CT Scans

AVAILABLE AT: Mediclinic Bloemfontein | Busamed Bram Fischer International Airport Hospital

A CT scanner uses X-rays to obtain many images from different angles while the patient moves through the scanner gantry on a motorized bed. A high performance computer is used to create volumetric acquisitions of the images, which can be reconstructed into cross sectional or 3D images of the body.

The images can be compared to a loaf of bread that has been sliced by a bread slicer, where each slice can be taken and examined individually. The exam is relatively short and provides much greater detail and information to radiologist than conventional radiography.

During most CT examinations, iodinated contrast is given either intravenously or orally. This improves visualization of the internal organs and vascular structures and helps better characterize lesions. CT can also be used to guide biopsies or other minimally invasive procedures.

Women who are pregnant must alert their doctor and the radiographer if they are being scheduled for a CT scan. 

NB! If you have a history of allergies or previous reactions to iodinated contrast, please inform your doctor and the radiographer before having a CT scan.