HEAD AND NECK
CT imaging of the head and brain can detect tumors, show blood clots and blood vessel defects, show enlarged ventricles (caused by a build up of cerebrospinal fluid) and image other abnormalities such as those of the nerves or muscles of the eye.

THORAX
Due to the short scan times of 500 milliseconds to a few seconds, Spiral CT can be used for all anatomic regions, including those susceptible to patient motion and breathing. For example, in the thorax CT can be used for visualization of nodular structures, infiltrations of fluid, fibrosis (for example from asbestos fibers) and effusions (filling of an air space with fluid).

LIVER
Due to the short total acquisition time of spiral CT, imaging of the liver is now possible in different contrast enhancement phases. These so called “multi-phase” studies offer a step towards differential diagnosis of lesions in the liver. In other words, doctors can use differential diagnosis to determine “what kind of abnormality is this?

ORTHOPAEDICS
Spiral CT imaging provides both good soft tissue resolution (contrast) as well as high spatial resolution. This enables the use of CT in orthopedic medicine and imaging of bony structures including prolapses (protrusion) of vertebral discs, imaging of complex joints like the shoulder or hip as a functional unit and fractures, especially those affecting the spine.

TRAUMA
CT is becoming the method of choice for imaging trauma patients. Spiral CT exams are fast and simple and enable a quick overview of possibly life-threatening pathology and rapidly enables a dedicated surgical treatment.

CT ANGIOGRAPHY
With the advent of spiral CT, the continuous acquisition of complete CT volumes can be used for the diagnosis of blood vessels with CT angiography. For instance, abdominal aortic aneursysms, the renal arteries, the carotids vessels and the Circle of Willis can all now be quickly imaged with CT with minimal intervention.

RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Our Radiation Oncologist delineates the tumor, target volume, and adjacent normal anatomical structures. Our CT Technologists and Physicists then assist in developing a radiation field arrangement which covers this volume most accurately, while sparing adjacent structures. If needed, custom fabricated alloy shielding are constructed which shape the x-ray beam. These are entered into the computer plan as well as other beam modification devices.

The resulting plan can be modified, and adjusted as needed until it is optimized. This is all done without the patient present, since the actual CT takes only minutes. The plan is more accurate since the Physician can observe the x-ray from a “beams eye view”, as if he were inside the Radiation Machine.

VIRTUAL ENDOSCOPY
In addition to creating fantastic images of internal anatomy, these new 3D reconstruction techniques enable a number of non-invasive “virtual endoscopy” procedures to be performed. Endoscopy involves the use of an endoscope to see inside organs of the body such as the colon or bronchi. Virtual endoscopy allows physicians to see the inside of these same structures, without the use of an invasive endoscope.

THREE DIMENSIONAL TREATMENT PLANNING
Standard treatment planning computers can analyze only one or two “slices” of a CT image at one time. Some newer computer programs use all of the images from a CT scan to create a 3D image of the volume studied. The information from the CT transferred to the dosimetry computer via, tape, disk, hard copy or network. The GE system takes this process one step beyond and incorporates the entire process into one coordinated session. Since a volume is being imaged, reconstruction of the patient can be made in almost any plane, with excellent resolution.

The power of this system is the ability to do a “virtual simulation”. Since the patient need not be brought back to the treatment stimulator to revise a plan and view its effects with repeat fluoroscopy or new x-rays. Another powerful feature is its ability to render images in 3 dimensions.

CT GUIDED BIOPSIES
Conventional CT guidance of biopsy and other simple procedures well established. However, conventional CT can be painstakingly show since it often requires a new image to be acquired each time the doctor advances the needle or surgical instrument in order to verify the updated position. In many cases the radiologist repeatedly leaves the scan room each time a new image is acquired, extending the length of the procedure.

Spiral CT is more like a video camera (or x-ray fluoroscope) and allows acquisition and immediate display of up to 9 images per second. Thus CT allows the physician to continuously monitor the trajectory of the needle or surgical instrument as it is inserted, eliminating the slow slice by slice process and allowing a significant streamlining of CT guided inter ventional procedures.

PAIN THERAPY
The radiologist delivers a therapeutic agent into the thoracic vertebrae under spiral CT guidance. This Spiral CT image is used to guide needle placement. A therapeutic agent is then injected into the thoracic vertebrae to alleviate pain.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY
Many open surgical procedures can now be replaced with minimally invasive procedures under CT guidance. For example, Spiral CT can be used to guide micro therapy to repair prolapsed or burst disks in the spinal canal without surgery. Until recently, the repair of a “bad disk” was primarily an open surgical procedure. 

·     Drainage of fluid collections such as cysts, abscesses (pus), hymphoceles (lymph fluid), bilioma (bile), hematomas (blood), for example, to remove fluid from an infection or wound.

·     Diagnostic biopsy to remove a tissue sample for pathologic or cytologic lab testing.

·     Pain therapy, for example, the injection of therapeutic agents into a spinal disk space to alleviate pain (see above images)

·     Minimally invasive operation, for example, cyst removal or ablation (cutting away) of tumors (such as brain tumors).

·     Dynamic study of knee or elbow motion, swallowing or study of the larynx.

·     CT arthrogram : injection of contrast into joint space for easier diagnosis of injury.

·     Guidance of embolization to stop bleeding, for example, in liver and spleen trauma.