A CT scan (computed tomography scan) is a procedure using a diagnostic imaging device to get a cross-sectional view of the inside of your body. A CT scan uses X-ray technology to produce the images, but it is more detailed and produces more refined images than an X-ray scan. It is a non-invasive procedure, so you don’t have to worry about needing surgery. It’s commonly used for getting a clear diagnosis of a disease or illness, biomedical research, and therapeutic purposes.
What are the uses of a CT scan?
A CT scan is useful to doctors and they might ask you to do it for any number of reasons listed below:
- Detect bone and joint problems
When you are experiencing severe pain in your joints, have torn a ligament by doing rigorous exercise, or you have recently experienced a bone fracture, then your doctor will ask you to do a CT scan to determine the severity of the injury or the complexity of the joint problem.
A CT scan may also be used to see the progression of bone cancer and detect the location of tumours.
- Detect heart problems
A CT scan can detect heart problems and give accurate images better than an X-ray. Using a CT scan can also help detect blood clotting in the heart.
If you have a condition like heart cancer or other heart diseases, CT scans can monitor its development and help doctors monitor if the treatment plan they are administering is working. Doctors will usually compare CT scans to find out for certain if your body is responding properly to the medicine and if it is effective.
Doctors will also need a CT scan to guide them through various medical procedures such as surgeries, radiation therapy and biopsies.
- Detect lung problems
When you suddenly have shortness of breath or are finding it harder to breathe, you may have lung conditions that must be attended to immediately. A CT scan can be used to see the internal structure of your lungs and detect both acute and chronic lung diseases. It may also detect if there is any blood clotting or infection in your lungs or if you have lung parenchyma.
- Detect head problems
When you have recently been in a car accident, you will most likely have a concussion. A CT scan can help the doctors determine if your brain is haemorrhaging. CT scans are also useful in detecting oedemas, infarction, tumours, calcifications or any other head trauma.
- Detect abdominal and pelvic problems
Pain in the abdomen or in the pelvic area may indicate a variety of medical conditions. A CT scan can accurately diagnose the problem and will be helpful to investigate the best course of treatment. A CT scan can also be used to see the progression and staging of abdominal cancer.
Early detection can save your life, and getting a CT scan in London costs less than you might think, so there is no need to risk your health by not doing it.