Computed tomography, also called CT or CAT scan, was first introduced 30 years ago to help doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions. Since then, CT scanning capabilities have advanced quickly, graduating to four-slice (or view) technology introduced in 1998, and then leap-frogging from 16-slice to 64-slice capabilities today. A higher number of slices provide better images of the internal organ being studied. Doctors use these advanced CT scanners for a wide range of medical applications, such as diagnosing muscle and bone disorders, locating a tumor or blood clot, and detecting cancer or heart disease. Several Tenet Hospitals in Florida have already acquired a 64-slice CT including Delray Medical Center, Hialeah Hospital, North Shore Medical Center – FMC Campus, Palmetto General Hospital and West Boca Medical Center.
How CT Scanning WorksA CT scanner consists of a movable table that glides through an X-ray generating device that circles the body. Cross-sectional images are created of the organ being studied – similar to slices from a loaf of bread. These views are then manipulated on a computer to produce three-dimensional images that are more detailed and clear than conventional X-ray exams.
CT scans are painless, non-invasive diagnostic tests. A CT scan may be done with an injected low-level radioactive dye (with contrast) in order to improve the images generated. The entire scanning process, including exam preparation and administration of a contrast medium (if necessary), takes approximately one hour. The scan itself may last only a few minutes. Patients can return to normal activities after the scan is completed.
64-slice CT scanners provide images in higher resolution and in a shorter amount of time than 16-slice CT scanners. By dividing the organ, for example the heart, into 64 imaginary slices, doctors can more easily pinpoint blockages on the amazingly detailed, three-dimensional images.
The Benefits of CT Scans
CT scans may help save lives, time and money. CT scanning can be used in emergency cases to provide detailed images of internal bleeding or skull fractures quickly enough to help save a life.
Spiral CT scans are being studied as a possible means of detecting lung cancer in its earlier stages. There is some evidence that a CT scan can detect small lung cancers, but they don’t yet know whether these tests will help save lives.
A report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that 64-slice CT scans are 75 percent accurate in identifying which emergency room patients actually had serious heart problems. Quick diagnosis helps doctors appropriately treat patients experiencing serious heart trouble while avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and testing for patients who in fact have non-life threatening conditions such as indigestion or a strained muscle.
On average, the cost of diagnosing a heart patient with a CT scan is less than the standard approach, which may involve blood tests and an electrocardiogram (ECG). The average time for diagnosing a heart condition with a CT scan was 3.4 hours, compared to 15 with the standard approach.
Who Can Have a CT Scan
Unlike magnetic resonance imaging, patients with implanted medical devices can have a CT scan. The procedure is not, however, recommended for women who may be pregnant and for people with certain medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, kidney or thyroid problems) due to a slight risk of an allergic reaction to the contrast medium.
If the past is any indication, CT scans will continue to play a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of clinical problems. From lung cancer to heart attacks, head trauma to kidney disease, CT scans are here to stay – and patients will continue to benefit from this advancing technology.
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