CT Scan
A CT or CAT (computed tomography) scan combines X-ray and computer technology to show highly detailed, 3D images of any part of the body, including bones, muscles, fat, organs and blood vessels. Scans can also be performed using a contrast solution (either swallowed or injected) to make tissues and vessels more visible.
Northwest Health utilizes advanced 64-slice CT technology that can capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats, an organ in one second and a whole-body scan in 10 seconds. This technology results in less radiation exposure for patients, and can be used to examine a wider range of conditions - everything from exams of the heart, spine, lungs and colon, to advanced techniques such as angiography, virtual colonoscopy and radiation therapy planning.
Among the innovative diagnostic procedures offered are:
- Cardiac Imaging - Doctors can capture images of the heart and coronary arteries in just five heartbeats. The quicker exam time and shorter breath hold offers a more comfortable experience for sick or elderly patients. Three primary causes of mortality in patients with chest pain are aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism and coronary artery disease.
- Stroke Imaging - When treatment is delivered within the first hour after a stroke, it can provide the best possible outcome for the patient. CT scanning can provide the necessary speed and resolution required for rapid imaging of blood vessels in the brain, so doctors can begin treatment as quickly as possible.
We provide a range of advanced CT-guided techniques that doctors use in both diagnosis and interventional radiology treatments, including:
- Biopsies and abscess drainages
- Cardiac calcium CT scoring
- CT angiography/arteriography
- Image-guided surgeries and pre-surgical planning
- Low-dose CT lung screening
- Myelography (spine imaging with contrast solution)
- Renal CT scan - A renal (kidney) CT scan checks the kidneys for conditions such as cysts, abscesses, lesions and tumors, kidney disease, incontinence and other health conditions. A CT scan also may be used to assist in biopsies.
