The Procedure

It's just one of those things you can do on your lunch hour. With the entire scan process taking less than the amount of time it takes for you to breathe a single breath, you will be in and out before you can say "Wow, that was fast!"

		Preparing for your CT scan is as simple as getting ready for a conventional X-ray exam. Each and every CT scan procedure is specifically designed to provide your physician with the best medical diagnosis possible. Although the number of scans required and the total time for examination will vary from case to case the procedure, as a whole, takes minimal preparation and very little time.
		In the scanner room, there is a patient table and a structure called a gantry. You will first recline on the table and when you are comfortable the physician or technologist will ask you to remove all metal or plastic objects so as they will not obscure any important information. Afterwards, the table will be moved into the gantry opening until you reach the scan position. At that point, all you have to do is relax and remain still while each scan is being taken. You will also be asked to hold a single breath for a few seconds while the scan completes. You can think of the CT scanner as a fancy X-ray machine - other than a little sound, you won't even notice when the system is on. Sometimes there is a need for a "contrast" set of scans. This is a normal CT technique that supplies the physician with additional data. If a contrast set of CT pictures is required, you might be given a small quantity of contrast liquid to drink.
		Every Affiliated Medical scan is comfortable and private. In fact, you don't even need to remove your clothes. Bottom line, the CT scan is one of the easiest, safest, and most valuable windows into the human body.