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Computed Tomography ( CT ) Scan

Description :

CT imaging has most commonly been used for diagnosing diseases of the brain, nasal and sinus cavities, orbit, mediastinum, lung, liver, adrenal gland, elbow joint, and spine. Although CT is a noninvasive imaging technique, ionized radiation from the x-ray tube is produced.

Computed tomography uses a computer to mathematically reconstruct a cross-sectional image of the body area from measurements of x-ray transmission through thin slices of patient tissue. In the machine, a narrow, collimated beam of x-rays is generated on one side of the patient. Sensitive detectors on the opposite side of the patient measure the amount of x-ray transmission through a tissue slice of the patient. These measurements are repeated many times from different directions as the x-ray tube rotates around the patient.

Indications (preferred) for this procedure :

By Body Region

• Abdomen :
• Upper urinary tract evaluation - ectopic ureter, renal/ureteral calculus.
• Clarification and surgical planning of large organ masses - hepatic, splenic, renal, intestinal.
• Clarification of known or suspected portosystemic shunt.
• Cardiovascular :
• Pulmonary embolism.
• Central Nervous System - Brain :
• Skull trauma with suspected fracture.
• Acute intracranial trauma in critical, unstable patient.
• Central Nervous System - Spine :
• Vertebral fractures.
• Joints, Musculoskeletal :
• Evaluation of elbow dysplasia.
• Suspected incomplete ossification of the humeral condyles (spaniel breeds).
• Complex fractures, including pelvis.
• Nasal Cavity :
• Chronic nasal discharge, chronic sneezing, nasal cavity distortion, suspected nasal mass.
• Orbits :
• Orbital trauma with fracture.
• Other Head and Neck :
• Dental-based mass.
• Other head/skull trauma with suspected fractures.
• Thorax :
• Metastasis screening.
• Primary lung mass(es).
• Pneumothorax.
• Lung consolidation, chronic pneumonia.
• Pleural effusion.
• Mediastinal disease.

By Non-Body Region

• Cancer :
• Lung metastasis screening.