Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest

Computed tomography is a specialized imaging technique that uses X-rays collected from many different angles around the body to generate detailed cross-sectional images as well as three-dimensional images of the body's internal structures and organs, including the heart. Ultrafast CT scans are a special type of CT scan that uses X-rays collected at very short intervals for a more detailed evaluation of the heart in motion. CT scans may be used in some leukemia patients to confirm that the leukemia or its treatment has not affected the heart or lungs.

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The procedure is painless and requires the patient to lie as still as possible on a table that is guided into a machine that resembles an enormous doughnut. The machine, called a gantry, directs small doses of electromagnetic radiation toward the body from various angles. Because different tissues of the body absorb varying amounts of radiation, a computer can analyze the radiation transmitted through the body to reconstruct the images of the internal structures and organs.

Chest and abdominal CT scans involve exposure to a dose of radiation that typically exceeds the average background dose of radiation we experience in daily living. For most patients, however, the benefits far outweigh the minor risks associated with exposure to this level of radiation. However, pregnant women may prefer to postpone getting a CT scan until after they've delivered or choose alternative testing procedures. Individuals with pacemakers or internal cardioverter defibrillators who have been advised to avoid MRIs can safely have a CT scan.