Anyone know how I can get hold of my CT scans of my brain that were taking during my stint in hospital? I'm in Wales - not sure if that makes a huge difference but the prime minister seems to think so when attempting to afford a fitting answer in PMQ's these days..
It's been 18 months since my stroke. My right side was paralysed and I had aphasia. I can walk and my aphasia has improved (admittedly I still slur when tired and have trouble with words with an 'r' in the middle of them). I just need to sort out my hand now as my stroke has left me with decreased functionality in my hand.
Wouldnt it be the MRi scan that shows your infarct ? Not the CT scan. I know it was the MRi scan that the consultant showed me. Not sure why anyone would want to see this, its just a white ball where a bit of brain used to be.
Very pleasing that your aphasia is easing. My aphasia changed for the better around 18 months and now (35 months) its doesnt bother me much, perhaps a little bit when I am tired.
Such a massive thing that you can walk. Thats so good to hear. And do keep on trying with that errant hand. The brain should still be quite responsive after 18 months. It never too late for improvement but its faster in the first two years.
I await other replies regarding the scan, an interesting question you have raised. I wonder if it will depend on which hospital has them.
Hi Colin, whether you have a CT or MRI scan seems to be dependant on symptoms you present with although there are numerous articles on line and the information given can be quite complex. The NHS website describes CT and MRI scan details as :-
A CT scan is like an X-ray, but uses multiple images to build up a more detailed, three-dimensional picture of your brain to help your doctor identify any problem areas. During the scan, you may be given an injection of a special dye.
If it's suspected you're experiencing a major stroke, a CT scan is usually able to show whether you've had an ischaemic stroke or a haemorrhagic stroke. It's generally quicker than an MRI scan and can mean you're able to receive appropriate treatment sooner.
An MRI scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce a detailed picture of the inside of your body. It's usually used in people with more complex symptoms, where the extent or location of the damage is unknown.
It's also used in people who have recovered from a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). This type of scan provides greater detail of brain tissue, allowing smaller, or more unusually located areas, affected by a stroke to be identified.
Hope this helps, it’s quite a complex subject isn’t it.
I got a look at my mri scan when I saw the stroke consultant I asked to see where the Stroke had affected my brain it looks just like a big white blob in the area where the hemorage was he showed me on his computer screen and let me take a picture of it with my phone as my kids wanted to see what it looked like. Then I had a cerebral angiogram and the detail shown on that was very interesting.
Unfortunately my stroke consultant didn't allow me to take a photo with my phone. Not permitted he said, even though the scans belong to me. Go figure!
I saw the scans but I didn’t ask for one. My consultant gave me a detailed tour of my brain ? and explained the damage from the main cerebral stroke and the historical micro bleeds.
Hi IM, If you want to access your medical records you can usually apply in writing to the hospital which took the scans. You can find out more information in the link below: