Applications of CT Scan

CT is used in many different ways:

• To detect abnormal growths
• To help diagnose the presence of a tumor
• To provide information about the stage of a cancer
• To determine exactly where to perform especially for biopsy procedure
• To guide certain local treatments, such as the implantation of radioactive seeds
• To help plan external-beam radiation therapy or surgery
• To determine whether a cancer is responding to treatment
• To detect recurrence of a tumor

Applications of CT scan

Applications	Uses
Cranial CT scan	-to create pictures of the head including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses -to diagnose brain tumors, bleeds, injuries to the brain and other major brain diseases
Lumbosacral Spine CT scan	-to diagnose lower spine and surrounding tissues -to access the spine for a herniated disk, tumors, and other lesions, the extent of injuries and blood vessel malformations -to evaluate the effects of treatment of the spine such as surgery or therapy
Chest/Thoracic CT scan	- to create cross-sectional pictures of the chest and upper abdomen - to visualize organs and tissues - provides images of multiple tissues such as lungs, heart, bones, muscles, blood vessels and soft tissues - to detect acute and chronic changes in lung parenchyma, diagnose tumors, emphysema, inflammations
CT Angiography	- helps in the visualization of blood flow in the arteries throughout the body - used in the diagnosis of aneurysms (bulging), stenosis (narrowing) of the arteries, dissection of the aorta
Abdominal CT scan	- to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area -to visualize organs such as stomach, gall bladder, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the colon and rectum

Lumbosacral Spine CT scan

Thoracic CT scan

Angiography CT scan

Abdominal CT scan

Cranial CT scan

Benefits          

• CT scanning is painless, noninvasive and accurate.
• A major advantage of CT is its ability to image bone, soft tissue and blood vessels all at the same time.
• Unlike conventional x‐rays, CT scanning provides very detailed images of many types of tissue as well as the lungs, bones, and blood vessels.
• CT examinations are fast and simple; in emergency cases, they can reveal internal injuries and bleeding quickly enough to help save lives.
• CT has been shown to be a cost‐effective imaging tool for a wide range of clinical problems.
• CT is less sensitive to patient movement than MRI.
• CT can be performed if you have an implanted medical device of any kind, unlike MRI.
• CT imaging provides real‐time imaging, making it a good tool for guiding minimally invasive procedures such as needle biopsies and needle aspirations of many areas of the body, particularly the lungs, abdomen, pelvis and bones.
• A diagnosis determined by CT scanning may eliminate the need for exploratory surgery and surgical biopsy.
• No radiation remains in a patient's body after a CT examination.
• X‐rays used in CT scans should have no immediate side effects.

Risk

CT Scan might risk the patients’ health through two factors which are ‘radiation exposure’ and ‘contrast medium’.

Radiation exposure

A CT scanner uses X-rays to obtain the pictures required for the radiologist to make a diagnosis. As is commonly known, X-rays are a form of radiation and must be used carefully by trained professionals to decrease the risks involved. The risks of radiation exposure are explained fully in the item entitled Radiation Risk of Medical Imaging in Adults and Children; but in summary these are:

• A very small increase in the risk of developing cancer later in life. This low risk is considered to be outweighed by the benefits provided by the scan.

• Risk to an unborn child if you are pregnant. This risk could take the form of a very small increase in the risk of cancer or a malformation if you are exposed to radiation during the first months of your pregnancy.

Contrast Medium

There is also a small risk of allergic reaction to iodinated contrast when it is injected. It is important to make the radiographer or nurse aware of any other allergies that you may have prior to having the injection. If you are allergic to other foods or drugs, it increases the chance that you will have an allergic reaction to iodinated contrast.

People who are allergic to the iodinated contrast used in CT may get some of the following symptoms:

• Nausea and/or vomiting
• A skin rash or hives
• Itching
• Sneezing or watering eyes
• Dizziness and/or headache