Method
Computed tomography, better known as CT displays cross-sectional images of the body using X-Rays. CT scans have revolutionised modern medicine and diagnose the severity of tumours, inflammations, injuries or vascular diseases. Using high spatial resolution, CT scans can give clear insight and define prognosis.
CT scans have become indispensable in medical practice, particularly looking at bony structures, e.g. the inner ear or the paranasal sinuses and to give a clear assessment of the lungs.
What is CT used for?
A CT scan is primarily used to give accurate assessment and clarification on the diseases listed below.
In addition to diagnostic CT examinations, it is also possible to perform minimally invasive procedures using CT technologies.
- Diagnosing cerebral infarction, bleeding or tumours.
- Diagnosing the kidneys and urinary tract (kidney stones, ureteral stones, inflammation, tumours, bleeding, cysts).
- Insight into vessels, aneurysms (especially the aorta) or constrictions / occlusions.
- Examining the coronary arteries (cardio CT).
- Detecting tumours, metastases, embolisms and inflammation of the lung or gastrointestinal tract.
- Measuring bone density in osteoporosis (osteodensitometry).
- Assessing fractures, degenerative changes, herniated discs, tumours or metastases of the skeletal system.
Why use CT over MRI?
First and foremost, the duration of a CT examination is significantly shorter.
CT is a great alternative for patients who cannot get an MRI for any reason. I.e, - people who wear pacemakers, those who are claustrophobic or those who have magnetisable metal implants in their bodies cannot have MRIs.
CT also gives a clearer representation of:
- acute intracranial bleeding
- vessel walls
- the bony structures, e.g. inner ear, cortical and cancellous bone structures
- the fine lung structure
Why CT over conventional X-rays?
- CT gives a clearer display of different tissues and organs as it uses overlay-free sectional images with very high detail resolution.
- CT gives detailed reconstruction options.
- CT allows for virtual endoscopy, a medical procedure that allows a doctor to inspect and observe the inside of the body without performing major surgery.
- CT allows interventional measures, such as: pain therapy, tissue sampling, drainage, punctures.
CT Angiography
Angiography is an imaging test that uses X-rays to view your body's blood vessels, veins and arteries. These examinations can assess the most diverse regions of the body. It is completely painless and not very invasive.
This is mainly done via a catheter, which is inserted into the vascular system. All patients will undergo local anaesthesia for all angiography examinations.
Patient information
Please read the below and if any of the following apply to you, let your examination team know so they can advise on how to best perform the scan.
- CT examinations should not be done if you’re pregnant.
- Have you ever had an allergic reaction to contrast media containing iodine before? Contrast media are used to improve the representation of structures and functions of the body.
- Do you have an overactive thyroid? The iodine contained in the contrast agent can sometimes disrupt the thyroid metabolism. If you suffer from an overactive thyroid, you should only be examined with contrast media after previous treatment of the thyroid (so-called "thyroid blockade") by your doctor.
- Do you have impaired kidney functions? Contrast media can interfere with kidney function. A current creatinine value should be available for examination before performing the CT. As a preventive measure, it is advisable to drink as much fluids as possible before and after such an examination.
- Do you have a plasmacytoma (multiple myeloma)? Kidney damage can occur in patients with a plasmacytoma. Laboratory values for assessing kidney function (creatinine) should be checked with contrast medium before a CT examination.
- Do you take metformin (i.e Glucophage®) for diabetes? In conjunction with a contrast agent, metformin may be delayed in its degradation. There can be a risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and therefore, the intake of metformin must be paused for 2 days after a contrast-enhanced CT. Please discuss this with your doctor prior to the scan.
CT examinations only take a few minutes and are completely painless.
Patients are moved horizontally through a ring-shaped section of the CT machine. During the examination, we aim to keep the patient as still as possible, providing all people with breathing instructions and hand placement so they feel comfortable.
A CT examination may be done with a contrast medium to achieve a more detailed assessment of the body region. For this purpose, iodine-containing contrast medium is injected in the arm, and sometimes people may experience a slight warm sensation from this injection. The contrast medium is quickly excreted through the kidneys and allergic reactions rarely occur.
For people getting a CT examination of the abdomen it may be necessary that they drink a solution containing a contrast medium before the examination. The examination team will advise you of this before your scan.
Lying on the examination table, the patient is driven through the ring-shaped part (gantry) of the CT device, while the X-ray tube and detectors rotate around the region of the body to be examined and continuously record slice images. The X-rays are weakened depending on the tissue being irradiated. This enables different tissues and structures (liquids, air, bones) to be differentiated from one another. These differences in intensity are measured by detectors, converted and displayed on the screen in different shades of grey. Pathological changes can thus be displayed and assessed by experienced radiologists. Thanks to the precise, high-resolution images, CT is one of the most important radiological examination methods today.
We work with a modern 128-line computed tomography Siemens Somatom Definition, which delivers up to 128 body slice images at the same time and adjusts the radiation dose individually for each patient during the examination.