Your doctor recommends a CT (Computed Tomography) scan to understand the source of injuries, infections, tumours, joint pain, and monitor the chronic diseases treatments. But many times, your own lack of knowledge and expectations of this medical imaging test distance you from diagnosing and guiding necessary medical treatments.
When you are aware of the CT scan process, situations where it is effective, and its safety aspects, you can have confidence and trust in taking your doctor’s recommendations seriously.
For this reason, this blog should guide you through the CT scan, how it works, why it is necessary, and whether the scan is safe for every patient. So, before searching for CT scans near me, trust this guide to make a healthy decision.
What is a CT Scan?
It is a medical imaging test that diagnoses areas of injuries, possible diseases, and other inflammations. A single X-ray cannot frame detailed images of the internal organs, soft tissues, blood vessels, and bones of your body. This is where a CT scan creates multiple X-rays from different angles to help a radiologist find issues inside of the brain, abdomen, and spine.
The process of CT scan is non-surgical and quick for diagnosing tumours, infections, blood clots, fractures, organ damages, and even cancer.
How Does a CT Scan Work?
Here’s a step-by-step clarification of how a CT scan works:
1. Preparation:
Firstly, you will have to lie on the table. Remember to change into a gown or remove any metal jewellery before laying down as these objects interfere with the imaging. Depending on the affected area of your body, radiologists provide contrast dye, which is a special substance helping doctors to see through the internal organs of your body more clearly.
You can take the dye orally, through intravenous injections, or as another medical procedure. With clean and visible tissues and blood vessels in the images, detecting problems becomes easier.
2. Positioning:
Next, you will position yourself in a way to make the affected area easy to scan. It is good to find CT scans near me that have trained radiologists for positioning patients accurately. You may also need to hold your breath especially when you are imaging chest or abdomen.
3. Scanning:
Then comes the scanning where the table moves slowly inside the scanner while the X-ray tube rotates around your body. During this time, the tube takes images from different angles.
4. Image Processing:
Thereafter, the computer processes these images to create cross-sectional 3D images. This allows doctors to see both minor to big picture of the diseases, injuries, and abnormalities. Ultimately, detailed images are one of the reasons why CT scans are so valuable in diagnosing complex issues.
5. Analysis:
The X-rays are then taken to the radiologist who reads and interprets signs of injury, chronic diseases, fractures, joint abnormalities, cancer location, spread of tumour, and changes in the body after medical treatments, depending on your specific case.
Post which your primary doctor receives a report and use the information as per the results to develop a treatment plan. Hence, it is wise to search for centres serving CT scans near me to get a quick response.
Understanding the Safety of CT Scans
CT scans use X-rays that throw a small dose of ionising radiation. While this may sound concerning, the radiation is safe as it accurately diagnoses issues inside the body to prevent them from escalating later. However, it is safe to enquire about the safety of machines and technologies from the imaging centre coordinators before going in for the radiation in CT scans.
Besides using the latest and adaptive technologies, these medical professionals adhere to ALARA (As Low as Reasonably Achievable) principles. This indicates that doses of radiation are minimum and do not compromise the image quality. In many cases, you can even ask for personalised CT scans near me as per your body stature and affected areas.
Is Contrast Dyes in CT Scans Safe?
Contrast dyes, as stated above, are generally safe for consumption. The dye passes through the body without harm and excretes from the body within 24 hours. You might experience metallic taste, nausea, or warm sensation after consuming the contrast but the effect goes away as quickly.
In some cases, however, the contrast dye can cause severe allergies if you are pregnant, have kidney-related issues, or other allergies. It is wise to talk to your doctor beforehand to make adjustments in the imaging experience or take alternatives.
If your doctor has recommended a CT scan, don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have about the process. Understanding how CT scans work and their benefits can provide peace of mind and help you make the best decisions for your health, reducing the chances of permanent issues later in life.
Final Words
We hope you found this blog useful. Coming to an end, it is clear that a CT scan is a versatile and powerful imaging technique to diagnose problem areas, their sources, and possibilities of risks as you age.
We have walked you through the explanation of CT scan, step-by-step process of how the planning till the analysis process works, and reliability of the imaging test, whether in terms of radiation or contrast dyes.
Take the next step – schedule your first online appointment with an imaging centre like Care Scan as you begin your search for CT scans near me.
