Ct scan what does it mean

Tell your doctor if there's a possibility you are pregnant and discuss any recent illnesses, medical conditions, medications you're taking, and allergies. You will be instructed not to eat or drink anything for a few hours beforehand. If you have a known allergy to contrast material, your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. Leave jewelry at home and wear loose, comfortable clothing.

You may be asked to wear a gown. Like traditional x-rays, it produces multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. A CT scan generates images that can be reformatted in multiple planes. It can even generate three-dimensional images. Your doctor can review these images on a computer monitor, print them on film or via a 3D printer, or transfer them to a CD or DVD.

CT images of internal organs, bones, soft tissue, and blood vessels provide greater detail than traditional x-rays. This is especially true for soft tissues and blood vessels. Using specialized equipment and expertise to create and interpret CT scans of the body, radiologists can more easily diagnose problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, appendicitis, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your exam. You may need to change into a gown for the procedure. Metal objects, including jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures, and hairpins, may affect the CT images.

Leave them at home or remove them prior to your exam. Some CT exams will require you to remove hearing aids and removable dental work. Women will need to remove bras containing metal underwire. You may need to remove any piercings, if possible. Your doctor may instruct you to not eat or drink anything for a few hours before your exam if it will use contrast material.

Tell your doctor about all medications you are taking and if you have any allergies. If you have a known allergy to contrast material, your doctor may prescribe medications usually a steroid to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.

To avoid unnecessary delays, contact your doctor well before the date of your exam. Also tell your doctor about any recent illnesses or other medical conditions and whether you have a history of heart disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, or thyroid problems.

Any of these conditions may increase the risk of an adverse effect. Women should always inform their physician and the CT technologist if there is any possibility that they may be pregnant. The CT scanner is typically a large, donut-shaped machine with a short tunnel in the center.

You will lie on a narrow table that slides in and out of this short tunnel. Rotating around you, the x-ray tube and electronic x-ray detectors are located opposite each other in a ring, called a gantry. The computer workstation that processes the imaging information is in a separate control room. This is where the technologist operates the scanner and monitors your exam in direct visual contact.

The technologist will be able to hear and talk to you using a speaker and microphone. In many ways, a CT scan works like other x-ray exams. Different body parts absorb x-rays in different amounts. This difference allows the doctor to distinguish body parts from one another on an x-ray or CT image.

A conventional x-ray exam directs a small amount of radiation through the body part under examination. A special electronic image recording plate captures the image.

Bones appear white on the x-ray. Soft tissue, such as the heart or liver, shows up in shades of gray. Air appears black. With CT scanning, several x-ray beams and electronic x-ray detectors rotate around you. These measure the amount of radiation being absorbed throughout your body.

Sometimes, the exam table will move during the scan. A special computer program processes this large volume of data to create two-dimensional cross-sectional images of your body. The system displays the images on a computer monitor. CT imaging is sometimes compared to looking into a loaf of bread by cutting the loaf into thin slices. When the computer software reassembles the image slices, the result is a very detailed multidimensional view of the body's interior.

Nearly all CT scanners can obtain multiple slices in a single rotation. These multi-slice multidetector CT scanners obtain thinner slices in less time. This results in more detail. Modern CT scanners can image large sections of the body in just a few seconds, and even faster in small children.

Such speed is beneficial for all patients. Speed is especially beneficial for children, the elderly, and critically ill — anyone who finds it difficult to stay still, even for the brief time necessary to obtain images.

For children, the radiologist will adjust the CT scanner technique to their size and the area of interest to reduce the radiation dose. The technologist begins by positioning you on the CT exam table, usually lying flat on your back. They may use straps and pillows to help you maintain the correct position and remain still during the exam. Many scanners are fast enough to scan children without sedation.

In special cases, children who cannot hold still may need sedation. Motion may cause blurring of the images and degrade image quality the same way that it affects photographs.

Gallium is radioactive, but the risk of radiation exposure…. A cervical spine CT scan uses X-rays and computer imaging to create a visual model of your cervical spine. We explain the procedure and its uses.

Learn the ins and outs of MRI vs. X-ray imaging tests, including the pros and cons of each test, how they compare to CT scans, how much they cost, and…. Paracentesis is a procedure to remove excess fluid from the abdominal cavity. This fluid buildup is called ascites. Learn about preparation, recovery…. Learn more. An abdominal film is an X-ray of the abdomen. This type of X-ray can be used to diagnose many conditions. Learn more here. The part of your body getting scanned and the number of images needed play a role in determining how long the MRI will take.

Here's what to expect. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. CT Computed Tomography Scan. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. A CT scan may be used to visualize the: head shoulders spine heart abdomen knee chest During a CT scan, you lie in a tunnel-like machine while the inside of the machine rotates and takes a series of X-rays from different angles. Read this next. Cranial CT Scan. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.

CT Scan vs. The patient will need to lie down on a motorized examination table that slides into a doughnut-shaped CT scanner machine. In most cases, the patient will lie on their back, facing up.

But, sometimes, they may need to lie facedown or sideways. After one x-ray picture, the couch will move slightly, and then the machine will take another image, and so on. The patient needs to lie very still for the best results. During the scan, everybody except for the patient will leave the room. An intercom will enable two-way communication between the radiographer and the patient. If the patient is a child, a parent or adult might be allowed to stand or sit nearby, but they will have to wear a lead apron to prevent radiation exposure.

These levels of radiation, even in people who have undergone several scans, has not proven to be harmful. The chance of developing cancer as the result of a CT scan is thought to be less than 1 in 2, The amount of radiation involved is estimated to be around the same as a person would be exposed to in a space of between several months and several years of natural exposure in the environment.

A scan is only given if there is a clear medical reason to do so. The results can lead to treatment for conditions that could otherwise be serious. When the decision is taken to perform a scan, doctors will ensure that the benefits outweigh any risk. This is extremely unlikely in adults, and also unlikely in children. However, are more susceptible to the effects of radiation. In some cases, only a CT scan can show the required results.

For some conditions, an ultrasound or MRI might be possible. Any woman who suspects she may be pregnant should tell her doctor beforehand, because there is a risk that the x-rays could harm the fetus. If a lactating, or breastfeeding, mother needs an iodinated intravenous dye for contrast, she should avoid breastfeeding for about 24 hours as may pass into the breast milk. A patient who has claustrophobia should tell their doctor or radiographer beforehand.

The patient may be given an injection or tablet to calm them down before the scan. Your health care provider will usually be able to recommend a suitable facility for a scan. You can check if a radiologist is accredited by searching on the website of the American College of Radiology. X-rays may pose a small cancer risk, but their benefits far outweigh their risks, and they frequently save lives.