Ultra-fast CAT scan

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. Ultra-fast CT scans use X-rays collected at very short intervals for a more detailed evaluation of the heart in motion.

Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control View All Diseases and Conditions More information on Cardiomyopathy is available at these websites recommended by the U.S.News & World Report Library. What is your heart risk? Use our calculator to find out. See the top five online resources for heart information Cardiomyopathy-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

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.

Sometimes a contrast medium is injected into a vein during a CT scan to help depict blood flow through the vessels and structures of the heart. If a contrast medium is to be used, patients typically will need to fast for a few hours before the procedure. The contrast medium may, on occasion, cause an allergic reaction, most commonly hives or itchiness. In people with asthma, the allergic reaction may manifest as an asthma attack. In very rare instances, a patient may experience swelling in the throat or other areas of the body. If you experience hives, itchiness, or swelling in your throat during or after your CT scan, immediately tell the technician or doctor.

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 given birth 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.