Low Dose Ct Scan Uses Minimal Radiation

byAlma Abell

To see inside a patient’s body a physician can call for X-Rays or he can arrange for the patient to have a low dose CT in Riverhead NY. The CT scan uses less radiation than does an X-Ray which is of benefit to the patient but reducing the radiation exposure that is needed to do the imaging study. It is not an acceptable solution for all needs as the image may not be of the quality that the physician requires to aid in diagnosis. Low dose equipment is constantly being improved which reduces the need for high doses of radiation in many cases.

When a patient is preparing for a low dose CT in Riverhead NY, he or she lies flat on a table. The CT scanner takes a great number of low does X-Rays which are known as “slices.” The slices can be put together on a computer which gives the doctor a three dimensional image of the area scanned. When viewed by a competent doctor or technician, the reassembled slices can show up any abnormalities and other abnormalities within the body. Prior to the advent of low does CT there was always some concern that the patient was being given a very high doses of radiation that may lead to future complications such as cancer. This risk has been greatly reduced with low dose scans.

A low dose CT scanner uses multiple detectors and the dosage is lower. With the multiple detectors more than one slice can be taken at the same time thus reducing the time in the machine and reducing the dose of X-Rays as well. No two people are the same so prior to the tests; the technicians monitor the patient and set the machine accordingly. The objective is to get the best possible resolution at the least possible exposure, hence, risk.

The amount of radiation depends on the part of the body that is being scanned. Depending on the specific machine and the area, a low dose CT in Riverhead NY can be as much as 90 percent less than in the past. It must be understood by the patient that not every scan can be done by low dose. There are times when the instructions from the physician demand a very high quality image or the body characteristics of the patient dictate a higher dosage.