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What are the side effects of a CT scan?

Most people have no side effects from a head CT scan. If you receive a head CT with contrast, there is a small risk of having an allergic reaction to the injected iodine. If you have a history of an iodine allergy, or have a sensitivity to shellfish, you should notify the CT technician ahead of time, when scheduling the test. In these cases, steroids and other medications may be given to you in advance of the iodine injection, which helps prevent an allergic reaction.

When you receive the iodine injection, you may feel a warm or flushed sensation.  You also may have a metallic taste in your mouth. Both of these feelings are expected and resolve quickly.

The risk of cancer from the radiation dose you receive from a single CT scan is very low. The information that is generated by the test and the benefit to your overall health that the CT scan provides will usually offset the minimal increase in overall cancer risk. The risk of causing cancer is higher in patients who receive multiple CT scans over a long period of time.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.