CT scans use X-rays to produce images of the body’s internal organs and bones in thin slices, allowing doctors to diagnose medical problems such as tumors and blockages. The machine rotates around the patient to take images in different directions, and the resulting images are used to pinpoint the cause of medical problems. CT scans use radiation, but the amount used is unlikely to cause cancer. Pregnant women and children may not be good candidates for CT scanning.
Computed tomography (CT) is a medical technique that provides images of the internal organs and bones of the body. It does this by taking X-ray images of the body in many different directions to produce many images in thin slices. The machine collects all of these CT scan sections into a complex image that a doctor can use to look for signs of disease in the patient. Medical problems such as tumors, internal injuries and blockages can be diagnosed using this technique.
Older medical imaging techniques like simple x-rays have limitations as they can only look through the body. CT scan slices, however, look into the body one piece at a time, similar to bread slices from a loaf; in fact, the CT scanner takes these images in different directions, not just vertically. This requires the machine to wrap around the person in the study and the patient to lie down inside the machine, which rotates around the person to produce CT scan slices from all indications.
One person’s CT vertical slices are equivalent to slices of bread, while other directional slices are like cutting the loaf at a steeper angle. Each of the CT scan sections is produced by X-rays that travel through the body and land on X-ray detectors on the opposite side of the machine. The speed at which X-rays move through the body is related to the type of substance in the path, which is why dense bone turns white on an X-ray image. Less dense organs appear gray in the resulting image, while the air appears black.
Medical science has gathered information about CT scan sections and the normal appearance of healthy body parts. If a region of the body is diseased or injured, it may appear abnormal on the scan, which can help a doctor pinpoint the cause of a medical problem. Sometimes a patient needs to ingest or be injected with a liquid before the scan to make the resulting images clearer. This is especially helpful in diagnosing problems such as a blocked blood vessel or duct within the body.
CT scans use radiation to produce the images, which are associated with the development of cancer, but the amount of radiation used is highly unlikely to cause cancer. Because growing and unborn children are more sensitive to radiation, pregnant women and children may not be good candidates for CT scanning. Advantages of CT scans over other diagnostic methods such as exploratory surgery include their overall safety, no downtime, and ease of use.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
