Cranial CT scan

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Risks

Results

Cranial CT scan

Definition:

A cranial CT scan is computed tomography of the head, including the skull, brain, orbits (eye sockets), and sinuses.

Alternative Names:

Head CT; CT scan - skull; CT scan - head; CT scan - orbits; CT scan - sinuses

How the test is performed:

A head CT will produce an image from the upper neck to the top of the head. If the patient cannot keep still, immobilization may be necessary. All jewelry, glasses, dentures, and other metal should be removed from the head and neck to prevent obstruction of the images.

A contrast dye may be injected into a vein to further evaluate a mass (the mass becomes brighter with contrast dye if it has a lot of blood vessels). Contrast dye is also used to produce an image of the blood vessels of the head and brain.

The total amount of time in the CT scanner is usually a few minutes.

How to prepare for the test:

Generally, there is no preparation necessary.

How the test will feel:

As with any intravenous iodinated contrast injection, there may be a slight temporary burning sensation in the arm, metallic taste in the mouth, or whole body warmth. This is a normal occurrence and will subside in a few seconds.

Otherwise, the CT scan is painless.

Why the test is performed:

A CT scan is recommended to help:

Evaluate acute cranial-facial trauma
Determine acute stroke
Evaluate suspected subarachnoid or intracranial hemorrhage
Evaluate headache
Evaluate loss of sensory or motor function
Determine if there abnormal development of the head and neck

CT scans are also used to view the facial bones, jaw, and sinus cavities.

Review Date: 11/3/2004
Reviewed By: Jeffrey J. Brown, MD FACR, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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