CT scans are used to detect and monitor many types of diseases. CT Angiograms are a specific type of CT scan that uses dye injected a high rate to evaluate the arteries of your body.
This CT scan uses special software to create realistic 3D images and gives the Radiologist interpreting the test the ability to look around and inside the vessels. The picture to the right is a 3D rendition from a CT angiogram of the heart. The wavy yellow lines are the coronary arteries. The large cylinder like vessel at the top is part of the aorta coming out of the heart.
CT angiograms are typically ordered for the evaluation of the arteries of the body to look for blockages caused by atherosclerosis, dissections (tears), and aneurysms. Symptoms related to atherosclerosis disease include:
- strokes
- chest pain
- high blood pressure
- pulsing abdominal mass
- poor circulation to the legs
- sudden sharp neck, chest or abdominal pain
CT Angiograms can diagnose:
Plaque - CT Angiograms of can detect soft and hard plaque deposits that overtime narrow the opening of the vessel leading to reduced blood flow. This can lead to stroke, heart attack or loss of tissue.
Dissection - This refers to a tear in the wall of the vessel. Think of it as a tear of the inner lining of the sleeve of a jacket. If you filled the inner lining of your jacket with down it would block the real opening for your arm. In the artery the blood goes into the opening of the tear of the dissection, expands the false channel, potentially blocking the flow of blood of blood. Dissections can occur in nearly any large to medium sized vessel in the body leading to impaired or blocked blood flow.
Aneurysms and Vascular Tumors - Aneurysms are ballooning of the vessels that can either disturb normal blood flow or by their shape and size press on nearby tissues and cause related symptoms such as pain, pressure, nerve blockage, etc. Vascular tumors may be picked as the vessels that feed them are large enough to be seen on a CT angiogram.
A CT Angiogram can evaluate:
Vessels of the Neck and Brain
The carotid and vertebral vessels arise from the aorta in the chest and travel up the neck along both sides. The supply blood to the neck, face and brain.
Vessels of the Chest and Heart
The aorta is the main artery in your body which arises from the heart. Smaller vessels branch off the aorta to supply different parts of the body. The coronary arteries which supply your heart are one of first arterial branches of the aorta.
Vessels of the Abdomen
The aorta travels from the chest into your abdomen. It gives off branches to your liver, intestines, and kidneys for example. A CT angiogram of the abdominal aorta can evaluate the renal arteries and see if they are diseased which can lead to hypertension.
Vessels of the Legs
The abdominal aorta ultimately divides into two major vessels (the iliac arteries) which supply your pelvis and and legs all the way down to the feet.
Your CT Angiogram:
This CT scan generally takes about 15 minutes or so to set up and complete. This test is always done with IV MRI contrast. Keep in mind that the dye is injected at a much higher rate than a standard CT. Therefore a larger IV is used for this test. Many patients feel sudden flashes of heat and a metallic taste in their mouth. You may also feel sudden warmth in your bladder.
If you're insured, you may need to have your test authorized (approved) by your insurance company first. If you're uninsured and need to look up prices and buy an CT Angiogram of the carotids, you can use our website to look up CT Angiogram costs.
Have you had a CT Angiogram scan? What was it like? Please leave your comments below.