Skip to main content

What You Can Learn from a Full Body CT Scan

What You Can Learn from a Full Body CT Scan

Diagnosing a condition you might have is a complex process that includes gathering information like your family history, medical history, physical examinations, consultations if necessary, and diagnostic testing. The last of those steps include screening your vision, hearing, cognition, neurology, blood, urine, as well as using diagnostic imaging.

Getting images of your inner workings has been a great benefit to medicine, going as far back as the invention of the X-ray by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895

There are many different ways to examine your bones, organs, and tissue, and these days you can even get a scan of your whole body with a computed tomography (CT) scan. This is a quick, painless, accurate way of examining your body to determine a myriad of diagnoses.

If you live in the Beverly Hills, California, area, and you need medical imaging like a full body CT scan to diagnose a condition, Dr. Shawn Veiseh and his experienced staff at Shawn Veiseh, M.D. are here to help. 

To find out more about what you can learn with this technology, let’s look at what a CT scan is and what it can do.

What is a CT scan?

This is the name for a diagnostic tool that uses X-rays and computer software to not only scan your body, but create a 3D rendering of your bones, organs, and other inner workings of your body. 

Rather than using the traditional fixed tube in an X-ray, this type of testing employs a doughnut-shaped tube that rotates 360 degrees around you, offering an intricately detailed picture of parts of your body it would otherwise be difficult to examine.

What can a CT scan be used to diagnose?

A CT scan is a reliable way for your doctor to confirm the presence of a tumor, determine its size, and identify its location. But a CT scan can be helpful with many other issues as well. This technology can be used to diagnose conditions such as:

The procedure itself is pretty straightforward. To start, you lay on your back on a CT table. The table then moves into the machine to assess the best starting position for scanning. Once that is determined, the table moves slowly for the actual scan, which can require several passes depending on what we’re looking for. 

Children who aren’t able to remain motionless can be sedated, and some tests may require you to drink a contrast material before testing to help with the results.

The full body CT scan isn’t the solution for every problem, but it’s very helpful in detecting hidden conditions and helping us better understand what’s going on inside your body. 

If you have a problem that requires a full body CT scan, make an appointment with Dr. Veiseh and his team today to get started. Call our office or schedule a visit online.

You Might Also Enjoy...

Who Needs an Executive Physical?

Your annual exam is important to assess your overall health and keep an eye out for any changes that may indicate illness or chronic conditions. So, how is it different from an executive physical and who should get one?

Top Tips to Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones and can occur for a variety of reasons. However, there are ways to treat and prevent it, so let’s look at some tips to protect your bones and stay healthy.

Hypertension Prevention: Know Your Numbers

During High Blood Pressure Education Month, it’s important to look at the dangers of hypertension. Part of that includes knowing what the numbers mean on your blood pressure tests, and what you can do to stay healthy.

7 Key Strategies to Help You Reverse Prediabetes

Keeping your blood sugar under control is important for your overall health, and problems regulating it can lead to prediabetes. To prevent this from becoming type 2 diabetes, here are some strategies you can use.

What Happens When Your Vitamin B12 Levels Are Low?

Your diet is important to your overall health, as the nutrients you eat fuel your body’s movements and functions. Vitamins are an important part of that diet, and not getting enough B12 can adversely affect your health.