When you visit your doctor, your doctor asks you a set of questions regarding your symptoms and gives you medications accordingly. But sometimes, he might need to see what is going inside your body, and he may suggest a CT scan. So what is a CT scan? It is a series of X-rays that produce a 3D image of the internal organs and bones. In this blog, you will read about why you might need to go for a CT scan. If you want to know what to expect in a CT scan procedure, find the help you need here.
MRI is not possible in your case
MRI is a type of imaging that is more sensitive than a CT scan, but it is a lengthy procedure and may require 30-60 minutes. Sometimes, your injury might not allow you to go through this lengthy procedure, or you might have some implants in your body; in such cases, your advice CT scan.
Blood vessel examination
A CT scan can help your doctor examine blood vessels to check any blockages that may be responsible for vascular disease. As CT scan is a non-invasive method, it saves you from any surgical exploration.
Abdomen examination
For issues such as abdominal pain, inflammation in the intestines, unexplained weight loss, kidney stone, a mass in your abdomen, or possible obstructions in the small or large intestine, your doctor may advise a CT scan with barium dye as a contrast.
Small bones examination
Sometimes fracture is not evident in X-rays. In those cases, your doctor may advise you to go for a CT scan so that he can locate the fracture precisely.
Soft tissue injury
In cases of accidental injury where there can be damage to your soft tissue, your doctor may advise a CT scan because soft tissue injuries are not visible in X-rays.
Cancer treatment
CT scans are instrumental in cancer treatment because the images of CT scan help to know the exact location of the tumor, thus helping form the treatment plan. Moreover, it also makes it easy to compare the changes in cancer before and after chemotherapy.
Brain Examination
Whether it is a blunt brain injury or any tissue-related disease, a Ct scan helps diagnose brain disease and thus allows the doctor to frame a treatment plan for you.
Conclusion
Though a CT scan has various advantages, you should always consult your doctor before going for it as it has some side effects.