Computerized Axial Tomography

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CAT Scan - A computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT) scan will provide you with multidimensional images of your internal organs.  The CT scanner provides images of cross-sections of the body, including organs not seen by standard chest x-ray.  A CT Scan will provide more detailed information on soft tissue, muscles, fat and bones, so in some cases it may be better at detecting abnormality than other tests.  

Virtual Colonoscopy - Virtual Colonoscopy is a new method that allows doctors to look at the large bowel (colon) to detect polyps and cancers. Virtual Colonoscopy is a recently developed technique that uses a CT scanner and computer virtual reality software to look inside the body without having to insert a long tube (Conventional Colonoscopy) into the colon or without having to fill the colon with liquid barium (Barium Enema).

HOW IS THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED?

A large donut-shaped x-ray machine takes x-ray images at many different angles around the body. These images are processed by a computer to produce cross-sectional pictures of the body. In each of these pictures the body is seen as an x-ray "slice" of the body, which is recorded on a film. This recorded image is called a tomogram. "Computerized Axial Tomography" refers to the recorded tomogram "sections" at different levels of the body.  Depending on your history or symptoms, the procedure may call for a dye-like substance called contrast media to be used.  This helps to show how the blood is moving through the body. 

Who interprets the results and how do I get them?

NWDC Diagnostic Imaging has an agreement with a group of board-certified radiologists to facilitate our procedures and interpret the results.  A diagnostic report will be sent to the referring physician within forty-eight (48) hours of your procedure.  In the event of an abnormal test result, the radiologist will contact your doctor's office by telephone.

PREPARING FOR THE PROCEDURE

In preparation for a CAT scan, patients are often asked to avoid food, especially when contrast material is to be used. Contrast material may be injected intravenously, or administered by mouth or by an enema in order to increase the distinction between various organs or areas of the body. Therefore, fluids and food may be restricted for several hours prior to the examination. If the patient has a history of allergy to contrast material (such as iodine), the requesting physician and radiology staff should be notified. All metallic materials and certain clothing around the body are removed because they can interfere with the clarity of the images. 

For virtual colonoscopy, patients will need a cleansing preparation of their bowel prior to the test. The actual virtual colonoscopy procedure will begin by having a small flexible rubber tube placed in the rectum, so that carbon dioxide can be introduced. A CAT scan is then performed while patients lie comfortably on their back and then on their stomach. The total time required for the study is approximately 20 minutes.

PATIENT EXPECTATIONS

Patients will be asked to undress in the dressing room and wear scrubs during the examination. Their valuables will be locked in a private locker during the procedure.  Patients will be asked to lie very still on a padded table as any motion can blur the images.  The table will move in small increments through a donut-shaped scanner ring or “gantry” and patients will hear a low noise as the gantry rotates around the area of the body being scanned.  The CT exam lasts ten to forty-five minutes depending on the specific procedure.  An experienced CT Tech will be in constant communication through a two-way radio to insure your patient’s comfort and positive experience throughout the procedure.  

The amount of radiation a person receives during a CAT scan is minimal. In men and non-pregnant women, it has not been shown to produce any adverse effects. If a woman is pregnant, there may be a potential risk to the fetus, especially in the first trimester of the pregnancy. If a woman is pregnant, she should inform her doctor of her condition and discuss other potential methods of testing, such as an ultrasound, which are not harmful to the fetus.