Determining what’s happening inside your body is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. Doctors need to identify health issues and confirm the severity of your condition to determine the most effective treatment options. Although doctors can’t see what’s going on inside your body just by looking at you, they can get a look at what’s going on using non-invasive preventative medical scans, such as ultrasounds, magnetic imaging resonance (MRI) scans, and CT scans.
Approximately 25% of Americans don’t have a primary doctor, which makes it challenging to get a diagnosis and an effective long-term treatment plan. Fortunately, you don’t need a doctor’s referral to schedule a non-invasive CT scan and get the health answers you deserve.
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What Is A Chest Ct Scan?
An electrical engineer named Sir Godfrey Hounsfield invented the CT scanner in 1967. Within four years, a machine had scanned a human brain. By the 1990s, medical professionals had access to portable scanners. CT scan technology has continued to evolve, enabling medical professionals to get more detailed information about what’s happening inside a person’s body.
Chest CT scans focus on your chest to identify health issues affecting your lungs. CT scans capture a series of images from multiple angles and sequence those images, enabling medical professionals to get a detailed look inside your body from several positions. Viewing the images in sequence gives doctors accurate, comprehensive medical information without cutting into your body, enabling them to make an informed diagnosis.
Related: What Can a CT Scan Show That an MRI Cannot?
What Happens During A Chest CT Scan?
Most patients need to change into a gown for their scan. You’ll also have to take off glasses, jewelry, and other metal objects on your person. Some patients receive contrast dye for their scans, typically given through an IV, and you may have to fast for a few hours before your appointment.
Once you’re at your appointment, you’ll lie on a flat table for your CT scan. The table slides through the scanner, which looks like an inner tube or donut. The CT scanner captures images while you lie still and hold your breath.
Your scan will take less than half an hour. You should be able to resume regular activities immediately after your scan.
Does A Chest CT scan Show Inflammation?
Chest CT scans reveal chest inflammation, which could indicate you have infected chest wall membranes, inflamed cartilage, pneumonia, bronchitis, or emphysema.
What Does A Chest CT Scan Show?
Your chest CT scan can confirm the following health issues:
- Diseases: Doctors use chest CT scans to diagnose heart disease, cancer, emphysema, lung nodules, pneumonia, and other diseases
- Fractures: Chest CT scans can confirm whether you have fractured ribs
- Plaque build-up: Your doctor can use CT chest scan data to calculate your calcium test score, determining whether the amount of plaque in your arteries puts you at risk of a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure
- Internal bleeding: Chest CT scans can verify if you have internal bleeding or other injuries
- Tumors: Chest CT scans can confirm the presence of bone tumors or lung cancer
Doctors also use chest CT scans to evaluate a patient’s progress during treatment. Suppose you’re receiving treatment for a tumor. A chest CT scan can confirm whether the tumor’s size has decreased.
Why Should You Have A Chest CT Scan?
A preventative chest CT scan can put your mind at ease or confirm a health issue you need to treat. You should have a chest CT scan if you have any of the following symptoms or health risk factors:
- Chest injury
- Chest pain
- Coughing
- History of smoking
- Shortness of breath
Preventative medical care is the most effective way to identify health issues early, which has physical and financial benefits. Early detection means early treatment, which can keep your condition from deteriorating. Research shows that cancer patients have higher survival rates if they receive an early diagnosis. A late diagnosis often means the cancer has progressed and may have spread throughout the body, making it difficult to treat.
Early diagnosis also reduces treatment costs. Investing in preventative care can save you time, pain, and financial strain.
Are There Times When You Shouldn’t Get A Chest CT Scan?
You should tell your medical team about any health conditions you have, medications you use, and if you may be pregnant. You should also inform your medical team if you’ve had an allergic reaction to the contrast dye used during CT scans. You may need medication to counter your allergies and should be aware of all potential risks before your scan.
Where Can I Get A Chest CT Scan in Vegas?
You can get a chest CT scan near you in Las Vegas when you schedule with Preventative Diagnostic Center. Our medical doctor, CT technologist, and radiologist are here to provide you with the expert care you deserve when you need to verify or rule out potential health issues. We offer heart and lung scans and use a state-of-the-art CT scanner that produces high-quality images with minimal radiation exposure. We deliver superior preventative health care at a price you can afford.
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Sources:
Crosby, D. et al. (2022). Early detection of cancer.
Ducharme, J. (2023). Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills: U.S. Health Care is Causing Patient Burnout.
Half a Century in CT: How Computed Tomography Has Evolved. (2016).
MRI. (2023).
