A Blog for Healthcare Consumers

CT scans are frequently used to evaluate the internal structures of the body. A variety of trends have increased the use of CT including new high resolution scanners that give greater anatomical detail and faster scanning time - scans that used to take minutes can now be done in seconds.

A CT scan of the Kidneys for stones is a CT scan test that specifically looks for stones in the Kidneys, Ureters and Bladder (therefore KUB). This scan is frequently done in the emergency room for patients with sudden onset sharp side and back pain who have blood in their urine. It's also ordered by outpatient doctors as well for similar symptoms. As an outpatient you may get an order from your doctor for:

"r/o renal stones" -  CT KUB is very good at picking up small and large calcified stones in the kidneys. It can also detect stones in the ureters which are small tubes that connect your kidneys (just under your rib cage) to your bladder (in the pelvis).

"h/o hematuria"- hematuria means blood in the urine. Stones can irritate the urinary drainage system leading to mild bleeding. The bleeding is usually detected on a urine lab test ("microscopic hematuria") or occasionally can present with obvious, visible bleeding ("gross hematuria").

"h/o flank pain" - renal stones occasionally cause dull or sharp pain along the sides of your lower chest and upper abdomen. Sometimes the pain can radiate to the pelvis and into the testicle or labia. This type of pain is can be seen with urinary medical issues.

(FYI - "r/o" is short for "rule out" and "h/o" is short for "history of")

An CT scan of the kidneys will evaluate:

Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder

A CT scan of the kidneys is designed to look for small (or large) stones that form in the kidneys and migrate into the ureters and bladder.

Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, etc

Since the CT scan includes nearby structures, many of the internal organs of the abdomen and pelvis will also be seen and can be evaluated. This includes the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, bowel loops, prostate, and uterus for example.

Your CT scan for stones:

Keep in mind that a CT scan for stones is actually two separate tests done together: a CT scan of the Abdomen and CT scan of the Pelvis. The test is usually done without IV dye contrast.

A CT scan of the stones takes about 5 minutes or so to complete once you're on the table. If you are going for one, wear loose comfortable clothing. If you're insured, you may need to have your test authorized (approved) by your insurance company first. If you're uninsured and need to look up prices and buy an CT scan of of the Kidneys (KUB) for stones, you can use our website. Click here to see CT scan costs.

Have you had a CT scan for stones? What was it like? Please leave your comments below.

MRA stands for Magnetic Resonance Angiography. It is an MRI technique that specifically evaluates vessels such as arteries. Brain MRAs evaluate the vessels of the brain to look for aneurysms, vascular malformations such as AVMs, narrowing and blockage of the vessels of the brain, among others. (Read about MRI scans and MRI scans of the brain.)

Brain MRAs are typically ordered for many different symptoms to exclude an aneurysm or vascular malformation, or search for a source of bleed. They are also used during the evaluation of stroke to detect blockages and narrowing of the arteries that feed the brain. Below are a few common diagnoses that brain MRAs can pick up.

Aneurysm - Aneurysms are ballooning of vessels that risk rupturing. If blood leaks from the aneurysm patients describe the headache as a thunderclap and sharp/shooting pains. Patients can also have stroke-like symptoms with weakness, slurred speech and confusion. MRAs can detect most aneurysms though if the aneurysm is small or has collapsed, it may not be identified by this study.

AVM - AVM stands for arteriovenous malformation. This is essentially a nest of abnormal vessels which grows in the brain. The vessels of AVMs are like "varicose veins" with thin walls but are subjected to high pressure blood flow, so risk rupture, much like an aneurysm. They can also act like tumors in that if large enough they compress nearby brain tissue. AVMs can also form aneurysms in or near them. Patients will experience headaches, stroke-like symptoms or seizures.

Stroke - Also known as a "brain attack", stroke refers to a blocked artery that deprives a part of the brain of blood (and therefore oxygen). This part of the brain loses it function and patients present with weakness, slurred speech, difficulty walking and on occasion, headaches. MRAs evaluate the extent of atherosclerosis and can detect any significant blockages.

An MRA of the brain will evaluate:

Internal Carotid Arteries

The carotid vessels arise from the aorta in the chest and travel up the neck along both sides. The vessels splits in the neck with the "internal" segments feeding roughly the front 2/3 of brain tissue.

