Q: What is a Dual Source CT (DSCT) scan?

A: CT is a noninvasive imaging technique that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT imaging uses rotating X-ray equipment combined with a digital computer to obtain cross-sectional “slices” or pictures of the body. Traditional CT scanners take 64 “slices” of the body. Sacred Heart Hospital’s Dual Source CT uses the power of two CT scanners to take 128 “slices” of the body at once, resulting in crystal clear accuracy.

Q: Besides the extra slices, how does a DSCT scan differ from other types of scans?

A: DSCT allows our physicians to see extremely detailed images of areas of the body—including soft tissue, bone, muscles and blood vessels—that cannot be visualized using other types of scans.
 

Q: What types of medical conditions can be diagnosed and treated using DSCT?

A:

• Because it provides such detailed three-dimensional cross-section views: It is one of the most accurate ways to study the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
• It can take more than 6,000 images of the heart in as little as ten seconds allowing physicians to evaluate a patient with an exceptionally high heart rate without having to use beta blockers (medication used to slow the heart).
• It also enables physicians to examine coronary arteries without having to introduce a catheter.
• Physicians can detect cancer at its earliest stage by confirming the presence of a tumor, its size and its precise location, as well as the extent of its involvement with nearby tissue.
• It can image complex vascular cases and detect pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung) and abdominal aortic aneurysms, as well as vascular disease, which can lead to stroke.
• Small bones and surrounding tissue can be seen allowing for the diagnosis and treatment of spinal problems and injuries to the hands, feet and other skeletal structures.

Q: If I need a DSCT scan, what can I expect?

A:

• A DSCT scan is painless, noninvasive, fast and accurate.
• A diagnosis using a DSCT scan may eliminate the need for a biopsy or exploratory surgery.
• In emergency cases a DSCT scan can reveal internal injuries and bleeding fast enough to save your life.
• DSCT scans use less radiation than traditional scans.

Q: Where are DSCT scans being done in the Chippewa Valley?