Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic procedure that’s sometimes referred to as computed axial tomography, or a CAT scan, but the terms describe the same procedure, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

CT scans use X-rays to produce 2D cross-sectional images, or slices, of the body’s bones, soft tissues, and blood vessels.

Using computers, these images can be “stacked” to create 3D models of specific areas of the body, as detailed in an article in Applied Radiology.

Unlike traditional X-ray imaging technologies, which use a fixed X-ray source, CT scanners use a motorized X-ray source that rotates around the body, allowing for more detailed images.

CT Scan Uses

Per the Cleveland Clinic, physicians may order CT scans to:

• Examine internal and bone injuries from vehicle accidents or other trauma
• Diagnose spinal problems and skeletal injuries
• Detect osteoporosis
• Detect many different types of cancers and determine the extent (spread) of the tumors
• Locate infections
• Look for injuries, stroke-causing clots, hemorrhaging, and other issues in the head
• Image the lungs to reveal blood clots in the lungs’ vessels, excess fluid, pneumonia, and chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD)
• Determine the cause of chest or abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms
• Diagnose dangerous vascular diseases that can cause stroke, kidney failure, and death

Additionally, CT scans are used to assist with biopsies and other medical procedures, and help with treatment planning for organ transplants, gastric bypass, and cancer, among other things.

CT Scan Procedure

The CT procedure begins with you lying on a narrow table that slides in and out of the center of the CT scanner, as the Cleveland Clinic details.

The X-ray source and X-ray detectors are located on opposite sides of the scanner’s ring, or gantry.