What does computed tomography mean ?

Description of the investigation

In order to examine by computed tomography, no special preparations are necessary, with a few exceptions, namely in the case of virtual colonoscopy and coronary angiography, details regarding these preparations can be obtained from the clinic secretariat. It is also very helpful, in order to establish the evolution of a disease, to present yourself for examination with all the medical documents you have (old computed tomography investigations, laboratory tests, radiographic films, discharge tickets, medical letters from which to show the diseases from the antecedents). It is also mandatory to specify the existence of pregnancy, allergic reactions, the existence of liver diseases (chronic hepatitis with HBV, HCV, liver cirrhosis and its etiology), kidney, thyroid. And in the case of tomography there are two types of procedures – native investigations (without contrast administration) and investigations with contrast administration. In order to obtain very good quality examinations, you will be advised not to eat food about 4 hours before the examination, not to consume alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks or coffee. To examine the abdomen and pelvis, it is necessary to drink a contrast substance dissolved in water (provided by the clinic staff), before starting the actual investigation. The preparation for the investigation is done in a room close to the computed tomography, before the examination. Contrast injection is done with an automatic syringe at the elbow. Contrast substances have the property of being opaque to X-rays and they are iodinated. You should work closely with clinic staff, especially if CT scans are needed, inhaled or expired blocked, do not change your position on the examination table during the scan, and report any reactions if they occur. following the administration of the contrast agent. For the administration of the intravenous contrast substance it is necessary to perform a venous puncture and insert in the venous lumen a branule of different caliber, depending on the type of investigation. During the investigation you are given a contrast agent with the help of an automatic syringe, a certain volume with a certain flow. Due to the injection of large volumes and with high injection speed, sensations of heat, metallic taste in the mouth, slight nausea may appear.You will be notified of all these minor side effects at the beginning of the investigation. Any other perceived effects must be brought to the attention of the staff immediately, which is possible through the patient-staff communication station with which the device is equipped. During the injection it is normal to feel a feeling of warmth throughout the body. This feeling of warmth is normal and it disappears in a few minutes. Sometimes it is necessary to reinject the contrast substance during the CT scan or repeat the scan to catch late times. For the computer tomography investigation you will be lying on a table that moves inside the tomograph.

Contraindications

If your answer to one of the questions below is positive, you must inform the radiologist before arriving at the clinic before starting the CT scan:

• do you suffer from allergies that cause hives, eczema or asthma ?
• are you pregnant or likely to be pregnant or breastfeeding ?
• do you have a chronic disease (diabetes, kidney failure, etc.) ?
• are you claustrophobic or anxious ?

As relative contraindications, in which the risk / benefit ratio is evaluated are renal failure, thyroid diseases (if it is necessary to administer SDC), pregnancy (diseases that endanger the life of the mother), pheochromocytoma.

The advantages of computer tomography

• Short scan time, between 7 and 12 seconds – the first intention in traumatic pathology (best visualizes acute hemorrhagic lesions and bone lesions).
• For standard investigations, the costs of the method are lower compared to MRI examination