Grove City Medical Center’s new CT scanner operates so quickly that lead CT technologist Ruth Alblanapl noted, “Typically, it will take more time for the patient to get positioned on the scanner table than it will take to actually perform the scan.” The speed of the new scanner will appeal to those patients who have difficulty laying flat for a long period of time, or those who are claustrophobic, and there will be less wait time since patients will be processed more quickly.

CT is an abbreviation for computed tomography, which is a valuable diagnostic medical exam that combines X-rays and computers. Often referred to as CAT scans, physicians have relied on CT scans as a non-surgical way to see inside their patients’ bodies for nearly 30 years. One significant advantage of CT is its ability to rapidly acquire two-dimensional views of the human anatomy. Using a computer, these 2-D images can be presented as 3-D images for in-depth clinical evaluations.

Among the more advanced diagnostic studies for which the CT scan is ideally suited are: a cerebral bleed, blood clots in the lung (pulmonary emboli), nodules in the lung and kidney stones. The CT scan is also particularly helpful as a screening tool when evaluating such vague symptoms as unexplained weight loss or pain. A CT angiogram uses dye to produce a virtual roadmap of the vascular system, a less invasive alternative to a catheterization for evaluating circulatory problems in a patient.