CT scans

 CT stands for: computerised tomography

A CT scan is a special type of X-ray. It can take detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

You might have a CT scan to help doctors diagnose your liver condition. They can also be used to monitor you, check for other problems and see how well treatments are working.

A CT scanner looks like a big ring doughnut. To have the scan you lie on a bed that moves through the hole in the middle. Only a small part of you is in the scanner at any one time.

It is different to an MRI scan where you have to lie inside a small tunnel. Find out more about MRI scans.

Having a CT scan does not hurt, and most people can have one. Even if you have metal implants in your body.

CT scans use x-ray radiation. This means they will give you a very small increase in your risk of getting cancer at some point in the future. But lots of things can increase and decrease your risk of cancer.  A CT scan will only make a very small difference. If you need to have a CT scan, then the benefits should be much bigger than the risks.

 

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