A CAT Scan or CT Scan is also known as a computed axial tomography. The CT Scan is a technique that allows relatively safe, painless, and rapid diagnosis in previously inaccessible areas of the body. An X-ray tube, rotating around a specific area of the body, delivers an appropriate amount of X radiation for the tissue being studied. It then takes pictures of that part of the internal anatomy from different angles. The CT Scan creates a type of X-ray that uses a computer to produce detailed cross-sectional images of the body. A computer program is then used to form a composite, a readable image. The images are then assembled in a computer into a three-dimensional picture that can display organs, bones, blood, and soft tissues in great detail. A CT Scan can take 10 minutes to about an hour depending on the area of the body to be examined.
There are different methods of preparation depending on the type of CT Scan performed. For a CT Scan performed on the head there is no preparation unless a contrast medium is ordered, then you should not eat or drink for 4 to 6 hours before the exam. A contrast medium is a special dye called dilute barium; which is given intravenously. When a chest CT Scan is done it is necessary to have a chest X-ray done one month prior to your CT Scan exam. Also, the patient must not eat or drink anything for 4 to 6 hours before the examination. For a CT Scan of the abdomen or pelvis area the patient is asked not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the CT Scan. In some instances the patient will be given barium to take home with them. One bottle is to be taken the night before the exam and the other should to be taken one hour prior to the exam.
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