Extremity/Joints CT

Test Procedure

The technologist will position you on the padded table and make you as comfortable as possible. It's very important that you remain still during the CT scan. Even slight movement can result in blurry images and may make it necessary to take more images. However, the table itself will move during the exam to position you for the next image.

The scanning chamber is open at both ends. You will enter the chamber either head-first or feet-first, depending upon the area of your body to be scanned. Claustrophobia is usually not a problem in CT scanning, because the opening in the CT machine is relatively large, and the entire body is never totally within the chamber. Please tell the technologists if you experience any uneasiness, and they will take whatever steps they can to help you feel less anxious.

If your physician has requested it, a contrast solution will be administered through an intravenous injection, similar to what you experience when you have a blood test. You will probably feel a warm flush throughout your body, and you may have a funny taste in your mouth as the solution is injected.

As the scan begins, you'll hear some humming, buzzing or clicking sounds and feel the table move. Do not be alarmed. The noise and table movement are a necessary and normal part of the exam. During the test you may be asked to hold your breath for short periods of time. The entire procedure will take approximately 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of exam being performed.

Women should always inform their doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.

Equipment

The CT scanner is a large, round machine with a hole in the center, something like a doughnut. The patient lies still on a table that can move up or down, and slide into and out from the center of the hole. Within the machine, an x-ray tube on a rotating gantry (or frame) moves around the patient's body to produce the images, making clicking and whirring noises as the arm moves. Though the technologist will be able to see and speak to you, you will be alone in the room during the exam.