In 2002 Robert Baird walked into Accuscan Health Imaging Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, because of a minor concern about a family history of heart disease and he left minutes later with lifesaving information regarding non-symptomatic problems he was unaware of and had never considered. “Two surgeries later,” Baird exclaims, “I have a new lease on life.”
The two most common causes of death in the United States are cardiovascular disease and cancer, accounting for nearly three out of every four deaths in America. Every 30 seconds an American dies of heart disease while one out of two men and one out of three women will develop cancer, taking a life every 90 seconds.
In less than 15 minutes a computed axial tomography (CT or CAT) “full body scan” will screen for the presence of heart disease, various cancers, and other abnormalities. The body CT scan, the most comprehensive screening procedure available anywhere, looks at the heart and lungs and examines the abdomen for life-threatening diseases such as cancer of the major organs, lymphoma and aneurysms. It can also detect benign conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, kidney stones and gall stones. The full body scan may be helpful for those with higher medical risks, such as a family history of cancer or heart disease, current and former smokers, high cholesterol, and anyone with diabetes or high blood pressure. Read the rest of this entry »