How is the CT Ear Scan Procedure Performed?

In a CT ear scan, several x-ray beams pass through the ear and temporal bone at various angles. Special sensors measure the amount of radiation absorbed by different tissues within the ear.

In order to undergo a CT ear scan, your general physician must write you a letter of referral stating why he or she believes a CT ear scan is necessary in your situation. A CT ear scan will take place in either a hospital or in an outpatient radiology center.

During a CT ear scan, the patient lies still on a table. The table is rolled into the center of the CT scanner. The CT scanner revolves around the patient and emits and records x-ray beams. Meanwhile, detectors revolving opposite from the x-ray tubes detect the amount of x-ray being absorbed. The different areas of the ear absorb different amounts of x-ray. A special computer program then forms graphical cross-sections, or “tomograms,” based on these x-ray absorption differences.

Once the patient enters the scanner, the technologist may turn on special lights to ensure the patient is positioned properly for the CT ear scan. Some types of CT ear scan require a special head holder made of soft straps to ensure the head and neck remain correctly aligned throughout the exam. Though the technologist will not actually be in the room with the patient, an intercom within the scanner allows the patient and technologist to communicate throughout the procedure. The technologist will tell the patient when and how to breathe, as breath can disrupt the CT image.

A CT ear exam typically takes about 15 minutes, though the preparation takes more of this time than does the actual scan. The duration of the CT ear scan depends on the number of images needed to get the information the doctor requires. At the conclusion of the CT ear scan, the technologist will look over the images to ensure sufficient images have been created to provide the radiologist with the necessary information. If more images are necessary, the technologist will ask the patient to stay for further scanning.