Back Pain Health Center
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan of the Spine
A CT scan uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of the spine and vertebrae.
During the test, you will lie on a table that is attached to the CT scanner, which is a large doughnut-shaped machine. The CT scanner sends X-rays through the body. Each rotation of the scanner takes a second and provides a picture of a thin slice of the organ or area being studied. One part of the scanning machine can tilt to follow the curve of your spine. All of the pictures are saved as a group on a computer. They also can be printed.
In some cases, a dye called contrast material may be put in a vein (IV) in your arm or into the spinal canal. The dye makes structures and organs easier to see on the CT pictures. The dye may be used to check blood flow and look for tumors, areas of inflammation, or nerve damage.
See
CT images of the cervical spine 
.
Why It Is Done
A CT scan of the spine is done to:
- Look at the bones of the spine (vertebrae).
- Find problems of the spine, such as tumors, fractures, deformities, infection, or narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis).
- Find a herniated disc of the spine.
- Check to see if osteoporosis has caused compression fractures.
- Check on problems of the spine that have been present since birth (congenital).
- Look at problems seen during a standard X-ray test.
- Check how well spinal surgery or therapy is working for a spine problem.
How To Prepare
Before the CT scan, tell your doctor if you:
- Are or might be pregnant.
- Are allergic to any medicines, including iodine dyes.
- Have a heart condition, such as heart failure.
- Have diabetes or take metformin (Glucophage) for your diabetes. You may have to adjust your medicine for a day before and after the test.
- Have had kidney problems.
- Have asthma.
- Have a medical device, such as a pacemaker or an insulin pump.
- Have had multiple myeloma.
- Have had an X-ray test using barium contrast material (such as a barium enema) or have taken a medicine that contains bismuth (such as Pepto-Bismol) in the past 4 days. Barium and bismuth show up on X-ray films and make it hard to see the picture clearly.
- Become very nervous in small spaces. You need to lie still inside the CT scanner, so you may need a sedative to help you relax.
Arrange for someone to take you home in case you get a sedative for the test.
Talk to your
doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for
the test, its risks, or how it will be done. To help you understand the
importance of this test, fill out the
medical test information form
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WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
