Lung diseases are very common. The main function of the lungs is to take the oxygen inside the body from the air and mix this oxygen into the bloodstream. Various kinds of lungs related issues or diseases affect the functioning of the lungs. The patient with lung disease experiences the problems such as difficulty breathing. But if the lungs’ related diseases are not diagnosed at an early stage, it can lead to severe respiratory health issues such as respiratory failure. There are various tests to diagnose the lungs related issues but HRCT (High-Resolution Computed Tomography) Scan is a highly recommended imaging procedure for the diagnosis and detection of lungs related issues.
In this article, we will talk about the HRCT scan first and then will move further to give you detailed information about High-Resolution Computed Tomography.
About HRCT Scan
HRCT (High-Resolution Computed Tomography) is an imaging methodology that produces the high- resolution images of the lungs and airways. This scan uses the x-rays beam and computer system to obtain high-resolution images from the series of thin-slice images. It allows the doctor to view the internal anatomy of the lungs and its associated airways more clearly. Compared to a normal CT scan of the chest, this scanning procedure takes a slice of 1 mm to produce a picture of the lungs with fine details.
Why Is An HRCT Scan Done For Lungs-Related Problems?
HRCT scans provide more detailed images of the lungs and their associated airways to evaluate the lung tissues for abnormal mass growth and nodules. Doctors ask for this high-resolution CT scan when he wants to know more about the lungs’ tissues, and airways to diagnose acute as well as chronic diseases but are not able to get detailed insight into the problems of the lung tissues and the airways.
Apart from these, there are various other problems, in which HRCT scan plays a crucial role. In this case, the doctor wants to get highly detailed information about the inflammations and reactions to the medication. This scanning procedure works well in the evaluation of several diseases in a detailed way. The wide acceptance of HRCT scans is attributed to covering the entire lung tissues to detect the underlying issues related to the human lungs.
Mentioned Below Are Some Common Conditions That Require An HRCT Scan For Diagnosis:
- Diagnose the lungs tissues and airways-related problems such as asbestosis.
- Detect lungs inflammation
- Detect the inflammation of the airways.
- Lung tissues injury
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
How To Prepare For An HRCT Scan?
HRCT scan requires minimal preparation. If the doctor thinks the patient requires some special preparation according to the health condition, then he will guide you accordingly.
Here are some common instructions that every patient needs to follow before undergoing an HRCT scan:
- Change the clothes to the hospital gown given by the technologist.
- Remove valuable things and metallic objects such as jewelry, mobile, spectacles, removable dental accessories, hair accessories, etc., and keep these things outside the scanning topkapı escort room.
- If the patient has any implant inside your body such as a pacemaker, prosthetic, dental implants, artificial joints, etc. please inform the doctor as well as the technologist
- If the patient is pregnant or there is a chance of becoming pregnant, inform the doctor before the procedure.
- Give detailed information to the doctor and technologist about all the medications you are taking.
How Is An HRCT Scan Performed?
- For an HRCT scan, The technologist will ask the patient to lie on the flat table that is attached to the CT scanner.
- That movable flat scanning table will move in and out of a round donut-shaped CT machine.
- During the scanning procedure, the technologist will be in another room to operate the scanner and monitor the patient.
- To give instructions to the patient such as holding their breath, the technologist will use an intercom system and if the patient experiences any kind of discomfort during the scan, he can also communicate via intercom.
- During the scan, the technologist may ask the patient to change position.
- Once the scanning starts, the x-ray beam will rotate around the patient and capture the images.
- Once the scan completes, the technologist will move the patient out of the scanner.
What Are The Negative Effects Of HRCT?
The HRCT doesn’t pose severe kind of negative effects. But due to radiation exposure, the patient may experience an acute level of allergy reactions.
What Does The Result Of The HRCT Scan For Lungs Related Problems Show?
The result of the HRCT scan shows the type and the severity of lungs related problems; the patient is suffering from.
How Much Time Does An HRCT Scan Take?
The entire procedure of the HRCT scan takes around 15-30mins to complete.
Conclusion
HRCT (High-Resolution Computed Tomography) Scan is an advanced imaging scan that is used to detect and diagnose problems related to the human lungs. At the CT scan center it is performed in some conditions when the CT scan and other imaging techniques are not providing enough information about the underlying health conditions. The diagnosis of lung conditions in an effective manner leads to effective treatment to get rid of the problem.
