LightSpeed VCT

A CT exam using the LightSpeed VCT is an excellent tool for helping your doctor get the specific information needed to make an accurate diagnosis and provide you with quality care. Here is some additional information about CT exams. If you have questions about specific procedures, ask your doctor or talk with the staff at Kootenai Outpatient Imaging. 

About CT exams: CT is an abbreviation for computed tomography, which is a valuable diagnostic medical exam that combines X-rays and computers. You may also hear CT exams referred to as CAT scans.

A CT scan gives radiologists a non-surgical way to see inside your body. One advantage of CT is its ability to rapidly acquire two-dimensional pictures of your anatomy. Using a computer, these 2-D images can be presented as 3-D images for in-depth clinical evaluations.

Reasons for a CT exam: CT exams may be prescribed when people are ill or injured, or when a doctor suspects a medical problem that cannot be detected as easily with a routine physical exam. CT may also be used to rapidly obtain specific diagnostic information that hasn't been provided by other imaging technologies, such as ultrasound, traditional X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

What to expect during a CT exam: A CT technologist will escort you into the CT scanning room, where you'll see a table and a large, doughnut-shaped device. The technologist will have you lie down on the table and make sure you are comfortable. You will be asked to lie very still during the scan, and may be asked to hold your breath for a short time to minimize any body movement.

During the scan you might hear a humming noise. You may also notice the table moving while images are being taken of certain locations of your body. The technologist can monitor you during the entire exam through a window and will talk to you through an intercom.

CT scans have been performed successfully for almost 30 years. Simple and swift, a CT exam is one of the most common medical imaging procedures.