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Spring 2004 A Proactive Attitude: YourScan As Preventive MeasureNew study results underline YourScan’s value as preventive measureResults of a study published in early December are part of a growing body of evidence that confirms what an increasing number of residents in this region have already discovered. For those above a certain age or in certain risk categories, a YourScan CT scan is a valuable preventive and screening measure. The study, conducted by National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that a virtual colonoscopy—images of the colon generated through CT scanning—is at least as effective as the more invasive conventional colonoscopy in detecting potentially cancerous growths in the colon.
Two more clinical trials are currently underway that will evaluate the effectiveness of CT scanning in detecting lung lesions at an earlier stage than conventional X-rays. The weight of this mounting evidence and the attention given to it in the media are generating a shift among physicians and their patients, according to Paul Vitale, Pharm.D., FASCP, YourScan’s business manager. “Patients in certain age groups are paying more attention to these types of developments,” says Vitale. “They’re part of a growing trend where people are taking a more active role in their health. But in addition to making up their own minds about YourScan, they’re also looking for guidance from their physicians.” He is careful to add, too, that YourScan in no way replaces or precludes the need for regular screenings such as cholesterol, blood pressure, mammograms, prostate, or abnormal heart rhythms. Vitale maintains that the combination of objective science and the heightened interest of patients is prompting a sharp increase in the number of referrals from physicians. Between self-referring patients and those sent by a physician, the number of patients having CT scanning procedures done at the YourScan facility each month has tripled since the first quarter of 2003. Says Vitale, “At a time when so much emphasis is being placed on prevention, wellness and healthier lifestyles, YourScan is poised to take center stage in helping people take control of their health, their lives, and their futures.” For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call toll-free 1-800-223-0403 or visit www.yourscan.com. |
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Meanwhile, a recent Wall Street Journal article reported the results of yet another study examining the role of CT scans in predicting heart attack potential. The study found that for people whose risk factors are between the high and low ends of the risk scale, in a middle range of coronary risk factors, CT scans have significant benefits in forecasting the potential for heart attacks. Researchers from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, UCLA and USC conducted the study. Another point cited in the article indicates that people should choose to have CT scans done at a medical-center affiliated facility and not at a mall or county fair.
