What is a CT scan?
CT scan or computed tomography which was earlier known as computed axial tomography or CAT scan, was invented by Godfrey Hounsfield in 1972. CT scan uses x rays to examine parts of body. It is not a normal x ray but it uses moving x rays to create cross sectional images. X rays are sent from various angles to create series of images which helps is creating cross sectional view of slices of body parts such as bones, soft tissues etc. CT scan can diagnose almost every part of the body unlike ultrasound which can diagnose soft tissues and flow of blood.
How it works?
During a CT scan, x rays are sent into the patients body through a rotating tube. Several beams of x rays are sent through the body unlike x ray machine which sends a single beam. Several images of cross sectional view of the organ are generated using rotating x rays. These moving x rays are recorded by a computer to generate the desired view. Images generated are much more detailed than a plain x ray image and hence they are very effective in finding out internal injuries or bleeding or any critical illness.
CT Scan Procedure
The patient is asked to lie on a table which is surrounded by a ct scan machine X rays through a rotating tube are sent to the part of body that is to be diagnosed Each rotation creates cross sectional view of thin slice of organ Pictures generted are saved on a computer machine for interpretation
Time Duration
Typical CT scan takes 20 minutes to 60 minutes. Scanning takes only a few minutes but rest of the time is taken by preparations and image quality check
Preparations For CT Scan
Preparations for an CT scan depend on the part of body or the organ that is to be examined. Different types of preparations are required for different organs.
* Depending on the part of the body that is to be diagnosed for example chest ct scan or abdominal ct scan, you may be asked to remove clothes partially of completely and wear a gown provided by the lab.
*Remove any metal object, jewellary, electronic devices, eye glasses etc to avoid interference with x rays.
* Doctor may ask for a few hours of fasting before going for scan.
* Doctor may ask for special preparations in case of some on-going medication.
* Breastfeeding women should avoid CT scan or in case of emergency they should avoid breast feeding for 24 hours after the scan.
* Sometimes a dye is injected through veins in order to generate contrast images of the body part.
Uses of CT Scan
CT scan can be used to diagnose almost any part of the body to diagnose internal injuries, bleeding, diseases etc. Following are the common issues that can be diagnosed using CT scan -
* Pain in abdomen
* Kidney stones
* Internal Injuries
* Infections or blood clots and even cancer
* CT scan can diagnose problems in heart, blood vessels, lungs etc
* CT scan can diagnose problems in kidney, urinary tract, bladder, blockages etc
* CT scan can diagnose prostat problems abd seminal vesicles also
* It can diagnose problems in bones, joints for ex wrist, knee, shoulder, ankle etc
Below Are Some Most Common CT Scans
Most commonly CT scan is used to diagnose injuries or diseases in brain or head. Other commonly used ct scans are Abdominal CT scan -
* CT scan of spleen
* CT scan of adrenal glands
* CT scan of gall bladder and bile duct
* Diagnosing tumors in pancreas abd other parts of body It is used to diagnose cysts, inflammatory bowel, lung cancer etc
Helps in guided biopsies also
* CT scan can examine bone diseases, bone density and other spinal diseases very effectively
Pregnant women shoukd avoud ct scan as x ray beams can harm the fetus in abnormal ways
Overuse of CT scan can cause cancer
Types Of CT Scans
There are various types of Ct scans that have evolved with time and imaging technology advancements but the basic technology used in all type of CT scans is X Ray technology. CT scans can be plain or contrast depending on the requirement of details
CT scan paired with positron emission tomography is know as PET CT scan. PET scan is used to diagnose cancer. It produces results much more quickly and is more detail than a conventional CT scan.
Different Types of CT scans available in the market -
PET CT Scan
Positron emission tomography used for diagnosis or cancer
Spiral Or helical CT scan
Advancement in ct scan technology has bring in new developments called spiral or helical CT scan technology. Rotating X ray beams produce three dimensional images instead of 2 dimentional. This type is scan is must fater than a conventional CT scan.
High Resolution CT scans OR HRCT
To to examine reasons for inflammation in lungs.
CECT or Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography
Used for abdominal scan using a contrast dye to generate brighter images.Price List For Various CT Scans in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon and NCR
Prices for an ultrasound scan may vary from one lab to other. Price also depends on the type of ultrasound. Below is price chart for some popular ultrasound scans
Cost For PET CT Scan in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon and NCR starts at Rs 9999.00
Results Of A CT Scan
CT scan takes 15 to 30 mins including all the preparations and injection of medicine. Reports are available within a couple of hours. Images generated during the scan are interpreted by the radiologist. Radiologist than creates the report based on the findings and the report is sent to examining doctor.
If no tumors, abnormalities, blood clots, internal bleeding or fractures are detected then the report is normal but if there axist in abnormalities or injuries then further tests and treatment are required.
