CT

Accurate and timely diagnostics of a disease is critical for correct and successful treatment thereof. It is the reason of popularity of the best and perfect method of radial diagnostics – computer tomography (CT). CT is fast, secure and painless method to receive complete information about a human body. Results of CT examination can be handed to a patient at the same day.

When CT is required?

Computer tomography is necessary to define a vast amount of diseases of different organs and systems of a human body:

• locomotion system: bones, joints and spine;
• nerve system (including brain);
• thyroid and parathyroid body;
• lungs, trachea, bronchi;
• abdominal cavity bodies: liver, spleen, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, gall bladder and bile ducts;
• genitourinary system: kidneys and adrenal bodies, urinary bladder, pelvic organs;
• lymphatic system.

Computer tomography services

Our clinic provides multi-slice CT of the following organs:

• Brain;
• Face bones;
• Nasal sinus;
• Temporal bones;
• Spine cord;
• Spine;
• Joints and bones;
• Thyroid body;
• Thoracic organs;
• Organs of abdominal cavity;
• Pelvic organs of men of women;
• Kidneys and suprarenal bodies;
• Blood vessels (angiography).

For more accurate data, CT could be performed using special contrast agents. The contrast is applied for examination of brain, soft tissues of throat, thorax organs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, and suprarenal bodies, salivary glands, pelvic organs and vessels.

You can indeed have a CT performed for you in Kyiv, namely at our institution, although you’d better clarify, what type of it you need exactly.

Computer tomography could be conditionally subdivided into 4 sub-types:

1. Ordinary computer tomography (linear). This type of diagnostics allows examination of almost all CT of different areas of human body. It is one of the simplest types of tomography.
2. Spiral computer tomography (SCT). This type of diagnostics is applied for examination of different types of organs and structures of human body. A principal difference thereof from linear CT is that the components of tomography ring (X-ray tube and sensors) are rotating inside, thus achieving decrease in time of diagnostics and the respective radial loading.
3. Multi-spiral computer tomography (MSCT) – is one of the newest types thereof. By MSCT almost the whole human body could be examined. Distinctive feature of this tomography is that receiving devices are placed along the whole perimeter. In such a way the time required for diagnostics and radial loading are decreased to maximum possible extent.
4. Conic-radial computer tomography (CRCT) – is the innovation in the sphere of CT. It is applied for diagnostics of pathologic changes in bone structures of skull. Construction and work principle of the tomography allows performing diagnostics in seconds, at minimum radial loading.

3D computer tomography differs from classical X-ray image, like ordinary photo differs from the real world. It gives doctor a possibility to see details, unavailable for an ordinary X-ray image, as one of the most important advantages of CT is that is allows clearly define soft tissues from their surroundings. This, in turn, allows seeing details unavailable for other methods of diagnostics and respectively to plan correct treatment and avoid possible complications.

3D computer tomography is:

• The most perfect and accurate diagnostics: three-dimensional images give a doctor the possibility to increase, turn, study from all sides the areas, interesting for him/her;
• it is completely impossible is case of 2D diagnostics;
• Convenience and safety: the system for a single scanning that lasts several seconds allows receiving 3D image of the whole maxilla-facial area;
• Low radiation dose: thanks to new technologies, radial loading on a body is one order less compared to classic tomography;
• Maximum information: unique functional capabilities of our tomography allow studying the diagnostic image in any projections and slices, defining anatomical peculiarities of the whole maxilla-facial complex of a patient.

The essence of MSCT

MSCT is the contemporary method of X-ray diagnostics for receiving the images of human organs and systems in transverse plane, as well as to reconstruct the image in other planes:

• coronal (frontal);
• sagittal (side);
• oblique and curve linear.

The method is based on uneven absorption of X-rays by different tissues of a body. The method of multi-spiral computer tomography is based on scanning of human body with a fan beam of rays, at that the receiver of the rays comprises of rows of simultaneously acting detectors. The fan beam of rays transforms into electric signals and underwent computer processing with synthesis of the images in different planes. CT-images are rather more informative compared to ordinary X-ray imaging, as well as other methods of X-ray studies (intravenous urography, irigography).

Computer tomography should be prescribed by a doctor, considering all clinical data and all previous examinations of the patient (in some cases preliminary X-ray imaging or US examination could be required). This approach allows more accurate defining of the area of interest, making the study more purposeful and avoid making multiple studies without indications; decreasing the dose of radial loadings.

MSCT provides excellent images of tissues, different in density (including brain, liver, kidneys, pancreas and other internal organs and bone structures), and gives the possibility to diagnose disorders and different diseases (e.g. tumors) at early stages.

To receive improved and more informative image, the methods of contrast amplification could be applied.

MSCT is the most informative for study of:

• thoracic organs (lungs, mediastinum), abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, pelvic;
• brain, bones of skull, sinuses, orbits and temporal bones;
• spine, bones and joints;
• blood vessels (of thoracic and abdominal aortas and branches thereof, arteries and veins of upper and lower extremities, intracranial arteries and veins, inferior vena cava, portal vein and branches thereof).

