Computed tomography (CT scan) ranks as one of the top five medical developments in the last 50 years. This diagnosis procedure proven so valuable as a medical diagnostic tool that the 1979 Nobel prize in medicine was awarded to the inventors.
How it works?
Ct scan and conventional x-ray both take pictures of internal body structures. In conventional x-ray, the structures overlap. For example, the ribs overlay the lung and heart. In x-ray , structures of medical concern are often obscured by other organs or bones, making diagnosis difficult.
In a CT-scan imaging, overlapping structures are eliminated, making the internal anatomy more apparent.
During ct imaging, An x-ray tube rotate around the patient so that multiple images are collected from a many angles. These images are stored in a computer the analyses them to create a new image with the overlaying structure removed.
Ct images allow radiologist and other physicians to identify internal structures and see their shape, size, density and texture. This detailed information can be used to determine if there is a medical problem, provide the extent and exact location of the problem, and reveal other important details that can help the physician determine the best treatment.
Modern ct scanner acquire this information in seconds – sometimes in fractions of a second- depending on the examination.
Benefits – Benefits of ct include more effective medical management by:
Determine when surgeries are necessary
Reducing the need for exploratory surgeries
Improving cancer diagnosis and treatment
Reducing the length of hospitalizations
Guiding treatment of common condition such as injury, cardiac diseases and stroke
Ct scanning provides medical information that is different from other imaging examinations, such as ultrasound, MRI, SPECT, PET OR nuclear medicine. Each imaging techniques has advantages and limitations. The principal advantages of ct scan abilities to:
Rapidly acquire images
Provide clear and specific information
Image a small portion or all the body during the same examination.