New Scan for the Fidgety
CT angiography scans are very helpful to diagnose coronary artery disease and lung abnormalities. During a portion of the scan, patients must hold their breath and lay still for proper results. Young children, who are known to move constantly, have difficulty performing this task. The other complication occurs in patients with a rapid heartbeat. A new scan in France has been introduced to help solve these problems.
Medical Physics web explains the new scan. "Using a dual-source MDCT scanner, the thorax can be scanned at a temporal resolution of 83 ms. The high temporal resolution stops motion artifacts even in fast hearts, while pitch values as high as 3.2 shorten the scan and reduce the dose."
This high-pitch chest scan allows for a quicker scan and a more efficient picture. The MDCT Scan allows for optimal tests to be performed on groups that have proved difficult to scan in previous years. Persons can even be scanned under anesthesia since breathing does not have to stop. As the test grows in popularity, more scanning centers may incorporate the technology into their practice.
