CT Scan (Computed Tomography) - Cleveland Clinic

Computed tomography (CT) scan is a useful diagnostic tool for detecting diseases and injuries. It uses a series of X-rays and a computer to ... ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Registerforadrive-thrutestingappointment(closedJan.1) Needavaccineorbooster? Scheduletoday ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? NonessentialsurgeriespostponedinOhiothroughJan.14,2022 Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / Diagnostics&Testing CT(ComputedTomography)Scan Computedtomography(CT)scanisausefuldiagnostictoolfordetectingdiseasesandinjuries.ItusesaseriesofX-raysandacomputertoproducea3Dimageofsofttissuesandbones.CTisapainless,noninvasivewayforyourhealthcareprovidertodiagnoseconditions.YoumayhaveaCTscanatahospitalorimagingcenter. Appointments&Access ContactUs Overview TestDetails ResultsandFollow-Up AdditionalDetails CT(ComputedTomography)Scan Overview TestDetails ResultsandFollow-Up AdditionalDetails BackToTop Overview PatientEnteringCTScanner. WhatisaCTscan? Medicalprofessionalsusecomputedtomography,alsoknownasCTscan,toexaminestructuresinsideyourbody.ACTscanusesX-raysandcomputerstoproduceimagesofacross-sectionofyourbody.Ittakespicturesthatshowverythin“slices”ofyourbones,muscles,organsandbloodvesselssothathealthcareproviderscanseeyourbodyingreatdetail. TraditionalX-raymachinesuseafixedtubetopointX-raysatasinglespot.AsX-raystravelthroughthebody,theyareabsorbedindifferentamountsbydifferenttissues.Higherdensitytissuecreateawhiterimagethanothertissuesagainsttheblackbackgroundofthefilm.X-raysproduce2Dimages.CTscanshaveadoughnut-shapedtubethatrotatestheX-ray360degreesaroundyou.Thedatacapturedprovidesadetailed3Dviewoftheinsideofyourbody. AreaCTscanandCATscanthesamething? CTscansandCATscansdescribethesameimagingtest.CATscanstandsforcomputedaxialtomography. TestDetails PatientFullyInsideaCTScanner. WhatisaCTscanwithcontrast? Sometimes,yourscanusesacontrastagent.Thiscontrastagent,sometimescalledadye,improvestheimagesbyhighlightingcertainfeatures.YourhealthcareproviderwilleitherhaveyoudrinkaspecialliquidcontainingthecontrastagentorgiveyouanIVinjectionwiththecontrastorbothdependingonthetypeofCTscanandthereasonforthescan.Thecontrastagentisclearedfromyourbodythroughyoururine,firstrapidlythenmoreslowlyoverthenext24hours. HowdoIprepareforaCTscan? YourhealthcareproviderwillgiveyouinstructionsonhowtoprepareforyourCTscan.Onthedayoftheexam,youshouldpayattentionto: Arrival:Youshouldplantoarriveearly,dependingonyourhealthcareprovider’sinstructions.Arrivingearlyhelpsthetestingstayonschedule. Diet:Avoideatinganddrinkingforfourhoursbeforeyourexam. Medications:AskyourhealthcareproviderifyoushouldtakeyourregularmedicinesbeforetheCTscan. Comfort:Youshouldwearcomfortableclothes.Youmayneedtochangeintoagownbeforetheexamandremoveyourwatchandjewelry,includinganypiercingsyoucanremove.Youmayneedtoremovedenturesandhearingaids,too.Zippersandmetalobjectscanobstructthescan. IfyourCTscanusesdyeorcontrast,yourprovidermaygiveyousomespecificpreparationguidelines: Bloodtest:YoumayneedabloodtestbeforeyourscheduledCTscan.Thebloodtestwillmakesurethehealthcareproviderchoosestherightdye. Dietrestrictions:YouwillneedtowatchwhatyoueatanddrinkforthefourhoursbeforeyourCTscan.Consumingonlyclearliquidshelpspreventnauseawhenyoureceivethecontrastdye.Youcangenerallyhavebroth,teaorblackcoffee,strainedfruitjuices,plaingelatinandsoftdrinks,likegingerale. Allergymedication:IfyouareallergictothecontrastagentusedforCT(whichcontainsiodine),youmayneedtotakeasteroidmedicationthenightbeforeandmorningofyourprocedurealongwithanantihistamine,suchasbenedryl,beforetheexam.Besuretocheckwithyourhealthcareproviderandhavethemorderthesemedicationsforyouifneeded.ContrastagentsforMRIandCTaredifferent;beingallergictoonedoesn'tmeanyouareallergictotheother. Preparationsolution:Youshoulddrinktheoralcontrastsolutionasinstructedbyyourtechnologistornurse. Whathappensduringthetest? Duringthetest,youwilllieonyourbackonatable(likeabed).Ifyourtestrequiresit,ahealthcareprovidermayinjectthecontrastdyeintravenously(intoyourvein).Thisdyecanmakeyoufeelflushedorhaveametallictasteinyourmouth. Whenthescanbegins: Thebedslowlymovesintothedoughnut-shapedscanner.Atthispoint,youwillneedtostayasstillaspossiblebecausemovementcancreateblurryimages. Thescannertakespicturesoftheareathehealthcareproviderneedstosee.UnlikeanMRIscan,aCTscanissilent. Whentheexamisover,thetablemovesbackoutofthescanner. Howlongdoesthetesttake? Typically,youshouldplanforanhourforaCTscan.Mostofthattimeisforpreparation.Thescanitselftakesbetween10and30minutesorless.Generally,youcanresumeyouractivitiesafterahealthcareprovidersaysitissafetodoso—usuallyaftertheycompletethescanandverifyclearimages. ResultsandFollow-Up Howlongdoesittaketogetresults? Theresultsofthescanusuallytake24hours.Aradiologist,aphysicianwhospecializesinreadingandinterpretingCTscanandotherradiologicimages,willreviewyourscanandprepareareportthatexplainsthem.Inanemergencysetting,suchasahospitaloremergencyroom,healthcareprovidersoftenreceiveresultswithinanhour. Oncearadiologistandyourhealthcareproviderhavereviewedtheresults,youwilleitherhaveanotherappointmentorreceiveacall.Yourhealthcareproviderwilldiscusstheresultswithyou. AdditionalDetails WhatdoesaCTscanshow? YourhealthcareproviderwillorderaCTscantohelpmakeadiagnosisofyourhealth.Thescanenablesproviderstocloselyexaminebones,organsandothersofttissues,bloodvesselsandsuspiciousgrowths.ThingsthataCTscancanfindinclude: Certaintypesofcancerandbenign(noncancerous)tumors. Fractures(brokenbones). Heartdisease. Bloodclots. Boweldisorders(blockages,Crohn'sdisease). Brainandspinalcorddiseasesorinjuries. Internalbleeding. HealthcareproviderscanalsoseeorgansandtissuesonX-rays.ButonX-rays,bodystructuresappeartooverlap,makingitdifficulttoseeeverything.TheCTscanshowsspacesbetweenorgansforaclearerview. AreCTscanssafe? HealthcareprovidersconsiderCTscansgenerallysafe.CTscansforchildrenaresafe,too.Forchildren,yourCTtechnicianmayusemachinesadjustedforchildrentoreducetheirradiationexposure. CTscans,likeotherdiagnostics,useasmallamountofionizingradiationtocapturetheimage.SomerisksassociatedwithCTscansinclude: Cancerrisk:Alltypesofimagingusingradiation,suchasX-rays,causeasmallincreaseinyourriskofdevelopingcancer.Thedifferenceistootinytomeasureeffectively. Allergicreactions:Occasionally,peoplehaveaminorormoreseriousallergicreactiontothecontrastagent. IfyouhaveconcernsaboutthehealthrisksofCTscans,talktoyourhealthcareprovider.Theywilldiscussyourconcernsandhelpyoumakeaninformeddecisionaboutthescan. CanIhaveaCTscanifI’mpregnant? Ifyouareormightbepregnant,youshouldtelltheCTtechnician.CTscansofthepelvisandabdomencansubjecttheunbornbabytoradiation,butit’snotenoughtocauseactualharm.CTscansinotherpartsofthebodydon’tputyourbabyatanyrisk. AnotefromClevelandClinic CTscansareanexcellentdiagnostictool.YoumayhaveworrieswhenyourproviderordersaCTscan.Butthissafe,painlesstestisnoninvasiveandhasverylittlerisk.TherewardisthataCTscancanhelpyourprovidersaccuratelydiagnoseahealthconcernandprovidetherighttreatmentforyou.Talktoyourhealthcareprovideraboutanyconcernsyoumayhave,includingotheroptionsfortesting. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. 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