Basilar Artery

The basilar artery is made up by two vertebral arteries which arise from vessels in the chest and travel up along both sides of the neck near the spine. This vessel feeds the brain stem and approximately the back 1/3 of the brain.

Circle of Willis

Brain matter

The white and gray matter of the brain are partially seen. Parts of the pituitary gland, optic nerves and upper brain stem are also evaluated.

Your Brain MRA Scan

A brain MRA generally takes about 10 minutes or so to complete. If you are going for one, wear loose comfortable clothing and remember to remove all metal (jewelry, phones, rings, etc) before going into the MRI scan room.  This test is occasionally done with IV MRI contrast.

If you're insured, you may need to have your test authorized (approved) by your insurance company first. If you're uninsured and need to look up prices and buy an MRA scan of the brain, you can use our website to look up MRA scan costs and then purchase with your credit card.

Have you had a Brain MRA scan? What was it like? Please leave your comments below.

When we first launched our site we knew that gaining the trust and confidence of health care consumers would be an important on-going task. Having relevant, meaningful blog posts and keeping the site safe and secure have always been a top priority. One of the key leading certifications for health care websites is offered by the Health on the Net Foundation, based in Geneva Switzerland:

The Health On the Net Foundation (HON) promotes and guides the deployment of useful and reliable online health information, and its appropriate and efficient use. Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. For twelve years, HON has focused on the essential question of the provision of health information to citizens, information that respects ethical standards. To cope with the unprecedented volume of health care information available on the Net, the HONcode of conduct offers a multi-stakeholder consensus on standards to protect citizens from misleading health information.

We recently received HON certification after satisfying all of the requirements of the HON code of ethics and principles. We're excited to announce our achievement and will display the HON code throughout our site. Of course, we won't stop here. We'll continue to look hard at our site and look for ways to grow your trust and confidence in us and make shopping for Radiology tests such as MRI scans, CT scans, Ultrasounds, X-rays easy and safe.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.

We're adding nearly 600 additional Radiology centers throughout the U.S to our site over the next few weeks. It is a monumental task so please pardon our mess as we upgrade and clean up bugs!

You'll be able to shop and buy your Radiology tests from over 1500 imaging facilities. Each Radiology facility is accredited by the ACR, features American Board of Radiology certified Radiologists and has undergone a rigorous selection process.

We're adding 150 Radiology centers from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Washington DC over the next several days to our site. Please pardon our mess as we upgrade and clean up bugs!

You'll be able to shop and buy your Radiology tests from these facilities. As with our other Radiology facilities each is accredited by the ACR, features American Board of Radiology certified Radiologists and has undergone a rigorous selection process.

This post on the cost of Mammogram screening tests is one in a series of posts on helping consumers find real Radiology test prices. You can read other posts here: MRI scan, CT scan, Ultrasound, X-ray, PET scan. 

Getting mammogram costs, what's included?

Trying to get costs of nearly any Radiology test can be challenging. Even when you have the information, it's not always clear what exactly you're paying for. Does the price include the official Radiology report? Do films or a CD of the test cost extra? And what if you need additional images?

Self-pay Mammogram prices can vary widely, even in the same town. Hospitals are generally more expensive and have less favorable cash fee schedules than outpatient imaging centers. Hospitals are also less likely to negotiate prices with you. Keep in mind though that there are fewer outpatient centers that now offer Mammogram tests so you may find in your area you are limited to a few choices and longer wait times. This of course limits competition and keeps prices high.

Prices include images and some callbacks

Screening mammograms usually include 2 views of each breast, though occasionally a few extra views are taken for some women during the initial exam. As the Radiologist reviews the initial set of films, he or she may ask for a "call back" for repeat or additional images. Repeats are done for motion, inadequate positioning, films with poor exposure, and artifacts or dust on the film. These repeat films are not charged extra.

Some call backs for additional images are requested for clarifying a suspicious finding. In this case the views are usually magnified or spot views specific to the area the Radiologist would like to examine more carefully. At times, the call back may include an ultrasound of the breast. These call back films and tests are charged extra.

The Radiology report is included

Mammogram scan costs include the official Radiologist interpretation. This includes comparing to older Mammogram tests even if done at another hospital or imaging center. Your doctor receives a copy of the report.

Mammogram films

On occasion you'll be asked to take films of your Mammogram to your doctor to review. Most of the time you'll probably request copies be sent to another facility for comparison. You should not be charged for this service.

The bottom line...

How much did your mammogram cost? Please leave your comments below: