An abdominal CT scan is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that uses X-rays to visualize the body in slices or cross-sections. It is usually painless and takes a short amount of time. The results are not immediate and are interpreted by an experienced radiologist.
A computed tomography (CT) scan or computed tomography (CT) scan is an advanced form of X-ray that evaluates or visualizes the body in slices or cross-sections. This is an excellent diagnostic tool for doctors and can be ordered to examine various areas of the body. If the area of interest is in the belly, abdominal cavity, or pelvis, the test is usually called an abdominal CT scan.
For most people, the abdominal CT scan is without discomfort and takes a relatively short amount of time. Many find that more time is spent waiting for the procedure than is actually needed to get the scan. Sometimes the scan is ordered with a contrast agent, which can help you see some cross sections of the abdomen better. This takes a little longer because the dye is usually given by injection or drip. Alternatively, some people have to drink a special barium solution and wait a specified amount of time before taking the actual x-rays.
In most types of abdominal CT scans, people are on their stomach, or lying down, on a table. The actual x-ray part looks like a tube or round area that rises above the person. The table can move back and forth, and as the table moves, people are usually asked to take breaths, hold them, and release them, often by an automated voice. As stated, the whole procedure is usually quite short, lasting no more than an hour at the most. Many people spend much less time and do a full scan in about 15 minutes; duration is not indicative of serious problems.
When using intravenous contrast, the duration of the procedure is usually still about the same and the same sliding, breathing, and table scanning tends to occur. The only thing people may notice is a feeling of warmth or redness when the dye is injected. In rare circumstances, people have a severe allergic reaction to the dye, and those who start to feel sick, itchy, or have trouble breathing should notify the abdominal CT technician right away. For most people, the dye is not a problem, although it may be a little uncomfortable when injecting.
People can expect the results of an abdominal CT scan to not be known immediately. Unless an urgent problem in the abdominal cavity requires immediate medical attention, most people go home and hear the results from their treating doctors within a few days. Technicians performing a scan may theoretically be able to read the results, but they are not doctors and are not authorized to discuss the results with patients. However, it would not be wise to depend on this information because it has not been interpreted and read by an experienced radiologist.
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