Hospital Services - Radiology | Computed Tomography | Dexascan | Echocardiogram | Mammography | MRI | Ultrasound | Xray

RADIOLOGY

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
(CT OR CAT SCAN)

Madelia Community Hospital has a Siemens 16-slice SOMATOM Emotion Scanner. The 16-slice scanner offers innovative technology in a compact size and routinely obtains the finest diagnostic details and excellent image quality with thin-slice protocols.

A CT (Computed Tomography) scan is an X-ray examination, which is performed by a special scanner that can look at any part of the body in cross sections. The X-ray tube rotates around the area being examined taking X-rays of the body in multiple slices. The data is then fed back into a computer that combines all the information collected and produces images (pictures) that are reported on by our Radiologist to your doctor.

Preparation

Certain abdomen scans require some bowel preparation. If this is the case you will be advised at the time of booking and the preparation will be sent to you along with instructions.

Having Your Scan

You will be asked to change into a gown and remove any jewelry. You must tell the Radiographer if there is any chance you may be pregnant. The CT scanner is a large machine shaped like a doughnut. You will be asked to lie on a narrow bed that moves in and out of the scanner. You may be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds during the scan.

To get more detailed pictures, scans of certain body organs may require an injection into a vein (usually in the arm) and we will check if you have any allergies before this is given.

During the scan the Radiographer sits behind a glass screen and can hear you and talk to you through a microphone at all times. The scan usually takes 5 - 20 minutes and afterwards the images obtained by your CT scan are studied by the Radiologist who prepares a report on the findings, which are sent directly to your doctor.

Reducing Dose

Additionally, the SOMATOM Emotion 16 is equipped with CARE (Combined Applications to Reduce Exposure) functions, developed to reduce radiation exposure in CT examinations. CARE Dose4D software for automated dose adaptation analyzes the cross-sectional anatomy of each individual patient and adjusts the X-ray dose accordingly – ensuring the patient gets the lowest radiation dose possible. Clinical results with CARE Dose4D indicate up to 66 percent reduction in dose for the average adult patient.

CT Imaging is used for

  • One of the best and fastest tools for studying the chest, abdomen and pelvis because it provides detailed, cross-sectional views of all types of tissue.

  • Often the preferred method for diagnosing many different cancers, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancer, since the image allows a physician to confirm the presence of a tumor and measure its size, precise location and the extent of the tumor's involvement with other nearby tissue.

  • An examination that plays a significant role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases that can lead to stroke, kidney failure or even death.

  • Invaluable in diagnosing and treating spinal problems and injuries to the hands, feet and other skeletal structures because it can clearly show even very small bones as well as surrounding tissues such as muscle and blood vessels.