Pediatric Imaging

CAT (CT) SCAN

A CAT Scan or CT Scan is a special type of x-ray that takes pictures of the tissues inside of your body. It makes these pictures by sending the images from the CT scanner to a computer.

Why do I need a CT Scan?

Usually, patients need a CT scan to diagnose or determine information not already provided by other types of imaging.

What do I need to do to prepare for my CT scan?

There is nothing that you will need to do to prepare for the CT scan. If you need to spend a few hours without eating before the scan, your doctor’s office will let you know.

What will happen during the test?

When you come to the hospital for the CT scan, you and your parents will check in at the Pediatric Waiting Area and Playroom. Depending on your age and the part of your body that is going to have its picture taken you may be given some medicine that will make you sleep during the CT scan. Your doctor will let you know if this is going to happen and in this case you might not be able to eat for a few hours before coming to the hospital. (Parental Guidelines for Your Child’s Sedation) If you are going to sleep during the CT scan, both you and your parents will meet with one of the fun pediatric radiology nurses before the examination.

You will meet your nurse in the Pediatric Waiting Area and Playroom. The pediatric radiology nurses will make sure that you change into special hospital pajamas and will remind you to take off anything that might be made of metal like necklaces, barrettes or buttons. The nurse will also weigh you on the scale. The nurse is the person who is going to give you some medicine to help you sleep during the CT. You will feel a pinch when the nurse gives you the medicine but it will be over before you can count 1, 2, 3 and he or she will also give you some fun stickers.

The nurse will take you and your family into the procedure room with the CT scanner. The CT scanner is a big doughnut shaped camera. The technologist will help you lie down on a bed that is the hole of the "doughnut" of the CT scanner. This bed can move up and down, and also slides into the CT scanner. The technologist will slowly slide the table toward the scanner.

When the doctor is taking pictures, you will hear some noises and you might feel the bed move. You also might see the "doughnut" shaped camera moving around you. Do not worry, the camera is not going to touch you. It is just taking pictures from all around you. The computer in the other room is going to take all these pictures and put them together to make an image of the inside of you.

Just like when your mom or dad takes a photo of you on the first day of school, it is important to lie very still when the camera is taking your photo. If you move, the picture will be fuzzy and the doctor will not be able to see what they are looking for inside your body.