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| How to Prepare for Your Exam | | | During the Exam | | | What's Next? |
Computed Tomography (CT) is a radiological method that has been used since 1974 to visualize certain regions of your body slice by slice. Today, CT technology is an indispensable tool in medicine. It is used in routine examinations of the entire body.
With the aid of CT, physicians are now able to look into the coronary arteries without having to introduce a catheter. CT allows true-to-detail three dimensional images of the inside of the heart and other parts of the body.
The Sonora Regional Imaging Center has a 64-slice CT, which allows your doctor to see a more detailed 3D image of the inside of your body. This allows them to see much more detail to aide in their diagnosis.
The results of CT enable your doctor to diagnose certain diseases earlier and more precisely. And since diseases are treated more successfully when diagnosed early, CT can help save lives. At Sonora Regional Imaging Center, you will receive the best treatment from highly qualified and experienced experts.
CT can assist in:
- Detecting strokes, head injuries, herniated discs and abscesses
- Locating fractures
- Determining the extent of bone and soft tissue damage in trauma patients
- Diagnosing changes in various organs
- Examination of the heart and of the coronary vessels
- Early diagnosis of lung and intestinal cancer
Again, we want you to feel safe and comfortable, knowing that you have the best team and technology available.
How to prepare for a CT
If you have images from previous examinations (including X-rays), please bring them with you.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. CT scans should not be performed during pregnancy because of the slight exposure to radiation.
For head and neck examinations, remove all jewelry, hairpins, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures or leave them at home. Secure lockers are provided in the dressing room.
For abdominal examinations, when making your appointment, ask the scheduling staff how many hours prior to the examination you should refrain from eating or drinking.
If your exam will require use of a contrast medium, drink 32 oz. of water 1-2 hours prior to your exam and increase your normal water intake after the exam.
Let your physician know if you have had previous allergic reactions to a contrast medium, iodine, or if you have asthma.
If you have diabetes or take medication, please inform a staff member when scheduling you appointment and bring a medication list with you to your exam.
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What happens during the CT examination?
During the examination, you will be lying on a comfortable patient table (usually on your back). This table will slowly move you through the opening of the examination unit called the gantry.
All you need to do is to simply pay attention to the instructions of the CT staff. He or she may ask you to briefly hold your breath or not to move certain regions of your body.
As with conventional examinations, you will not feel the CT gathering images at all; you will only hear a low whirring noise. The patient table will move slightly during the entire exam.
The duration of the CT examination depends on which regions of the body are scanned.
Although the actual images are produced within a few seconds, you should expect the exam to last approximately 15 to 30 minutes. If a contrast medium is used, the examination may take longer. Our CT technologists will keep you informed through the entire process.
What happens after the exam?
The radiologist will analyze the images and send a report of the diagnosis to your referring doctor, who will then discuss the results of the CT with you.
With the aid of computed tomography, your doctor is now able to review true-to-detail three dimensional images of the inside of the heart and other parts of your body. This means non-invasive diagnostics and potentially better outcomes. [back to top]