CT abdomen
Dr. med. Philipp Nicol is a freelance writer for the medical editorial team.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.A CT abdomen (also abdominal CT) is an X-ray examination of the abdomen. Computed tomography can quickly provide information about a number of diseases and injuries, such as kidney stones, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer or vascular injuries, especially in the case of unclear abdominal pain. Read everything you need to know about the CT abdomen here.
What is an abdomen CT?
Computed tomography of the abdomen (abdominal CT, abdomen, CT) is very common. The special X-ray examination provides quick and reliable information about a wide variety of diseases and injuries, for example from:
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Liver and gallbladder
- spleen
- pancreas
- Kidneys, urinary tract and bladder
- the vessels running in the abdomen
A CT abdomen provides a good overview of all of the structures mentioned. With various additional examinations, certain organs in the abdomen can be examined in more detail. These include:
- CT urography: showing the kidney and urinary tract
- CT cystography: visualization of the urinary bladder
- CT colonography: visualization of the large intestine (colon)
- CT enterography: visualization of the entire gastrointestinal tract
- CT cholangiography: visualization of the biliary tract
In some cases, the patient is given a contrast medium before the examination so that certain structures (such as vessels) can be seen more clearly.
When to do an abdomen CT?
Computed tomography of the abdomen may be necessary in a variety of circumstances, including:
Unexplained abdominal or flank pain
Abdominal or flank pain is a common reason for an abdomen CT scan. The causes of the complaints are varied. Common ones are, for example, appendicitis (appendicitis), kidney stones (nephrolithiasis), gallstones (cholelithiasis) and gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis). Liver cirrhosis and other diseases can also cause unexplained pain in the abdomen. However, an abdomen CT should only be performed if other examination methods (such as ultrasound) cannot determine the reason for the discomfort.
Suspected tumor
A CT abdomen is very well suited to detect a tumor in the abdominal cavity.Computed tomography can also help with treatment planning, for example when planning surgical removal of the tumor or before radiation therapy. In addition, the CT abdomen is used as a so-called “follow-up” (regular control of tumor patients after treatment in order to identify new tumor growth at an early stage).
Abdominal or pelvic injury
After a serious injury (such as a car accident), emergency physicians can use the CT abdomen to quickly identify life-threatening injuries (such as bleeding or injuries to internal organs).
Vascular changes
Vascular diseases can also be diagnosed well using a CT abdomen. These include changes in the main artery (aorta), for example an expansion (aneurysm) or a tear (dissection or rupture). In addition, dangerous occlusions of smaller abdominal vessels can be identified (mesenteric ischemia).
What are the risks of a CT abdomen?
The greatest danger with any type of computed tomography (abdomen, thorax, skull, etc.) is radiation exposure. Therefore, every computed tomography must have a clear medical reason. However, various technical measures can reduce radiation exposure. This is particularly important for adolescents and children as well as for people who, for example, need a computer tomography several times due to a tumor.
Any contrast agent administered can also cause problems (such as allergic reactions).
In general, the following applies: CT abdomen is a very important examination and, despite exposure to radiation, is often the best method to detect diseases in injuries in the abdominal cavity.
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