To be very concerned that GP has referred me for a CT scan

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Ultrasound showed up something on one of my organs
Been referred for CT scan

Is this routine
Or do they only refer for CT scan when something sinister suspected?

Please don’t worry about worrying me. I’m pretty gung ho and whilst I’m worried - it’s more the uncertainty

I like to know the truth. Even is unpalatable

TIA

It’s a normal next step.

Truth is they don't know. They are investigating to find out more.

Thank you

They are very expensive
And come with risks
So apparently only for when genuinely concerned

Would love to hear from a GP!

I had one after an ultrasound to look at my gallbladder, after it was removed. Something about my kidney needed to be looked at too. Scan showed functioning kidneys I believe it showed one to be slightly large but large, not inflamed or such. Good luck X

Thank you
Did the ultrasound show any mass or just seemed enlarged?

I've had ct scans for kidney stones, so not always only used for serious stuff

My ex-H had an ultrasound which showed a shadow on his lung. CT scan showed absolutely nothing. I think a CT scan is the usual next step if something looks unusual but it’s no guarantee something sinister is going on

Thank you all

Don’t panic! For lots of diagnosis they have to rule more serious things out first. I had loads of tests to rule out cancer recently, not because they thought I had it but to be able to treat the actual issue they had to rule it out. Will be thinking of you.

It's a "rule out" rather than a "we think" if that makes sense.

Ds had a head one for persistent headaches when he was about 10yo. They told him afterwards that he has "a perfect brain" which he has been known to remind his sisters.

I've had one of these recently and so has my mum...in her case, she had an unexplained pain late at night and was carted off in an ambulance where they gave her one.

In neither case, was anything found: in fact, for my mum it was probably a bad case of wind which can be really painful.

In my case, it was to see if there was anything there as an option to exploratory surgery-a sort of step before what might be an unnecessary operation.

So, yes in both mine and my mum's case it was to rule things out and, for both of us, there was nothing to rule out.

They didn't give her one in the ambulance...they did it in the hospital!

The risks are mainly about the accumulated dose of radiation. A small number of scans is considered very safe nowadays. The most common serious worry would probably be cancer. If you are in the U.K. and were referred by an NHS GP, you can ask them whether you are were referred on Cancer Pathway.

I’ve had a couple, neither for a life threatening illness but neither abdominal. Used are quite varied and being referred for a scan doesn’t really give you anything to go on unless you are on the CP. If you are, the GP does see signs that correlate with cancer but is by no means certain that you have it.

The only 'risks' with a CT are those of radiation. But the need to look at something that didn't appear quite right on an ultrasound in greater depth/detail outweighs those small risks. Same way the cost of an MRI outweighs the importance of seeing things that can't be seen easily on CT or ultrasound.

Think of it as though you are shortsighted and can see something in the distance that might be dangerous - a stampeding bull, for example. But you put your glasses on and can see it's a bloke dressed up as a pantomime cow instead. Going for a CT is the equivalent of putting your glasses on and seeing it's Nigel from Accounts doing his best impression of Daisy the cow for the local Am-Dram production of Jack and the Beanstalk. And if, instead of it being Nigel or a single bull, it is actually a herd of Bison rampaging down Leatherhead High Street, doing that means you've got enough warning to take steps to get out of the way.

It's 'what's that?', followed by 'ah, so that's what it is' - not an automatic doom and gloom.

(I have had countless imaging tests over the years. They've still not managed to find anything awful for which I am very glad but I'm happy that they are prepared to look carefully just in case, so that on that possible occasion that there is something serious, they see it and can act on it sooner).

It's a routine investigation.