CT Scans

Also called: CAT scan

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Summary

Computed tomography (CT) is a type of imaging. It uses special x-ray equipment to make cross-sectional pictures of your body.

Doctors use CT scans to look for

Broken bones
Cancers
Blood clots
Signs of heart disease
Internal bleeding

During a CT scan, you lie still on a table. The table slowly passes through the center of a large X-ray machine. The test is painless. During some tests you receive a contrast dye, which makes parts of your body show up better in the image.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

Computed Tomography (CT) Scans and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
CT Scan (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
What is Computed Tomography? (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

Are CT Scans Safe? Is It True That CT Scans May Increase My Risk of Cancer? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Full-Body CT Scans - What You Need to Know (Food and Drug Administration)
What Are the Radiation Risks from CT? (Food and Drug Administration)
Whole-Body CT Screening--Should I or Shouldn't I Get One? (Food and Drug Administration)

Related Issues

Contrast Materials (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Doses from Medical Radiation Sources (Health Physics Society)
How to Read Your Radiology Report (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Medical and Dental Patient Issues (Health Physics Society)

Specifics

Abdominal and Pelvic CT (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Body CT (CAT Scan) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Cardiac CT Scan (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Computed Tomography (CT) - Spine (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Computed Tomography (CT) -- Sinuses (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Coronary Calcium Scan (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
CT Angiography (CTA) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
CT Enterography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
CT Perfusion of the Head (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography) Scan (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Urography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Virtual Colonoscopy (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

Getting a CAT Scan (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Tomography, X-Ray Computed (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

RadiologyInfo: Glossary of Terms (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

American College of Radiology Accredited Facility Search (American College of Radiology)
Food and Drug Administration
RadiologyInfo (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Children

Children's (Pediatric) CT (Computed Tomography) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Keeping Kids Still during Exams (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish

Women

Radiation Exposure and Pregnancy (Health Physics Society) - PDF

Patient Handouts

Abdominal CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
CT angiography - abdomen and pelvis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
CT angiography - arms and legs (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
CT angiography - chest (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
CT angiography - head and neck (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Head CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Heart CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Lumbar Spine CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Lumbosacral spine CT (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Pelvic CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Thoracic CT (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish