Current Research on CT Body Scans

Though neither the FDA nor the American College of Radiologists view CT body scans as the best possible screening method for potential problems within the body, research is underway to see if in some situations, CT scans can be used as a preventative measure. Current research trials are in progress to determine if:

• CT can be a useful tool to detect lung cancer in smokers in certain age groups
• CT virtual colonoscopy can offer any advantages over traditional colonoscopy for detecting colon cancer in males and females aged 50 and over
• CT coronary calcium scoring, a CT scan of the heart and arteries that detects plaque-inducing calcium in the coronary arteries, can predict heart disease

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CT Ear Scan

In order to obtain a CT image of the ear, a patient must undergo a CT scan of the ear and temporal bone. The temporal bone is the thick bone on the side of the skull that encases the inner ear.

CT ear scans give doctors a 3-dimensional visual image that provides doctors with detailed information about:

• Inner ear
• Outer ear
• Temporal bone

CT ear scans give doctors more detailed information on such conditions than do regular x-rays (radiographs).