many false positives.
CAT scans generate three-dimensional x-ray images. Doctors use them to look for problems like heart blockages, and patients concerned about their heart health typically find comfort in doing the test.
"The ease and knowledge you get from the test is invaluable," said patient, Robert Griswold.
But as
Healthwatch Reporter Kellye Lynn explains, the machines are not as accurate as first thought. And the inacurracies have led some patients to worry about a health problem that doesn't exist.
A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals CAT scans often suggest a plaque buildup where there really isn't any.
"There's a need for better technology or additional testing in the patients who are abnormal," said Doctor Jack Ziffer of Miami Baptist Hospital. But more testing means more risk for the patient.
The study only looked at CAT scans with 16 rows of detectors. Many major hospitals, like Miami Baptist Hospital, are now using CAT scans with 64 rows.
The new 64 row CAT scans provide more detail and clarity, giving doctors the best chance to positively locate blockages in the heart.
As the new scanners replace the old ones, it's hoped the accuracy problem will improve.
"In a sense I think it is the tip of a revolutionary process," said Ziffer. "People aren't going to be getting stress tests and a lot of other tests, they'll be getting a CAT study."
The next generation of CAT scanners is already making fewer mistakes.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)