CT scan CT / CAT
Many X-ray slices assembled into a three-dimensional picture. Fast, so it is common in emergencies and trauma.
What it can show
Acute bleeding, complex bone injury, detailed lung tissue, the abdomen, and blood vessels when contrast is injected.
What it cannot show
Less good than MRI for soft tissue, the spinal cord, ligaments, and very early brain changes.
This is the half people skip. A normal result answers one question, not every question.
Tell the staff before you start
Pregnancy · previous contrast reaction · kidney disease · taking metformin · breastfeeding.
Also bring the full list of every medicine and supplement you take. Things bought without a prescription belong on that list too.