Advantages of MSCT compared to standard (step-by-step) spiral CT

• decreased period of examination and less artifacts due to movements of internal organs and pulsation of big vessels;
• improvement of 3D resolution gives opportunity to receivethin (1-1.5 mm) and extra-thin, sub-millimeter slices;
• study area could be in several times bigger for one and the same scanning compared to single-slice spiral computer tomography;
• radial loading while multilevel spiral CT at comparable volumes of diagnostic information is in 30% less than the same while an ordinary CT examination. ;
• Possibility to use less contrast agent simultaneously with covering a bigger area of scanning. ;
• Receiving the full scope of data of the area being studied, with possibility of different multiplanar (MRP) and three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions, studies of vessels, organs and tissues in different phases at contrast agent insertion (arterial, parenchyma, venous and different postponed phases).

Indications for MSCT

Examination of thorax organs. Nowadays MSCT is the optimal method for diagnosing diseases of mediastinum and lungs:

• Infectious diseases of lungs (pneumonia, infectious destruction, tuberculosis breathing organs, pneumoconiosis, parasite infections);
• Lung tumors;
• Metastatic lung damages;
• Diseases of bronchi (bronchiectasis, cysts, cicatricle bronchi stenosis, foreign bodies in bronchi, bronchiolitis);
• Violations of blood circulation in lungs (thromboembolia of pulmonary arteries, pulmonary infarct, septic emboli of lung, abnormalities of pulmonary arteries);
• Interstitial pulmonary diseases (alveolitis, lymphogenic carcinomatosis, hystiocytosis, sarcoidosis, silicosis and anthracosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, emphysema);
• Diseases and injuries of thoracic aorta and branches thereof;
• Extra-pulmonary pathologic processes: diseases of mediastinum, pleural diseases (pleural fluid, pneumothorax, tumors of pleura), thorax wall.

Examination of abdominal cavity and mediastinum organs:

• Primary and secondary tumors of liver and biliary ducts, adipose degeneration of liver, cysts, including parasite ones, cirrhosis of liver;
• Bile ducts diseases;
• Hepathomealgia of unclear etiology;
• Injures of abdominal cavity and mediastinum organs;
• Pancreas diseases;
• Diseases of spleen;
• splenomegaly of unclear etymology;
• Diseases and damages of kidneys and urinary tracts;
• Abnormalities of abdominal cavity and mediastinum organs;
• Diseases of suprarenal glands;
• Diseases and damages of abdominal aorta and branches thereof;
• Diseases and damages of interior vena cava, portal vein and branches thereof (e.g. portal hypertension, thrombosis).

Caution! Special preparation is required before examination of gastro-intestinal tract.

Examination of pelvic organs:

• Diseases and damages of urinary tract;
• Diseases of alvus, adnexas (namely tumors and inflammation processes, defining area of extension thereof);
• Diseases of prostate (specially to define extension of tumor process);
• Structure, conditions of regional lymph glands;
• Diseases and damages of iliac vessels (aneurism, stenosis);
• Diseases and damages of bone structures and pelvic.

Study of brain:

• Tumors and inflammation processes of brain;
• Malformation of brain vessels, intracranial vessels;
• Diseases and damages of cranial bones and crania-vertebral junction;
• Acute and chronic disorders of brain blood turnover;
• Cranial brain trauma of any extent of severity;
• Consequences of traumas and inflammation diseases (cysts, hydrocephaly, cortical atrophy).

Examination of spine:

• Degenerative changes (protrusions, hernias of intervertebral discs);
• Diseases and damages of spine (traumas, inflammation, tumor processes);
• Abnormalities of spine structures development;
• Post-surgical changes.

Examination of neck:

• Diseases and damages of neck organs (larynx, thyroid organs (including tumor-like to assess extension of the process);
• Condition of neck lymph glands;
• Diseases and damages of neck vessels.

Contraindications against CT examination

There are no absolute contraindications for computer tomography. Although there are reasonable limitations of indications for CT studies of children and pregnant women, especially at first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant women are examined by CT only according to vital indications.

Additional information for a patient

Analyzing the obtained data, doctor-radiologist (in some cases upon adjustment with attending physician) makes a decision about technical characteristics of examination and about necessity of contrast amplification.

Results of study are provided to the patients in form of a protocol and images on film and on CD-disk (on request of a patient – on other digital bearer).

Contrast amplification

Maximum information capacity of computer tomography could be achieved upon contrast amplification. That is why the leading radiology centers apply CT with contrast amplification in 80-87% of examinations. Contrasting is especially important for early diagnostics of oncology diseases, pathology of vessels, diseases of parenchyma of internal organs, for study of brain and neck organs.

In diagnostic department of the “Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics by NAMS of Ukraine” we use only the most modern contrast means produced by leading manufacturers, mostly “Omnipac” and “Visipack”.

Contrast agent is inserted intravenously by automatic injectors with predefined speed (depending on diagnostic task and object of study) and volume. Goal of contrast amplification is to obtain high-quality and maximum informative image of the object of study – arteries, veins, brain, parenchyma organs, intestinal walls, urinary tracts, pathologic formations.

Contraindications against contrast amplification:

• Absolute – individual sensitivity to iodine, impaired kidney functions;
• Relative – decompensated diabetes mellitus, thyreotoxicosis.

Recommendation in case of side effects after insertion of contrast agent

Diagnostic department of the “Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics by NAMS of Ukraine” applied only the high-quality contrast agents of the leading world manufacturers. Although in some cases an individual intolerance of the agent. If after procedure with use of contrast agent you feel pruritus, sneezing, pain, nausea, labored breath, skin rush, burning pain of eyes, diarrhea, pins and needles of extremities or any other symptoms, please notify immediately the medical staff that supervises you.