Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic procedure that uses special X-ray equipment to create cross-sectional pictures of a person's body. CT images are produced using X-ray technology and powerful computers.
The uses of CT include looking for:
- Broken bones
- Cancers
- Blood clots
- Signs of heart disease
- Internal bleeding
During a CT scan, the patient lies still on a table. The table slowly passes through the center of a large X-ray machine. The test is painless. During some tests, the patient receives a contrast dye, which makes parts of their body show up better in the image.[1]