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Definition
Computed tomography (CT), formerly referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a common diagnostic imaging procedure that uses x rays to generate images (slices) of the anatomy.
Purpose
Computed tomography (CT) is an x-ray imaging procedure used for a variety of clinical applications. CT is used for spine and head imaging, gastrointestinal imaging, vascular imaging (e.g., detection of blood clots), cancer staging and radiotherapy treatment planning, screening for cancers and heart disease, rapid imaging of trauma, imaging of musculoskeletal disorders, detection of signs of infectious disease, and guidance of certain interventional procedures (e.g., biopsies). CT is the preferred imaging exam for diagnosing several types of cancers, and along with the chest x ray, CT is the most commonly performed procedure for imaging the chest. CT is also used to perform noninvasive angiographic imaging to assess the large blood vessels.
CT may be performed on newborns, infants, children, and adolescents. In children, CT is most frequently used in the hospital emergency department to evaluate the effects of trauma, especially to the head, face, brain, and spine, and to diagnose or rule out appendicitis and other abdominal disorders because a scan can be completed in less than 20 seconds. Chest CT examinations are used to assess complications from infectious diseases, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, inflammation of the airways, and birth defects. CT scans of the pelvic area are used to image ovarian cysts and tumors, bladder abnormalities, urinary tract stones, kidney disease, and bone disease. Head CT scans are used to examine the brain and sinuses. For children with cancer, CT is used to assist in treatment planning and to monitor cancer progression and response to treatment. For children requiring complex surgeries (e.g., brain, spine), CT is often used to produce images of the anatomy that help surgeons plan the surgery. Newer CT scanners, called multislice or multidetector CT, are used to rapidly image newborns to assess congenital heart defects.
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Author Info: Jennifer Sisk MA, Thomson Gale, Gale, Detroit, Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health, 2006 |
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