CT Scan
Computed Tomography (CT) scanning utilizes x-rays, detectors, and computers to create images of a specific body part or a combination of contiguous (touching eachother) parts. The images are acquired in axial (top to bottom) views, which can be manipulated into sagittal (left to right) and/or coronal (front to back) views. Because CT slices (pictures) are digital, they can be processed into 3D images as well.
 
Newer CT technology allows for multiple images (slices) to be obtained with each revolution of the x-ray tube inside the gantry (doughnut). This allows for much faster (patient comfort) scan times. We have a sixteen slice scanner at UCH-Carrollwood and a sixteen and a sixty-four slice scanner at University Community Hospital. Currently, the sixty four (64) slice scanner is among the fastest in the market and allows us to scan the heart and coronary arteries.
 
The CT department offers a wide range of routine exams (head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and extremities). We also offer angiographic exams and invasive exams like biopsies, tube insertions, and drainages.
 
Certain exams that we do may require that the patient drink oral contrast (identifies or enhances the intestinal tract) and/or be injected with IV (intravenous) contrast (identifies or enhances certain organs and vessels). Due to the technological advances of our CT scanners the patient will experience much faster exam times and larger, more comfortable tables along with dependable, high quality images.
 
Procedures:

• Head: CT head, facial bones, orbits, sinuses
• Neck: CT soft tissue neck (may need IV contrast), cervical spine
• Chest: CT chest (may need IV contrast), heart (IV contrast), pulmonary arteries (IV contrast)
• Body: CT abdomen (may need oral and/or IV contrast), pelvis (may need oral and/or IV contrast)
• Spine: CT cervical, thorastic, lumbar (may be done with myelogram)
• Extremities: CT upper (shoulders, arms, elbow, wrist, hand) CT lower (hip, leg, knee, ankle, foot) (all may be done with or without IV contrast)
• Arteries: CT angiographic exams head to toe (IV contrast)

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