CT Scans
AVAILABLE AT: Mediclinic Bloemfontein | Busamed Bram Fischer International Airport Hospital
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CT scanners help wildlife too!
South African vets regularly use CT on lions, rhinos, cheetahs, and even penguins. Wildlife CT imaging helps diagnose fractures, infections, and even horn injuries in rhinos.
South Africa was one of the earliest adopters in Africa
CT scanning became widely available in SA long before most African countries, making SA a regional leader in advanced medical imaging.
CT scans were partly inspired by African fossils
Much of the global paleoanthropology work (e.g., at Sterkfontein Caves – “Cradle of Humankind”) uses CT technology to scan ancient skulls and fossils without damaging them.
Some ambulances in SA have access to mobile CT units
In trauma-heavy regions, SA has used mobile CT scanners to improve rapid brain injury diagnosis — particularly for severe head trauma.
What is Computed Tomography?
A CT scanner uses X-rays to obtain many images from different angles while the patient moves through the scanner gantry on a motorized bed. A high performance computer is used to create volumetric acquisitions of the images, which can be reconstructed into cross sectional or 3D images of the body.
The images can be compared to a loaf of bread that has been sliced by a bread slicer, where each slice can be taken and examined individually. The exam is relatively short and provides much greater detail and information to radiologist than conventional radiography.
During most CT examinations, iodinated contrast is given either intravenously or orally. This improves visualization of the internal organs and vascular structures and helps better characterize lesions. CT can also be used to guide biopsies or other minimally invasive procedures.
Women who are pregnant must alert their doctor and the radiographer if they are being scheduled for a CT scan.
NB! If you have a history of allergies or previous reactions to iodinated contrast, please inform your doctor and the radiographer before having a CT scan.