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Question 1

CT

Answer

CT scans (also known as CAT scans) are non-invasive medical tests that help physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT uses a narrow X-Ray beam that circles around one part of your body. This provides a series of images from many different angles. A computer uses this information to create a cross-sectional picture. It shows more detail than a regular X-Ray.

Question 2

PREPARATION

Answer

If you are receiving oral contrast prior to your exam, you may not eat or drink anything 4 hours prior to your exam time. If you are getting a CT scan without contrast, you may continue taking all medications as normal. You may also continue eating and drinking as you normally would. This also applies if you are getting a CT scan with IV contrast. If you are unsure what type of exam you are scheduled for, please contact U.S. MRI for clarification.

Question 3

WHAT TO EXPECT

Answer

The time that you are scheduled for allows for 15 minutes of filling out paperwork and changing into scrubs that we will provide for you. We will also provide a locker for you to put your belongings in. Jewelry, glasses, hearing aids, dentures, hairpins, credit cards, coins, keys, and other metal objects will need to be removed and placed in the provided locker before going into the CT room. All valuables should be left at home. CT scans are individualized and tailored to each patient’s needs. Total scan times range from 10 to 30 minutes each exam. Patients who require a contrast (IV and/or oral) prior to their exam might require additional time in office. After the CT exam, patients will be given a CD with the images. A U.S. MRI radiologist will then read the images, and a radiology report will be faxed to your referring physician. Your doctor will provide you with your results at your follow-up appointment.

Question 4

CONTRAST

Answer

In a CT scan, dense substances like bones are easy to see. But soft tissues don’t show up as well and may look faint in the image. To help them appear more clearly, your doctor or the radiologist may order a special dye called contrast. This helps to highlight blood vessels, organs, or other abnormalities. Contrast materials are usually made of iodine or barium sulfate. You might receive these contrast agents orally and/or through an IV.

Question 5

CTA

Answer

Computed tomography angiography (also called CT angiography or CTA) is a CT scan used to visualize arterial and venous vessels throughout the body. Using contrast injected into the blood vessels, images are created to look for blockages, aneurysms, dissections, and stenosis. CTA can be used to visualize the vessels of the heart, the aorta and other large blood vessels, the lungs, the kidneys, the head and neck, and the arms and legs.

Question 6

CARDIAC SCORING

Answer

Cardiac Scoring is a non-invasive CT scan of the heart that calculates your risk of developing coronary artery disease, by measuring the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. Plaque or calcium build-up in the coronary arteries causes heart disease and can lead to a heart attack. The coronary calcium scan is a better predictor of coronary events than cholesterol screening or other risk factor assessments.