Stephen R. Bunker

Most of the time, when patients undergo MRI examinations that involve injections of contrast media (such as your adrenal gland exam) they are screened beforehand and instructed not to take aspirin, advil, and other NSAIDS which may increase clotting times (i.e., "blood thinners"). The usual protocol is to avoid these for up to 72 hours as a safety precaution to avoid excess bleeding at the catheter insertion point when it is removed at the end of the exam.

A CT scan may help locate a mass in the region of the thyroid gland. Be careful if the CT scan has been ordered "with contrast" though, as this may saturate the thyroid gland with iodine, precluding the use of radioactive iodine for diagnostic and/or treatment options for several weeks. MRI or ultrasound guided biopsy of any suspicious lumps may be a better option.

Sinus x-rays are generally performed to detect "air-fluid levels" or opacification in one or more sinus cavities in patients suspected of sinus infection, or following facial trauma. Opacification or fluid levels would indicate the presence of infection in the proper clinical setting.

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30-60 minutes. Actual scan time is only a few minutes, bulk of time is getting ready and prepped to have CT performed.

Fecal impaction can be due to many causes including foreign bodies, bowel obstruction, etc. Most X-ray studies today to evaluate this are of very lose dose/exposure and worth the information obtained to prevent more invasive procedures (e.g., surgery) to remedy the problem.

CT scans have become very useful to detect lung nodules that may represent cancer. Further evaluation of suspicious nodules may be necessary to confirm or exclude malignancy (e.g., biopsy).

American Cancer Society has issued guidelines as follows:Women ages 40-44. Their choice to start annual mammography screening.Women ages 45-54. Should get annual screening mammograms.Women ages 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years or may continue annually. At age 35, mammograms would not ordinarily be recommended unless there is a strong family history or signs or symptoms such as palpable lump, nipple discharge, pain/tenderness are present. Ultrasound of the breast is often utilized to determine if a mass or lump (often detected by mammogram) is solid or cystic.Some women at high risk may be screened with MRI as well as mammography.Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

Yes. Nearly all diagnostic X-rays are safe for nearly all ages, with the frequency of repeats in "the elderly" also fine. Radiation effects, when more likely to cause damage to normal tissues (as in some radiation treatments) usually have a latency of onset of several years. Diagnostic X-ray exams are specifically designed to result in exposures that minimize or avoid such effects.

Without seeing the X-rays (presumably plain films as opposed to CT), possibilities include an artifact (not really a stone, but an abnormality on the film, skin or tissue adjacent to the kidney that changed in position or was no longer present when the second X-ray was taken), or passing of the stone before the second film was obtained.