Computed Tomography (CT) - Adventist Medical Center

Computed Tomography (CT) Defined
CT scanning – sometimes called CAT scanning – is a noninvasive, painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. In computed tomography, the x-ray beam moves in a circle around the body. This allows many different views of the same organ or structure, and provides much greater detail than traditional x-ray. The images obtained are sent to a computer that reconstructs the data and displays it in 2 or 3-dimensional form for interpretation by your radiologist, a physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of disease using advanced medical imaging technology. For more information about the medical specialty of diagnostic radiology, click here.

A CT can be used to view almost any body part, but is most commonly used to visualize the abdomen, pelvis, chest, head, sinuses, inner ear, joints, blood vessels, spine, bones, heart and extremities. CT scans may be performed to help diagnose tumors, investigate internal bleeding, or check for other internal injuries or damage.

CT scans may be done with or without contrast. "Contrast" refers to a substance taken by mouth or injected into an intravenous (IV) line that causes the particular organ or tissue under study to be seen more clearly. Contrast examinations may require you to fast for a certain period of time before the procedure. Click here for more information regarding the preparation for your CT scan.

Adventist Medical Center Introduces New Technology
Adventist Medical Center (AMC) is pleased to announce the addition of our new SOMATOM® Definition Dual Source CT System to our already state of the art imaging department. Click here for more information regarding our newest acquisition.

The Siemens SOMATOM® Definition™ is a revolutionary scanner able to image any patient—faster than a heartbeat—with clarity and safety that were previously impossible.

Advantages of the Dual Source CT scanner include:

Images are captured in half the time of a conventional 64-slice scanner, critical to the highest quality imaging of the heart.
Ability to scan using two different energies ("dual energy scanning"), allowing more specific tissue characterization.
State of the art spatial resolution, down to 0.4mm.
State of the art does modulation technology, decreasing radiology exposure by as much as 40%.

Adding to the list of CT applications performed at Adventist Medical Center, the SOMATOM® Definition Dual Source CT System brings the most advanced technology available today to cardiovascular and bariatric imaging.

Cardiac CT Services
CT Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring (CAC) allows the radiologist to assess the amount of calcium in the wall of the coronary arteries, which provides an estimate of what risk you may have for coronary artery disease. For more detailed information regarding Coronary Artery Calcium scoring, click here.

Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA) is an imaging test used to determine whether fatty deposits or calcium deposits, also known as plaque, have built up in the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle. If untreated, the plaque can decrease the blood flow to the heart muscle which can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack). Click here for more detailed information regarding CCTA.

Bariatric CT Services
The dual source CT scanner has a weight limit of 615 pounds, twice the limit of conventional scanners.

The dual source scanner has two x-ray sources which can be used simultaneously, providing enough power to obtain quality images in all patients, regardless of size. Conventional scanners produce inadequate images in heavier patients.

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