Institut für Bilddiagnostik

Dementia prevention – brain scan

With increasing age, the risk of degenerative diseases increases, not only of the joints and blood vessels, but also of the brain. They become noticeable through concentration disorders and a decline in cognitive performance, mood swings and listlessness, but also through movement disorders and involuntary movements (e.g. trembling). In addition to suspected Alzheimer’s disease, many other brain diseases are possible – and many of them can be treated if they are detected early.

Lung cancer screening for smokers

If you have an increased risk of lung cancer, you should have regular check-ups. The low-dose CT scan can help to detect lung cancer at its earliest and most curable stage. The best hope of curing lung cancer is to detect it as early as possible. The Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP research) has shown that an annual CT scan can find 85% of lung cancers at their earliest, most curable stage (Lancet 1999; 354:99-105).

An affair of the heart – Cardio-CT

Risk factors such as obesity, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure are clearly associated with an increased risk of heart attack – as the Framingham study has shown. This applies to population groups. But not necessarily in individual cases. It was already clear around 20 years ago that the detection of deposits (atherosclerotic plaques) in the coronary arteries can predict an individual’s risk of heart attack – better than any other parameter. Cardio-CT provides precise information about deposits in your coronary arteries. With the help of the so-called calcification or Agatston score, the deposits can be quantified and the risk of suffering a heart attack within the next few years can be predicted relatively precisely – and whether preventive therapy needs to be started.

Colorectal cancer screening without an endoscope – virtual endoscopy

Previously, the colon was examined with an endoscope every 5 years to find polyps, which are benign changes in the colon wall that can develop into colon cancer. However, only a few, around 5% of all patients examined, exhibit these changes. Classic endoscopy (fiberoptic video endoscopy) has the disadvantage that the colon is often difficult to navigate with the endoscope, especially in older people. The ascending colon is often not reached, or only with difficulty. Polyps and even larger tumors can thus be overlooked. There is also a risk of perforation of the bowel wall if the endoscope is difficult to navigate. Video endoscopy can also only show changes in the interior of the intestine (lumen). Changes in the intestinal wall or outside, in the abdominal cavity, remain hidden from view through the endoscope.

Modern prostate cancer screening – prostate MRI

Prostate cancer is common: around one in five men will develop prostate cancer in the course of their life. While prostate palpation by the doctor’s finger is still the only examination paid for by German health insurance companies – although there is not a single study showing that DRU (digital rectal examination) has ever saved a single life – modern diagnostics have evolved. Prostate MRI (magnetic resonance imaging – MRI) detects prostate cancer with over 90% certainty – or excludes relevant cancer foci. Many experts are now of the opinion that an MRI of the prostate should be carried out first if a prostate carcinoma is suspected.

MR mammography – the better breast cancer screening

Breast cancer is a potentially fatal disease that affects 20% of all women in their lifetime. Breast cancer prevention and breast cancer screening, measures that are intended to save lives through early detection, are therefore the logical consequence. What most women and many doctors do not know: The established preventive and screening examinations with traditional mammography are largely useless. This means that women who take part in mammography screening die of breast cancer just as often and just as quickly as women who do not take part in mammography screening. Some experts are convinced that mammography screening causes more harm than good due to the unavoidable radiation exposure and false positive findings as well as subsequent biopsies. This is why countries such as Switzerland have now discontinued traditional mammography screening.

Prevention and early detection