CT Scans – Areas of the Body

At the Washington Health Outpatient Imaging Center, the CT studies are interpreted by board certified radiologists. Reports are generated and sent to the referring physician. CT scans are used to study almost all areas and systems of the bod, including arteries and bones. Below is a brief description of some common areas that are evaluated by CT scans.  

• Chest (thorax): Evaluates for infection, lung cancer, a pulmonary embolism, and an aneurysm. It also can be performed to evaluate if cancer has spread into the chest from another area of the body  
• Abdomen: Evaluates for cysts, abscesses, infection, tumors, an aneurysm, enlarged lymph odes, foreign objects, bleeding in the abdomen, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and appendicitis  
• Urinary tract: Evaluates the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. This type of scan can find kidney stones, bladder stones, or blockage of the urinary tract. A special type of CT scan, called a CT Urogram uses injected dye (contrast material) to look for kidney stones, blockage, growths, infection, or other diseases of the urinary tract.  
• Liver: Evaluates for liver tumors, bleeding from the liver, and liver diseases. A CT scan of the liver can also help determine the cause of jaundice.  
• Pancreas: Evaluates for tumors in the pancreas or inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).  
• Gallbladder and bile ducts: Evaluates for blockage of the bile ducts. Gallstones occasionally show up on a CT scan. But other tests, such as ultrasound, usually are used to find problems with the gallbladder and bile ducts.  
• Adrenal glands: Evaluates for tumors or enlarged adrenal glands.  
• Spleen: Evaluates for an injury to the spleen or the size of the spleen.  
• Pelvis: Evaluates for issues in the pelvic region. For a woman, these include the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. For a man, this includes the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles.  
• Extremities (Arm or leg): Evaluation of the bones and joints of the upper and lower extremities. The arteries of the extremities can also be evaluated by CT when contrast material is injected into the vein.  
• Paranasal sinus: Evaluates for inflammatory and infectious diseases of the sinuses. It can also be used for pre-operative planning when surgery may be contemplated  
• Neck: Evaluates for inflammatory/infectious diseases and malignancies in the neck region.  
• Head: Evaluates for signs and symptoms of stroke, trauma, infections, and tumors in the brain.  

Other uses for a CT scan  
A CT scan may be used to guide a needle during a tissue biopsy or placement of a drain of an abscess.