7 Conditions A Chest Ct Scan Can Help Diagnose

By Author: Suborna Fermi
Total Articles: 27
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If you experience unexplained chest pain, breathing difficulties, or abnormal findings on an X-ray, then your doctor might recommend getting a chest CT scan to find out what is going on in your body. In this article, discover more about a chest CT scan, what it is, and what conditions can be diagnosed with it.

What is a chest CT scan?

A chest CT scan is one of the most commonly used diagnostic imaging scans, which helps determine heart health and diagnose conditions affecting the lungs and heart. This imaging scan uses specialized X-rays to capture images of the internal structures in the chest, to detect or diagnose several conditions.

Conditions a chest CT scan helps detect:

Lung cancer: A chest CT scan can help your healthcare provider diagnose lung cancer in its early stages. This imaging procedure can detect small abnormal growths that can be cancerous. Assessing and treating lung cancer before it spreads ...
... to other body parts, is essential to increase the chances of survival. Although if you are currently not experiencing any symptoms of lung cancer, your doctor may still recommend this scan if you are above 50 years old, a smoker or have quit smoking within a period of 15 years.

Pulmonary embolism: Pulmonary embolism is a type of lung condition that occurs when a blood clot in your legs or arms travels through the blood vessels to the lungs and gets stuck in the arteries. This condition can damage the lungs and other organs if left untreated. This is why if your doctor suspects that you have pulmonary embolism, they may order a chest CT scan.

Pneumonia or viral infections: Pneumonia is a lung condition that damages the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs get filled with pus or fluid, causing a wide range of symptoms, including cough with phlegm, chest pain, and breathing difficulties. Also, certain viral infections affect the lungs and may cause symptoms similar to those of pneumonia. A chest CT scan is the most commonly used to detect viral infections affecting the lungs.

Pleural disorders: A chest CT scan is used to detect pleural disorders that affect the tissues around the lungs and the lining inside the chest cavity. Healthcare providers recommend a chest CT scan to detect pleural disorders, including pleural effusion, pleurisy, and pneumothorax.
Cardiac disorders: A chest CT scan is a vital imaging technique used to detect various conditions affecting the heart. Your doctor may order this CT scan to help diagnose congenital heart disease, heart valve disorders, and heart failure. Medical professionals may also use a chest CT scan to determine the damage caused by a heart attack. Due to the fact that this CT scan can show how well blood flows through the heart and plaque buildup, it allows the doctors to assess your risk of heart attack.
Mediastinal disorders: Mediastinum refers to the central compartment of the chest cavity, located between the chest and lungs. A chest CT scan can help detect any abnormal growths or masses within the mediastinum. These growths can be either benign or malignant. This scan helps detect whether the mass is spreading or not, to differentiate whether the tumour is benign or malignant.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm: The aorta is one of the body’s most vital arteries that carries blood from the heart to the lower body parts. A thoracic aortic aneurysm occurs when a bulge forms in the aorta, which runs through the chest (thorax). Healthcare providers generally recommend a chest CT scan to detect a thoracic aortic aneurysm. However, this condition generally does not cause any symptoms until it causes a medical emergency.

A chest CT scan is a commonly used imaging scan that is performed to diagnose a wide range of conditions affecting the heart, lungs and chest cavity. If your doctor suggests a chest CT scan, you will be informed why they recommend this scan. However, if you are going for a chest CT scan and have any questions regarding the scan, then make sure to ask your provider.

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