CT SCAN
A computerized tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays and a computer to capture highly detailed images of the inside of your body
CT-Scan; Everything You Need to Know
CT scanning, sometimes referred to as a CAT scan, is a non-invasive imaging technology that uses a combination of rotating X-Ray machines and computers to produce accurate, detailed images of the inside of your body.
A CT scan can be used to diagnose a wide variety of conditions and injuries. It can help your doctor both to decide what treatment is right for you, and later to see how well that treatment is working.
You might also have heard of an MRI scanner, which is also used to produce detailed images of the inside of your body. Unlike an MRI machine, a CT scanner is not an enclosed tube that surrounds your body. It is a large, donut-shaped ring that rotates around your body.
During the scan, you will lie on your back on a bed that passes through the scanner, and the ring will rotate around a small section of your body as you pass through it. You will be asked to breathe in, breathe out, or hold your breath at certain moments during the scan.
A CT scanner is operated by a radiographer, which is a healthcare professional who is specially trained in operating medical equipment like X-Ray machines and MRI scanners. The results will then be interpreted by your radiologist, a doctor, who will use the scans to help diagnose your condition. They might also be involved in building your treatment plan, but this depends on your individual circumstances.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for a CT-Scan, please contact our Patient Services Department:
UAN #: 051 5562562
Disclaimer:
At HWMDC, all diagnostic tests are performed using scientifically recognized methods. Every test has inherent limitations, such as the possibility of false positives or false negatives. If needed, we offer free repeat tests within 24-48 hours.
Why might you need a CT-Scan?
A mass in your abdomen:
Symptoms include unexplained weight loss, abnormal bleeding, and abdominal pain.
Vascular disease:
Symptoms include numbness or weakness in your legs, reduced mobility, and thickened toenails.
Head injuries:
Symptoms include dizziness, loss of memory, and sickness.
A stroke:
Symptoms include sudden confusion, paralysis of one side of your body, and blurred vision.
A soft tissue injury, for example a damaged ligament
Symptoms include swelling, severe pain, and stiffness in your joint.
Nerve damage:
Symptoms include tingling and numbness in the affected area, and sometimes an inability to feel pain or temperature in the affected area.
Your doctor might also recommend a CT scan to:
1. Measure your blood flow
2. Check how big a tumor is and whether it has spread from its primary location to a secondary location in your body
The benefits of having CT-Scan
It provides detailed images of the soft tissues inside your body
Unlike traditional X-ray imaging, CT scans can provide images of both your bones and your soft tissues. Soft tissues connect and support your internal organs. They include your muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels. Detailed images of your soft tissues can help diagnose a range of conditions and injuries across your body.
It is not a claustrophobic environment
CT scans are painless and relatively fast procedures that produce detailed images of the inside of your body to diagnose a range of conditions.
CT scanners do not surround your entire body at once but rotate around small parts of your body as you pass through it, so you shouldn’t feel claustrophobic or enclosed at any point.
It covers your entire body:
While an X-Ray typically takes an image of a specific part of your body, a CT scanner can take multiple images across multiple sections of your body as it rotates. It covers large areas of your body that a smaller machine could not. This is a useful way of understanding where your symptoms originate from and targeting localized conditions and injuries across your body.
It can detect medical issues in their early stages:
A CT scan can check for a variety of conditions, including tumors, abnormal bleeding, swelling, and head injuries. Because it is extensive and covers large areas of your body at once, a CT scan is more likely than other testing methods to detect underlying issues in their early stages across your body. This can help you find the right treatment quickly and efficiently.
CT scans check the effectiveness of ongoing treatment:
It might be part of your treatment plan to check the effectiveness of ongoing treatment at various stages throughout your journey with us. In other cases, a CT might be recommended if treatment has not helped to manage your condition and your doctors want to see why.
If you do need a CT scan to check the effectiveness of treatment for an already diagnosed condition, your radiologist will organize this for you.
How to book a CT-Scans with health ways medical Diagnostic
The type of consultant you will meet with depends on your symptoms. For example, if you have joint pain, you will meet with an orthopaedic consultant – also known as a consultant orthopedic surgeon. If you are experiencing neurological symptoms, such as dizziness, numbness, and confusion, you will meet with a consultant neurologist. You don’t need to worry about working out which is the right specialist for you; it will all be detailed in your referral letter.
If your consultant confirms you need a CT scan to investigate your symptoms further, they will book one for you. This will most likely be done onsite at the same hospital where you had your consultation, and you should be able to choose a date and time that suits you. Your consultant will know exactly how quickly you need to have a CT scan and they’ll make sure you get an appointment as soon as is necessary, meaning you don’t have to worry about your symptoms getting worse while you wait.
The cost of CT-Scan
Preparing for a CT-Scan
Before your scan, your radiologist will explain the process in detail so that you know what to expect. Remember, you can speak to your radiographer through an intercom at any point throughout the scan, and they will be able to see you at all times on a television monitor. You are not alone throughout the process of having a CT scan, and you can stop the scan at any point, should you wish.
In preparation for the scan, you must remove any metal objects from your body. This is because the CT scanner produces strong magnetic fields, and metal objects inside the scanner can interact with the magnetism, causing complications during the scan and interfering with the quality of the images taken. This includes:
• Watches
• Piercings
• Jewellery
• Hearing aids
You will be asked to change into a hospital gown and place your items in a locker before the scan is performed.
Preparing for dye injections
Some scans involve an injection of contrast dyes into your arm to make certain soft tissues and blood vessels show up clearly in the images. During this part of the process, a cannula (a thin plastic tube) will be inserted into a vein in your arm, which will inject contrast dye during the scan. Your nurse might put some anesthetic cream or spray onto your skin to numb the area of your arm before inserting the cannula. This should not be painful and does not take long to insert. The cannula will be removed after your scan.
A CT scan is a painless procedure, so you will not need general anesthetic (you do not feel pain when under anaesthesia).
You will be asked to fill out a safety questionnaire ahead of your appointment. This is so that your radiographer and radiologist have a good understanding of your general health and medical history. It will also highlight whether you have any metallic implants that might interfere with the results of your scan.