CT Scan

A CT scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce images of the inside of the body. It shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, organs and blood vessels. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays.

How Do CT Scans Work?

They use a narrow X-ray beam that circles around one part of your body. This provides a series of images from many different angles. A computer uses this information to create a cross-sectional picture. Like one piece in a loaf of bread, this two-dimensional (2D) scan shows a “slice” of the inside of your body.

This process is repeated to produce a number of slices. The computer stacks these scans one on top of the other to create a detailed image of your organs, bones, or blood vessels. For example, a surgeon may use this type of scan to look at all sides of a tumor to prepare for an operation.

What Is It Used For?

Doctors order CT scans for a long list of reasons:

CT scans can detect bone and joint problems, like complex bone fractures and tumors.

If you have a condition like cancer, heart disease, emphysema, or liver masses, CT scans can spot it or help doctors see any changes.

They show internal injuries and bleeding, such as those caused by a car accident.

They can help locate a tumor, blood clot, excess fluid, or infection.

Doctors use them to guide treatment plans and procedures, such as biopsies, surgeries, and radiation therapy.

Doctors can compare CT scans to find out if certain treatments are working. For example, scans of a tumor over time can show whether it’s responding to chemotherapy or radiation.

Several types of low dose CT scans :

• CT Scan Abdomen
• CT Angiography
• CT Scan Arthrography
• CT Scan Bones
• CT Scan Brain/ CT Scan Head
• CT Scan Chest (CT Scan Lung)
• CT Scan Neck
• CT Scan Pelvis
• CT Scan Renal Stones
• CT Scan Sinus
• CT Scan Spine

What Is a CT Scan with Contrast?

In a CT scan, dense substances like bones are easy to see. But soft tissues don’t show up as well. They may look faint in the image. To help them appear clearly, you may need a special dye called a contrast material. They block the X-rays and appear white on the scan, highlighting blood vessels, organs, or other structures.

Contrast materials are usually made of iodine or barium sulfate. You might receive these drugs in one or more of three ways:

Injection: The drugs are injected directly into a vein. This is done to help your blood vessels, urinary tract, liver, or gallbladder stand out in the image.

Orally: Drinking a liquid with the contrast material can enhance scans of your digestive tract, the pathway of food through your body.

Enema: If your intestines are being scanned, the contrast material can be inserted in your rectum.

After the CT scan, you’ll need to drink plenty of fluids to help your kidneys remove the contrast material from your body.

What are the side effects of contrast dye after a CT scan?

Late adverse reactions after intravascular iodinated contrast medium include symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, itching, skin rash, musculoskeletal pain, and fever.

When is CT angiography done?

Some reasons to have a CT angiogram include: To find an aneurysm (a blood vessel that has become enlarged and may be in danger of rupturing) To find blood vessels that have become narrowed by atherosclerosis (fatty material that forms plaques in the walls of arteries)