X-ray methods of laboratory research are constantly being improved, and now the replacement of fluorography has come with computed tomography of the lungs. In addition, this method allows a more detailed examination of the thoracic cavity organs and diagnose various diseases at the earliest stages.
What does the tomography of the lungs show?
The research technology under consideration is a spiral scanning of the lungs by a narrow beam of X-rays. As a result, a layered image of the organs with a detailed computer reconstruction is obtained (the minimum thickness of the cut is 0.5 mm).
When performing tomography, you can clearly see:
- trachea;
- segments and lobes of both lungs;
- lymph nodes inside the chest;
- bronchi;
- pulmonary vessels;
- the superior vena cava;
- aorta;
- pulmonary artery.
As a rule, computed tomography is prescribed to clarify the following diagnoses:
- pulmonary tuberculosis ;
- chronic embolism;
- emphysema of the lungs;
- intrathoracic adenopathy;
- cirrhosis of the lungs;
- diffuse pathologies;
- pneumonia ;
- disturbances in the functioning of the organs due to the peculiarities of professional activity, for example, inhalation of finely divided particles of asbestos, silicon or quartz.
Also, computed tomography of the lungs helps to identify cancer at an early stage, the prevalence and size of the tumor, the presence of metastases and their vastness, the condition of the nearby lymph nodes. Diagnosis provides screening for even small tumors of a very small size, up to 1 cm in diameter.
It is worth noting that this X-ray study has many advantages over other methodologies:
- very high quality of the received picture;
- the detection of minimal pathological changes in the lungs that can not be detected by standard methods of investigation;
- maximum informative value of the constructed images due to the use of three-dimensional layer-by-layer technology;
- Detailed and detailed reconstruction of vessels in any given plane without loss of image quality;
- high scanning speed;
- the possibility of additional use of contrast fluid (automatic syringe), if necessary, to study vessels.
How do computer tomography of the lungs?
The described procedure is performed using a special apparatus. It is a cylindrical chamber in which a table (bed) is placed.
The patient must remove all clothing to the waist, as well as any jewelry, metal hair clips, piercings. Then the person lies down on the table and is placed in a tomographic chamber, where a narrow beam of X-ray radiation acts on the chest area. All high-quality images obtained are output to the computer monitor in the radiologist's office, where the doctor saves the pictures, records the video with the procedure and makes a description. If necessary, you can contact him via the selector.
Is tomography of the lung harmful?
No patient experiences any unpleasant sensations during and after the procedure. Moreover, the examined method of investigation is characterized by very low radial load, especially in comparison with fluorography. This is due to the fact that the image is obtained by multispiral computer reconstruction in a three-dimensional plane, and a narrow beam of particles is used for the transmission.
Thus, tomography of the lungs does not cause any harm and allows you to quickly and accurately detect any deviations in the state of the organs from normal indicators.