Inova Mount Vernon Hospital is proud to be the first hospital in the Washington, DC, metro region to acquire a state-of-the-art 64-Channel LightSpeed® VCT (Volume Computed Tomography) Scanner. This technology offers an innovative way for physicians to obtain information they need to diagnose disease and life-threatening illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, stroke and chest pain.
• Diagnostic option for the workup of a cardiac patient• Faster patient exams – capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats, a single organ in one second, and perform whole body trauma in ten seconds • Less time needed for breath holds, which can mean less stress for the patient• Automated dose reduction features• Easier access/wheelchair access to patient table – lower table height• Breathing lights help coach patients through breath holds – making it an easier exam
We are extremely pleased to be the first Inova hospital to offer the imaging and diagnostic services of this state-of-the-art CT scanner to physicians practicing with Inova Health System.
Additional Patient Information
What is a CT exam?
CT is an abbreviation for computed tomography, which is a valuable diagnostic medical exam that combines x-rays and computers. Often called CAT scans, CT scans have been performed successfully for almost 30 years.
• Click here to print a referral form to take with you to your physician.
Simple, safe and swift, CT exams are among some of the most common medical imaging procedures.
What Should I Expect?
A CT technologist will escort you into the VCT scanning room, where you’ll see a table and a large, doughnut-shaped device called a gantry. The technologist will have you lie down on the padded table and make sure you’re comfortable. You’ll be asked to lie very still during the scan and hold your breath for a very short time to minimize any body movement.
During the scan, you might hear a humming noise, but you will not feel anything unusual. You may feel the table move while images are being taken at certain locations of your body. The technologist will monitor you during the entire exam through a window and can communicate with you through an intercom. The specific details of your examination will be explained fully by a VCT technologist or your physician.
How Long Will the Exam Take?
The actual scan portion of the exam takes only a few seconds. You will be asked to stay still and hold your breath as the VCT scanner acquires the images of your body. Depending on the specific exam, the entire exam may take up to 45 minutes, as the physician reviews the images and makes a diagnosis.
Are IVs or Shots Involved?
Depending on the exam, a solution called “contrast” may be administered with an IV to help improve the accuracy of the examination. Because of this, it is very important to let your doctor know beforehand if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to contrast, or if you have any other allergies, especially an allergy to iodine-based products or shellfish. In addition, the technologist may hook you up to an ECG monitor.
After the Exam
The physician will carefully analyze your VCT images, review the findings with your physician and provide a report. Your physician will then discuss the results with you.
Safety of VCT Examinations
CT Scans are an effective diagnostic procedure. In fact, nearly 50 million VCT exams are performed in the U.S. every year. Like many other radiology imaging technologies, CT has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The 64-Channel VCT has been designed with dose reduction features that minimize patients’ exposure to radiation.
The profession is supported by the American Registry of Radiology Technologists (ARRT), providing education, certification and registry of radiologic technologists. This helps to ensure that the people involved in your care are professionals who can safely operate the VCT scanner; and obtain the best images to assist your doctor in making an accurate diagnosis.
Reasons for CT Scans
CT exams are performed when people are ill or injured, or when a doctor suspects a medical problem that cannot be detected easily with a routine physical examination. CT is also used to rapidly obtain specific diagnostic information that hasn’t been provided by other imaging technologies, such as ultrasound, traditional X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If you have any questions concerning your exam, please talk to your physician.