According to Stanford University Hospital and Clinics, computerized axial tomography, or CAT, scan machines combine special sophisticated X-ray equipment with computer technology to produce multiple cross-sectional images. Unlike a single X-ray, CAT scans generally involve taking many images. These multiple images are a distinct improvement over X-rays because they produce high-resolution, three-dimensional pictures.
Cancer Diagnosis
The National Cancer Institute reports that while patients receiving CAT scans are exposed to more radiation than conventional X-rays, "the benefits generally outweigh risks," at least with respect to cancer patients because cancers can be detected earlier.
A 2006 article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported on a study in which 31,567 high-risk people were screened for lung cancer. Of those, 484 had stage 1 lung cancer, which was undetectable on X-ray. The five-year survival of those who were treated was 92 percent. The eight people who remained untreated died within five years of diagnosis. Although this study has been criticized because it looked to survival rates instead of mortality, the authors concluded that "annual spiral CT screening can detect lung cancer that is curable."
Stroke Diagnosis
The Internet Stroke Center explains that CAT scans are used immediately after a stroke to diagnose ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Since CAT scans can be examined in real time, they allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment, which is important in stroke management, when every moment counts.
Better Images
Just as the multiple cross-sectional images produced by a CAT scan introduced a three-dimensionality to medical imaging, the resolution of the image produced through a CAT scan is far better than conventional X-ray. According to USA Today, radiologists are no longer reduced to interpreting shadows on an X-ray. Instead, they can view high-resolution images that provide so much detail, they can pick up bits of calcium in heart tissues
References
- The Internet Stroke Center: Stroke Diagnosis
- National Cancer Institute: Computed Tomography (CT): Questions and Answers
- ABC News: CT Scans Can Detect Lung Cancer That X-Rays Cannot
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics: Computed Tomography (CT) Services
- USA Today: Study: CT Scans May Help the Healthy Gauge Heart Risk
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