Can you ct me now

If you get it by injection, you may feel heat or itching at the injection site. Or, you may have a metallic taste in your mouth. Both feelings should stop after a few minutes. If you have a more severe reaction, like trouble breathing, tell the technologist right away. The technologist will help position you on an exam table. The table may have straps, pillows, or a special cradle for your head to hold you in place. You will likely lie on your back, but the technologist may ask you to lie on your side or stomach.

This will depend on which part of your body needs to be scanned. Sometimes a CT scan is used to plan for radiation therapy. In this case, your body position will be very important for the scan. The technologist may use a special device like a mask or a body cast to keep your body still during the scan.

The CT scan machine looks like a large donut. The exam table will slide back and forth through the large hole in the center of the machine. The scanner rotates around you. At first, the table will move through the scanner quickly. This helps the technologist confirm that your body is in the right position. After that, the table will move more slowly. CT scans are not painful. But you will need to lie still for the entire scan, which may become unpleasant. Since the scanner is shaped like a donut, you will not be enclosed in the scanner at any time.

You will hear whirring or clicking sounds from the machine. Some machines are louder than others. During the scan, the technologist will be in a nearby control room. They will be able to see you through a window or a video camera. And, you will be able to talk with them through an intercom system. The technologist may ask you to hold your breath during part of the scan.

That is because the body's movement from breathing can blur the pictures. The technologist may also raise, lower, or tilt the exam table to create the correct angle for the x-rays. Ask them to tell you when the table will move. Your visit will usually last up to 1 hour. The scan itself takes only 10 to 15 minutes or less. Newer scanners, including spiral or helical CT scanners, are even faster.

If a larger part of your body is scanned, the test may last longer. The technologist should be able to give you a time estimate before you begin. When the scan is done, the technologist may ask you to stay on the exam table for a few minutes.

During this time, a radiologist will look at the images to see if the technologist needs to take more. You can go back to your normal activities, such as driving, right after your CT scan. If you received contrast medium, you should drink a lot of water to flush it out of your body. Does the center have an emergency response plan in case I have an allergic reaction to the contrast medium?

Net Podcast: Coping with "Scanxiety". Find the right place for a biopsy. Plan radiation therapy for cancer treatment. There is no recommended limit on how many computed tomography CT scans you can have. CT scans provide critical information. When a severely ill patient has undergone several CT exams, the exams were important for diagnosis and treatment. Medical follow-up care is seldom required for radiation exposure from diagnostic examinations.

Effects from radiation are too rare to be a significant consideration, and exceptions are unusual. One example of an exception might be a pediatric patient who has had many CT exams. It would be appropriate to include this radiation exposure as part of the child's medical history. Age plays an important role in radiation sensitivity. Adults have less risk for radiation-induced health conditions, such as thyroid problems, than children.

In patients age 60 and older, radiation exposure is not as significant an issue. The body tissues of older patients are less sensitive to the effects of radiation.

It is also important to note that, illnesses affecting older patients are more likely to require CT scans compared with illnesses affecting children.

For more information, see Radiation Risk and Age. Studies show that the risk of cancer from CT scans is extremely low. Sometimes, your health condition will require an imaging exam that uses ionizing radiation. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor about the need for and importance of the exam. CT is a proven, lifesaving imaging technology. It allows the physician to see inside the body. This improves the picture of some blood vessels or tissues. Any patient who has an allergy to contrast material should tell the doctor beforehand.

Some medications can reduce allergic reactions to contrast materials. As metal interferes with the workings of the CT scanner, the patient will need to remove all jewelry and metal fastenings. The patient will need to lie down on a motorized examination table that slides into a doughnut-shaped CT scanner machine. In most cases, the patient will lie on their back, facing up. But, sometimes, they may need to lie facedown or sideways. After one x-ray picture, the couch will move slightly, and then the machine will take another image, and so on.

The patient needs to lie very still for the best results. During the scan, everybody except for the patient will leave the room. An intercom will enable two-way communication between the radiographer and the patient. If the patient is a child, a parent or adult might be allowed to stand or sit nearby, but they will have to wear a lead apron to prevent radiation exposure. These levels of radiation, even in people who have undergone several scans, has not proven to be harmful.

The chance of developing cancer as the result of a CT scan is thought to be less than 1 in 2, The amount of radiation involved is estimated to be around the same as a person would be exposed to in a space of between several months and several years of natural exposure in the environment.

A scan is only given if there is a clear medical reason to do so. The results can lead to treatment for conditions that could otherwise be serious. When the decision is taken to perform a scan, doctors will ensure that the benefits outweigh any risk. This is extremely unlikely in adults, and also unlikely in children. However, are more susceptible to the effects of radiation.

In some cases, only a CT scan can show the required results. For some conditions, an ultrasound or MRI might be possible.

Any woman who suspects she may be pregnant should tell her doctor beforehand, because there is a risk that the x-rays could harm the fetus. If a lactating, or breastfeeding, mother needs an iodinated intravenous dye for contrast, she should avoid breastfeeding for about 24 hours as may pass into the breast milk. A patient who has claustrophobia should tell their doctor or radiographer beforehand.