Imaging tests, such as CT and MRI scans, can help rule out
stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, or head injury as the cause of
vertigo.
A computed tomography (CT) scan looks at an area of the body by sending precise
X-ray beams, one right after another, through specific layers, or planes. A
computer processes the many separate "slices" of images into detailed pictures
of the body's internal structure. For more information, see
CT Scan of the Head and Face.
The
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner is a massive
cylinder-shaped magnet. The person lies inside the scanner, where the body is
exposed to a strong magnetic field and pulses of low-energy radio waves. This
causes the cells in the person's body to emit signals, depending on the type of
tissue they are part of (such as bone, organs, or tumors). A computer processes
the signals to produce detailed pictures of the body's internal structure. For
more information, see
MRI of the Head.
