What to Expect During a CT Examination

5. Patients should lie still and relax during a CT study. Patients may hear the CT scanner rotating during the study. Depending upon the type of study being performed and the model of CT scanner being used, the whirring noise may be very quite or more noticeable. The table will move very slowly during the CT data acquisition. Depending upon the type of study being performed, the table will either move in several small increment of a few millimeters (for example for a CT of the brain), or the table will move in one large continous step, for example 20 or 30 cm for a CT of the lungs. The gantry of the CT scanner may tilt in either direction during CT exams such as head, sinus, inner ear and spine imaging. This allows the CT images to be angled to better image anatomy such as spinal disks.

Time lapse photo showing table feed of patient through the CT scanner aperture

6. Some CT studies will require the technologist to come into the patient room in the middle of the exam to administer the contrast media via injection.
7. Once the CT examination is complete, the technologist will ask the patient to get dressed and wait while the CT images are reviewed, either on film or monitor.
8. After the CT images are reviewed, the patient will be released from the imaging department or center. In some cases, more CT images will need to be taken or a different study such as magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound will need to be performed. For additional information see "what happens during a diagnostic imaging examination?"

Updated: September 13, 2007

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