Information ⬇
- CT delivers a substantially higher radiation dose than conventional radiography; it should therefore be used judiciously.
- CT of the brain should be the initial radiographic modality in evaluating a pt with a potential stroke.
- Is highly sensitive for diagnosing an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage and, in the acute setting, is more sensitive than MRI.
- CT of the brain is an essential test in evaluating a pt with mental status changes to exclude entities such as intracranial bleeding, mass effect, subdural or epidural hematomas, and hydrocephalus.
- Is better than MRI for evaluating osseous lesions of the skull and spine.
- CT of the chest should be considered in the evaluation of a pt with chest pain to rule out entities such as pulmonary embolus or aortic dissection.
- CT of the chest is essential for evaluating lung nodules to assess for the presence of thoracic lymphadenopathy.
- CT, with high-resolution cuts through the lungs, is the imaging modality of choice for evaluating the lung interstitium in a pt with interstitial lung disease.
- Can be used to evaluate for the presence of pleural and pericardial fluid and to localize loculated effusions.
- Is useful in a pt with unexplained abdominal pain to evaluate for conditions such as appendicitis, mesenteric ischemia or infarction, diverticulitis, or pancreatitis.
- CT of the abdomen is also the test of choice for evaluating for nephrolithiasis in a pt with renal colic.
- Is the test of choice for evaluating for the presence of an abscess in the chest or abdomen.
- In conjunction with abdominal radiography, CT can help identify the cause of bowel obstruction.
- Can identify abdominal conditions such as intussusception and volvulus in a pt with abdominal pain.
- Is the imaging modality of choice for evaluating the retroperitoneum.
- Should be obtained expeditiously in a pt with abdominal trauma to evaluate for the presence of intraabdominal hemorrhage and to assess injury to abdominal organs.
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