64 - Slice CT Scan
To keep up with the ever changing healthcare needs of the community, LRH continues to add some of the most advanced technology.
Littleton Regional Hospital is proud to offer the most innovative CT scanning technology available today with their new LightSpeed® VCT – Volume Computed Tomography - 64-Slice CT Scanner.
CT scanning, sometimes called CAT scanning, is a non-invasive painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body and a computer to join them together in cross-sectional views of the area being studied. The images can then be examined on a computer monitor or printed. CT scans of internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity than conventional x-ray exams. Using specialized equipment and expertise to create and interpret CT scans of the body, radiologists and physicians can easily diagnose problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, infectious disease, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
The CT scanner is a large machine with a hole in the center. You will lie on a table, which slides into and out of the hole. The x-ray tube and electronic x-ray detectors rotate around you. They are opposite each other in a ring, called a gantry. The computer workstation that processes the imaging information is located in a separate room.
Patient Benefits
- Diagnostic option for the workup of a cardiac patient
- Faster patient exams capturing images of a beating heart in five heartbeats, a single organ in one second and whole body in ten seconds.
- Less time needed for breath holds, which can mean less stress for patients.
- Easier access/wheelchair access to patient table with lower table height
- Breathing lights help coach patients through breath holds – making it an easier exam
Physician Benefits
- Allows physician to examine the head, abdomen, spine and chest.
- Allows physician to review the case within 5 – 10 minutes.
- A technologist performs the exam, allowing the physician to interact with the patient during the exam.
- Scans as fast as 0.35 second per rotation. Higher speed scanning mean clearer sharper images.
Featured Procedures of the 64-Slice CT Scan
5-Beat Cardiac – the ability to provide a view of the heart and coronary arteries in just 5 heartbeats.
Triple Rule Out – The ability to help clinicians rule out three of the most life-threatening critical conditions associated with chest pain in one single scan.
Stroke Work Up – Once a stroke occurs, it is commonly believed that treatment must be delivered within an hour or less to ensure the best outcome for the patient. This 64-slice CT scan enables physicians to make a quick diagnosis and determine the best course of treatment while reducing the number of exams a patient may need to undergo.
Additional Common Procedures of the 64-Slice CT Scan
Cardiac and coronary vessel analysis
Trauma/emergency room/chest pain management
Stroke workup
Oncology and cancer care
Spinal injuries
Abdominal injuries
Pediatric injuries
Kidney exams
Liver exams
Lung exams
What does Computer Tomography mean?
View this video at: www.radiologyinfo.org
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