3d CT scan vs. regular CT scan (and cone scan & panorex?)

Hi there, hoping for some clarification on if there's a difference between regular ct scan and a 3d ct scan.

Last year I had a CT scan with contrast in hopes to get ES diagnosed, but it didn't really show anything according to two other ENT"s I showed the report to. Yesterday I went to a new ENT and asked him for a 3d ct scan. He said that all CT scans ARE 3D ct scans (and that by looking at mine there is some calcification, but most people have that)

What he said seems counter-intuitive to what I've read on here -

Is there a different type of scan I need to ask for - a particular type of 3D scan??

Also, any thoughts on the cone beam scan or a panorex x-ray?

I would just like to get the right test so I can get a diagnosis.

Thanks!!!

Hi Julie,

don't know if this helps, but if you look over past discussions, and search this discussion :

Is a dental 3D CT scan what is needed?

there's some info about the different scans. It seems from past discussions that all CTs can be read as 3D with the right software. A CT scan with contrast from my understanding shows blood vessels, so would show if there was any compression of blood vessels by the styloids.

I don't know what a cone beam scan is, but I was diagnosed from a panoramic x-ray (I'm UK so I think that's called a panorex x-ray in the US), which showed the styloids well.

Usually a CT scan is supposed to be the best at showing elongated styloids- if the people looking at it are looking for the right thing! Depending on how much calcification you have, and where, that can cause symptoms. You could ask if they could measure your styloid processes from the CT scan? Can you feel them yourself- if you feel at the back of your mouth behind the tonsils depending on the length and angle of the styloids, they can often be felt here, feels a bit like a bone, and pressing usually causes pain, so if you do that you might know if you're on the right track.

There's others on here with more knowledge than me, so hopefully someone might be able to help you.

Also if you look in other discussions for the list of doctors who have treated ES patients before, then maybe you can find someone to look at your scans?

Good luck!

My understanding is you can make a ct 3d with software. I believe mine was taken as a regular ct and then they made it 3d. Most people on here have gotten a 3d ct (I was told no contrast needed) or a pan X-ray. It shows the elongation best.

I had a CT scan w/o contrast & the result was lots of pictures of slices of my skull plus 3 pix that were 3-D images of part of my skull & my styloids & one 3-D pix that was of my whole skull from the front. If you look at my page, I've posted the 3-D pix so you can see what they look like. The elongated styloids are very clear.

A panoramic x-ray is one where you sit in a booth & the x-ray machine moves in a circular motion around your head. I'm not sure it give any better picture of the styloids than a CT scan. I had a panoramic x-ray years ago when I was looking into orthodontia to work at helping correct my advanced TMJ problems. Having braces at age 48 was a little odd, but getting my bite lined up properly did help the TMJ problems quite a bit for several years. Then I was diagnosed w/ ES & now everything's out of whack again. Sigh...

I think a CT scan should do the job if you present the resulting images to a doctor who's familiar w/ ES.

Isaiah 40:31

P.S. Jules gave you some great information.