A lung CT scan is one of the most commonly used medical procedures in the detection of lung cancer. Lung cancers are rising at an alarming rate, with the chief cause of the occurrence being smoking. The cancer can develop in any part of the lungs but about 90% of the cell deformities are known to arise from the epithelial cells that line the larger and smaller airways. The computed tomography, also known as the CT scan, is a diagnostic technique that requires the use of a number of x-rays to be passed through the patient’s body at a variety of angles in order to produce cross sectional images of the tissue that requires examination. While CT scan lung cancer is focused on detecting the presence of lung cancer, a ct scan can also serve the purpose of identifying the shape, structure and position of the various organs present in the chest cavity.
Patients suffering from symptoms of lung problems like shortness of breath and chest pain may also be required to undergo a ct scan in order to identify the root cause of the problem. There are two main types of lung ct scans that vary primarily at the final image output. A high resolution CT scan for the chest, for example, provides the medical staff more than a single slice in a one rotation of the x-ray tube. The details that each slice provides are also very vital. The second type of lung CT scan is known as the spiral CT scan for the chest. In this variant, the table is allowed to continuously move through a tunnel in the machine while the x-ray tube also rotates around the patient and the beam of the X-ray follows the path of the spinal cord. The final output is a 3 dimensional image of the lungs as also other chest structures.
If looking for spots on lungs with a CT scan or performing the procedure for any type of lung complication, the patient is required to lie down on a table that slides into a large circular machine. A special gown will be provided by the medical staff and it is important to remove any jewelry or metallic objects that could interfere with the x-ray signals. Some cases may require a special contrast dye being injected into the vein in order to highlight certain areas in the chest for clearer images. Hearing aids and dentures will also require to be removed.