So what is a CAT scan? When is it used and how does it work? Is it painful?

The CAT in CAT scan stands for computerised axial tomography. It is also known by the term CT scan. This is an X-ray procedure which is a hundred times more sensitive than ordinary X-rays and provides clear pictures of the soft tissues of the body. By means of combining many X-ray images with the aid of a computer, A CAT scan can provide cross-sectional views as well as three-dimensional images of the internal organs and structures of the body.

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A CAT scan can locate tumours and abnormalities inside the body by putting together a picture from the hundreds of images taken from various angles. Each of these pictures forms a 'slice' of the body, which is recorded on film. This film is called a tomograph.

CAT scans are used to analyse the various internal structures of the body – from the brain to the bony structure of the vertebrae, to bone density when evaluating osteoporosis. It is also used on other internal organs, including the lungs, the liver, the gallbladder the kidneys, the uterus and the ovaries, to name but a few.

Sometimes an X-ray dye is placed in the spinal fluid to enhance the scan.

A CAT scan is painless, fairly fast, and can be of great assistance to radiologists and surgeons. A CAT scan is a very low-risk procedure. Sometimes people have an allergic reaction to the iodine in the X-ray dye, but this is usually not serious. Radiation received during a CAT scan is minimal, but pregnant women should inform their doctors of their condition.

When a CAT scan is done, the patient is put onto a large moveable table, which goes into the middle of a large doughnut-shaped machine. This machine takes images around the body. This can take anything from 30 – 90 minutes. The radiologist or CAT scan technologist will tell the patient when to breathe and when to hold his/her breath during scans of the chest and abdomen.

CAT scans have enabled doctors to diagnose many diseases in their beginning stages without invasive surgery. It has also enabled doctors to diagnose the extent of internal injuries in accident victims.

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