The patient's complaints of frequent headaches, dizziness, changes in the work of the senses are a valid reason for contacting a specialist. Often, after examining the patient and collecting an anamnesis, the doctor recommends a computer tomography scan.
What does the CT scan show?
Those who are assigned a diagnostic procedure, you should know what CT scan shows the brain.
Indications for the appointment of CT of the brain are:
- trauma associated with a fracture of the skull bones or damage to brain structures;
- cerebral hemorrhages;
- suspicion of the presence of tumors or metastases in the brain;
- degenerative degeneration of the nervous tissue;
- a stroke, a heart attack;
- pathology of cerebral vessels ( aneurysm , etc.)
- inflammatory processes in the meninges (meningitis, encephalitis, abscess);
- anomalies of brain development (hydrocephalus, etc.).
Also, CT scans are assigned when planning an operation on the brain and to monitor the state of the vessels and parts of the brain after surgery.
What is the method of computed tomography?
Computer tomography refers to painless and almost safe methods of hardware research.
Technologically, the procedure of CT can be described as follows: examination using computer tomography allows you to obtain a series of sections (tomograms) of the brain in the form of images on the monitor screen and a number of pictures, having studied which, the doctor diagnoses a disease. When three-dimensional computed tomography is taken, the study is recorded on a CD-ROM.
A more advanced method is spiral computed tomography, which has the best spatial resolution. In addition, spiral tomography creates a lower radiation load on the body.
In order to detect pathological changes in the initial stage, in accordance with the doctor's testimony, CT angiography is performed - examination of the structures of the brain and cerebral vessels using a contrast medium. One of the newest methods to detect pathological changes in the brain, figuratively speaking, in the "embryonic state", is positron emission tomography (PET). When carrying out PET CT of the brain with myotonin, glucose, sodium diatrizoate or some other tracer, a contrast is introduced through the vein into the body. Gradually spreading across all systems and tissues, a contrast agent in a greater concentration accumulates in places where any pathological processes occur. On the image of the brain, clusters of tracer are very visible, and this helps to identify the pathology at the beginning of its development.
Tomogram of the brain
The density of the fabric in the image is reflected in white and black, as well as in shades of gray. The bone is the most dense, and it has a white color on the tomogram. Substance
In tumors, edema, intracranial hematomas and other pathologies of the brain on the tomogram, areas with a color that is darker or lighter than the surrounding tissues are distinguished. In addition, the ventricles, furrows, etc. are clearly visible.
Based on the results of computed tomography, the doctor prescribes treatment or gives a referral to a specialist of the profile corresponding to the disease.