| In 2002 Robert Baird walked into Accuscan Health | | | | American Heart Association the first and only warning |
| Imaging Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, because of a | | | | for most stroke and heart attack victims is the actual |
| minor concern about a family history of heart disease | | | | onset of a life-threatening crisis. Last year over |
| and he left minutes later with lifesaving information | | | | 650,000 American Adults died of heart disease, and |
| regarding non-symptomatic problems he was unaware | | | | nearly half of those were sudden, undiagnosed deaths. |
| of and had never considered. "Two surgeries later," | | | | According to Dr. Wendell A. Gibby, MD, Director of |
| Baird exclaims, "I have a new lease on life." | | | | Riverwoods Imaging and Interventional Center in Provo, |
| The two most common causes of death in the United | | | | Utah, and Associate Professor of Radiology at the |
| States are cardiovascular disease and cancer, | | | | University of Arizona in Tucson, the full body CT scan |
| accounting for nearly three out of every four deaths in | | | | provides critical data in identifying abnormalities and |
| America. Every 30 seconds an American dies of | | | | diseases in their early stages. "Numerous studies have |
| heart disease while one out of two men and one out | | | | indicated that early detection of a number of diseases |
| of three women will develop cancer, taking a life every | | | | may significantly increase the likelihood of recovery." |
| 90 seconds. | | | | The body scan is a simple, fast, and painless |
| In less than 15 minutes a computed axial tomography | | | | procedure. An individual simply lies on a scanner table |
| (CT or CAT) "full body scan" will screen for the | | | | while high speed 3D images are taken. A radiologist |
| presence of heart disease, various cancers, and other | | | | then interprets the scan results to determine if there |
| abnormalities. The body CT scan, the most | | | | are any visible abnormalities. |
| comprehensive screening procedure available | | | | The full body scan looks at the heart and lungs, the |
| anywhere, looks at the heart and lungs and examines | | | | abdomen, including the thoracic and abdominal aorta, |
| the abdomen for life-threatening diseases such as | | | | spleen, adrenal glands, lymph nodes, certain pelvic |
| cancer of the major organs, lymphoma and | | | | organs, kidneys, spine, liver, pancreas, and the gall |
| aneurysms. It can also detect benign conditions such | | | | bladder. The scan is designed to detect early or |
| as arthritis, osteoporosis, kidney stones and gall stones. | | | | advanced heart disease, vascular disease, tumors of |
| The full body scan may be helpful for those with | | | | the lung, kidney, and liver, aortic aneurisms, calcified |
| higher medical risks, such as a family history of cancer | | | | gallstones, calcified kidney stones, and various |
| or heart disease, current and former smokers, high | | | | abnormalities in the abdomen and pelvic regions. Simply |
| cholesterol, and anyone with diabetes or high blood | | | | stated, a full body CT scan can reveal a lot about the |
| pressure. | | | | inside of you body and may even save your life. |
| According to the American Cancer Society most | | | | A full body scan currently costs in the rage of $600 - |
| people with lung cancer have no symptoms | | | | $900, depending upon geographical location and |
| whatsoever. Currently only 15% of all lung cancers are | | | | medical specialization, and does not normally require at |
| detected in their early stages. And according to the | | | | doctor's prescription. |