Physicians and surgeons rely on a plethora of diagnostic methods for confirming presence of a suspected disease or medical condition to decide the line of treatment. Diagnosis assumes unmatched importance in medical practice. Among various diagnostic procedures available in modern medicine, CT scan BHU has been one of the most commonly used procedures.

CT scanning or Computerized Tomography scanning is a non-invasive medical imaging technique. It is also called as computed tomography and has close similarity with a radiographic examination such as X-ray.

CT examination

Patient can conveniently undergo the examination by only lying down on the sliding examination table. The table is made to slide through the donut shaped scanner that consists of X-ray tube as well as detectors that generate images of the body in form of transverse slices.

The detectors are able to identify minute variations in X-ray absorption and therefore these can obtain highly detailed pictures of various tissues and muscles. These are sent to computer and are processed to generate high resolution images that are used by clinicians for interpretation.

Different CT scan types

CT scan BHU offers variety of CT examinations and the two most notable types are conventional and spiral CT scans.

In conventional scans that scanning process is intermittently executed for obtaining images at different points. The scanning machine slowly moves over the body to generate separate images. Patients are expected to remain still by holding their breath to prevent any errors due to movement.

The spiral or helical CT scan BHU is a continuous scanning procedure and is obtained spirally. It is completed in much faster way than the conventional scanning method. CAT scans are differentiated on the basis of planes in which the images are taken. The commonest plane is an axial plane while sagittal coronal planes can also be considered. Different planes help radiologist view the inner structures of human body in different perspectives.

Highly sophisticated CT scanners are capable of generating 3D images. CT scan BHU is performed systematically since the operator selects the level of sections in relation with the organ under examination and also the extent of thickness of section that is normally in the range from 1mm to 10mm. It can be higher in case of spiral scans.
Use of contrast medium

Images obtained by performing CAT scanning examination are usually in varying shades of grey. This can lead to obscuring effect if the shades are nit distinguishable. This issue can be dealt with by using a contrast medium such as Barium for highlighting specific regions of the body.

Oral administration of contrast medium is very common to study gastrointestinal tract. However for other regions of the body such as arterial blood vessels, an intravenous administration of the contrast medium is preferred.

Since the intravenous contrast agents contain iodine, there is an underlying risk of hypersensitivity that can even lead to an anaphylactic shock. These are also known to worsen kidney functions in patients suffering from renal impairment. If the patient is hypersensitive to iodine or has impaired kidney function, then some of the latest contrast agents can be administered.

Merits and demerits of CT scanning examination

CT scan BHU examination is the well accepted medical imaging techniques in the field of medicine. These are performed in much shorter time than MRI scanning and can be used for scanning almost all parts or systems of human body. CT scans are also used for locating the exact area for performing various surgical procedures and are fast replacing exploratory surgeries. In treatment of cancer by radiation, CT scans are often used for identifying the area that should be exposed to radiations.

CT scans require use of artifacts such as metal clips that may be cumbersome for some patients. Some types of CT scans require patients to hold their breath thus causing discomfort to them.

Overall advantages of CT scanning far outweigh demerits. Therefore, CT scan BHU is gaining greater acceptance and being performed to study wide spectrum of medical conditions.