YOLA 09A: The CT Scanner - p2

technician
The patient lies still on a special table which slides into a round tunnel, called a gantry. The technician can then rotate the gantry or move it forward and backward in order to obtain the necessary view.

X rays
Inside the donut-shaped machine, a number of X rays are taken, each producing a small slice of the image that doctors need. When passing through dense tissue such as bone, the beams are weak and appear white in the CT images.

tissues
Tissues such as those found in the brain are less dense and appear grey. Images that appear black denote organs such as lungs or others that can fill with air.

converts
The CT scanner is made up of several computer systems, including the host computer, which organizes the entire process. One computer converts the raw data into an image, while another lets the technician control the gantry.

analyse
After the information is processed, it is displayed on a monitor for radiologists and physicians to analyse. The information is also saved to keep in a doctor's records and to share and discuss with patients and their family.

assessing
Physicians order CT scans for a number of different reasons including searching for and assessing: tumours, cysts, kidney stones, and bone injuries. Without CT scans, surgeons would have to perform many needless operations.

biopsy
Brain, chest, and abdominal CT scans are the most common, though physicians also rely on the CT scanner to guide their needles while draining an abscess or performing a biopsy.

pinpoint
Most emergency or shock-treatment centres contain a CT scanner in order to assess trauma victims. CT scans can pinpoint internal bleeding both in the brain and throughout the body.