Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on February 21, 2010 at 8:20am

Seconded. How about some actual evidence?

I've had CAT scans a few times in my life. It's been over 20 years, but I doubt they were unnecessary seeing as how the doctors needed an image of my brain.

Here is the entry for CAT (aka CT) scans from the National Institutes of Health. Please note the first paragraph under Risks:

"CT scans and other x-rays are strictly monitored and controlled to make sure they use the least amount of radiation. CT scans do create low levels of ionizing radiation, which has the potential to cause cancer and other defects. However, the risk associated with any individual scan is small. The risk increases as numerous additional studies are performed."

H3N3 said:

Clark,
Have you or someone you know been subjected to an unnecessary CAT scan? How did you know it was not necessary?
Clark said:

Accepting "news" as "facts" is the great American pastime....a practice that catches up with each of us when we, or a loved one, are diagnosed with a serious illness. And sooner or later, we'll ALL have to confront that scenario...

Then it becomes very difficult to decide what and who to use for attempted treatment. And you soon realize that all the conflicting medical "expertise" on the web, in textbooks, and from doctors' mouths, reflects not facts, but finances and vested interests. For instance, hospitals that have just invested in a new $35m CAT scanner subject much higher percentage of their patients to unnecessary $5000 CAT scans (and a large dose of unneeded radiation). And yes...at that point you begin to value the advice and experiences of "non-experts" in order to thread your way through the confusing medical labyrinth we have here in the US.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on February 21, 2010 at 8:30am

I see it as more of a tangent. :)

H3N3 said:

I have seen much more of the opposite-- people not getting the workups they really needed.
Interested to hear from Clark though . . . sounds like he's been on quite a journey that may prove for interesting reading despite being a complete derailment of this topic.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alan Matejka on February 21, 2010 at 8:38am

Last year after a marauders ride, and consuming too much. I touched wheels and fell. On a steel grate bridge. I made it with help from my friends, to northwestern memorial E.R. Without any questions, except, do you have insurance.? the gave me a cat scan. I don't feel i needed that. the bill was in excess of $4,500. If the situation ever happens again, I will refuse the scan. I already have had way too many dental x-rays in my life time. I beleive their scanner has paid for itself many times over. At this point they are just raping our insurance. I beleive it is also why our healthcare and insurance is un affordable to most common people.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on February 21, 2010 at 8:58am

Alan, let me remind you of something: The steel grate ripped your head open! Remember talking about it at Bottom Lounge for the Chainlink party? I think you still had stitches in at the time.

Alan Matejka said:

Last year after a marauders ride, and consuming too much. I touched wheels and fell. On a steel grate bridge. I made it with help from my friends, to northwestern memorial E.R. Without any questions, except, do you have insurance.? the gave me a cat scan. I don't feel i needed that. the bill was in excess of $4,500. If the situation ever happens again, I will refuse the scan. I already have had way too many dental x-rays in my life time. I beleive their scanner has paid for itself many times over. At this point they are just raping our insurance. I beleive it is also why our healthcare and insurance is un affordable to most common people.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michael on February 21, 2010 at 9:41am

Alan,

Would you feel differently if the hospital staff had NOT done a CT scan and sent you home with a intracerebral hemorrhage (that's a fancy way to say bleeding inside the brain)? The purpose of the CT was to rule out such an injury. You were fortunate that your injuries were non-life threatening.

I agree with you that healthcare costs in the United States are, for a variety of reasons, inflated, and that something needs to be done about it, but your case is not an example of unnecessary testing.


Alan Matejka said:

Last year after a marauders ride, and consuming too much. I touched wheels and fell. On a steel grate bridge. I made it with help from my friends, to northwestern memorial E.R. Without any questions, except, do you have insurance.? the gave me a cat scan. I don't feel i needed that. the bill was in excess of $4,500. If the situation ever happens again, I will refuse the scan. I already have had way too many dental x-rays in my life time. I beleive their scanner has paid for itself many times over. At this point they are just raping our insurance. I beleive it is also why our healthcare and insurance is un affordable to most common people.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pablo on February 22, 2010 at 5:34am

Natasha Richardson

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt AKA Jimbo/BMXican on February 22, 2010 at 6:07am

They should add anything to do with Sarah Palin.I cracked up when the news said she called for Rahm Emanuel the chief of staff for to step down for using the word retarded. Like she has any power or relevance in any matters pertaining to Washington, but I guess she is an expert on being retarded. No crack intended on her son, I wouldn't want her to get my Chainlink account deleted.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by dan brown on February 22, 2010 at 6:46am

news is no longer news.

it's called "Info-tainment".

Here is what sells : celebrities, sex, relationships and violence. Why was the Tiger Woods thing
such a big "news" story. How many people did it really affect (directly or indirectly).

It's sad that there are countless stories daily that affect millions that will never be heard or told.

Plus...people really don't care anymore. they just want to be entertained.

One of my favorite Woody Allen quotes is "Isn't it amazing that everything that happens
*every day* _exactly_ fits into the newspaper (and TeeVee news). It's a miracle.
what are the odds anyway ? (LOL).

DB

the joke in the newsrooms is "If it bleeds...it leads".

TeeVee news and newspapers are just a mechanism to sell ads (more brainwashing).


DB (is it 1984 yet).

Yeah...I'm cynical. I wish I wasn't. Actually - I am damn proud of it.
I have Channel 44 news on mute and rock and roll on my home theatre.
It seems to work fine.

Matt AKA Jimbo/BMXican said:

They should add anything to do with Sarah Palin.I cracked up when the news said she called for Rahm Emanuel the chief of staff for to step down for using the word retarded. Like she has any power or relevance in any matters pertaining to Washington, but I guess she is an expert on being retarded. No crack intended on her son, I wouldn't want her to get my Chainlink account deleted.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by jen on February 22, 2010 at 2:55pm

Wow ... what a diatribe this turned into. Quite simply ... funny sh%t!

• ▶ Reply