During a cardiac CT scan, dye is injected through an IV so that the coronary arteries can be inspected for blockages.
CT Scan
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1 AnswerA
Alliance For Kids® answeredTo explain to your child what happens during a computerized tomography (CT) scan, you can tell him or her the following:- You will go to the CT scan in a wheelchair or on a bed with wheels.
- When you get to the room where your pictures will be taken, the nurse will help move you to the bed that slides in and out of the CT camera.
- The camera looks like a big doughnut with a hole in the middle. The bed will slide into the hole when it is time for your pictures.
- The bed sometimes has a cloth seatbelt, just like in a car, to keep you safe.
- Having your pictures taken will not hurt and nothing will touch you.
- A CT scan takes about five to 15 minutes. You may hear a soft humming sound when the camera is working.
- You may need to drink some special medicine called contrast. This medicine helps your doctor see the pictures of your body better that were checked with the camera.
- The special medicine or contrast may also be given through your intravenous (IV) line.
- The radiology technologist taking the pictures will be able to see you and talk to you during the procedure.
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RealAge answeredA full-body CT scan is an imaging tool that takes a picture of the body from the chin to just below the hips by using a technology called x-ray computed tomography (CT). Computed tomography uses special x-ray equipment to take cross-sectional pictures of the body, which can give much more detail about internal structures than traditional x-rays alone.
CT scans can be used to diagnose cancer, broken bones, blood clots, internal bleeding, heart disease and other medical conditions in people who have symptoms. They can also be helpful in monitoring the progression of disease or in gauging the effectiveness of a treatment.
However, the use of full-body CT scans in healthy, symptomless people is controversial. Some people who are healthy and are not experiencing any symptoms, but who feel that having a scan of their bodies can give them "peace of mind" and reassure them they are disease-free, may ask their doctors if they can have a full-body CT scans. According to the Food and Drug Administration, full-body scans have not been proven to be safe and effective for this purpose. Furthermore, they could lead to false positive results, unncessary follow-up testing and increased anxiety and stress, rather than peace of mind, as well as the unknown effects of exposing this asymptomatic patient to a significant amount of radiation.
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Brigham and Women's Hospital answeredYou may want to ask your physician about the amount of radiation used during the computed tomography (CT) procedure, a noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedure, and the risks related to your particular situation. It is a good idea to keep a record of your past history of radiation exposure, such as previous CT scans and other types of x-rays, so that you can inform your physician. Risks associated with radiation exposure may be related to the cumulative number of x-ray examinations and/or treatments over a long period of time.
If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your physician. Radiation exposure during pregnancy may lead to birth defects.
If contrast dye is used, there is a risk for allergic reaction to the dye. Studies show that eighty-five percent of the population will not experience an adverse reaction from iodinated contrast; however, you will need to let your physician know if you have ever had a reaction to any contrast dye, and/or any kidney problems. A reported seafood allergy is not considered to be a contraindication for iodinated contrast.
Patients with kidney failure or other kidney problems should notify their physician. In some cases, the contrast dye can cause kidney failure, especially if the person is taking Glucophage (a diabetic medication). The effects of kidney disease and contrast agents have attracted increased attention over the last decade, as patients with kidney disease are more prone to kidney damage after contrast exposure.
There may be other risks depending upon your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your physician prior to the procedure. -
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Penn Medicine answeredSee All 3 AnswersA CT or CAT scan is a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the chest, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography. -
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Jumo Health answeredIn computerized tomography (CT) scans, also called computed tomography or CAT scans, with contrast, people are given a dye to make the pictures really stand out. Contrast lets parts of the body be seen in extra detail. It is given as a drink or an injection right before the CT scan is performed. The injection can hurt a bit but the pain doesn’t last for long.
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Brigham and Women's Hospital answeredSee All 8 Answers
A "CT scan" is the term used to describe a radiologic test known as "computerized tomography." Computed tomography is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat and organs. CT scans are more detailed than standard x-rays.
In standard x-rays, a beam of energy is aimed at the body part being studied. A plate behind the body part captures the variations of the energy beam after it passes through skin, bone, muscle and other tissue. While much information can be obtained from a standard x-ray, a lot of detail about internal organs and other structures is not available.
In computed tomography, the x-ray beam moves in a circle around the body. This allows many different views of the same organ or structure. The x-ray information is sent to a computer that interprets the x-ray data and displays it in a two-dimensional (2D) form on a monitor.
CT scans may be done with or without "contrast." Contrast refers to a substance taken by mouth or injected into an intravenous (IV) line that causes the particular organ or tissue under study to be seen more clearly. Contrast examinations may require you to fast for a certain period of time before the procedure. Your physician will notify you of this prior to the procedure.
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The Medical Center of Aurora answeredSee All 2 AnswersWhen deciding if a computed tomography (CT) scan is right for you, the most important question to ask is whether the benefits of the CT scan outweigh the concerns. It's important to know as well that doctors use these fundamental principles before proceeding with CT scans.
- Justification: Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
- Optimization: Obtain the best image by using the lowest dose of radiation to reduce potential future risk.
Safety and dose reduction are number one priorities prior to, during and after CT scanning procedures. Increasing the dialogue between you and your doctor is vital to maintaining peace of mind, agreement and understanding throughout your treatment process.
In discussing potential CT scanning, you and your doctor should be engaged in a joint decision process. If you feel concerned, ask and discuss the alternatives. Although alternatives, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, do not yield the same results or information as a CT scan, these options should be discussed and accessible if you have concerns.
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Piedmont Heart Institute answeredSee All 3 AnswersDuring a computed tomography (CT) scan, the person lies very still on a table. The table slowly passes through the center of a large x-ray machine. The person might hear whirring sounds during the procedure. People may be asked to hold their breath at times, to prevent blurring of the pictures.
Often, a contrast agent, or "dye," may be given by mouth, injected into a vein, given by enema, or given in all three ways before the CT scan is done. The contrast dye can highlight specific areas inside the body, resulting in a clearer picture.
Computed tomography scans do not cause any pain. However, lying in one position during the procedure may be slightly uncomfortable. The length of the procedure depends on the size of the area being x-rayed; CT scans take from 15 minutes to 1 hour to complete. For most people, the CT scan is performed on an outpatient basis at a hospital or a doctor's office, without an overnight hospital stay.
This answer is based on source information from the National Cancer Institute.