CT Scan

Your doctor might recommend a CT scan to help diagnose a variety of conditions, including:

• Checking for tumors or cancers
• Finding injuries, such as bone fractures
• Looking for signs of infections
• Evaluating internal bleeding
• Planning for surgeries or other treatments

In most cases, there is little preparation needed for a CT scan. You might need to:

• Change into a hospital gown
• Remove any jewelry or metal objects
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or might be pregnant

If you are having a CT scan with a special contrast dye, you may need to avoid eating or drinking for a few hours before the procedure.

• You will lie on a table that slides into the CT machine, which looks like a large donut-shaped ring.
• The machine will take pictures of your body from different angles. You will need to stay very still during the scan.
• The scan usually lasts only a few minutes, but the whole process might take around 30 minutes, depending on what part of your body is being scanned.

Once the scan is done, you can go back to your normal activities. If you had contrast dye, you may be asked to drink plenty of fluids to help flush it out of your body.

Your doctor will review the CT scan images and talk to you about the results.

CT scans are generally safe. The amount of radiation used is small, but it is still important to use this test only when necessary. If you are pregnant, tell your doctor before the scan to make sure it is safe for you.