Experience with 500 Consecutive Patients on Somatom AR. T Computerized Tomographic Scarner

Abstract

Background: The technology of computerized tomography [CT] has brought about a giant leap in the ability to recognize and accurately elucidate pathologies located in various parts of the body. Undoubtedly, the availability of CT facility in our teaching hospital about five years ago is a welcome development. This report attempts to highlight the experience with the first 500 consecutive patients scanned in the hospital.
Methods: The study included the first 500 consecutive patients scanned in our teaching institution between April 1997 and May 1999. All the CT examinations were performed on Siemens Somatom AR. T CT scanner using existing departmental scanning protocol.
Results: About equal numbers of male [249] and female [251] patients were recorded in this study, their ages ranging between 1-month neonates to 86 years old. Most requests [73.4%] fall within the ages of 21 and 60years. Brain scans represented 52.8% of all the CT scan requests while CT pelvimetry accounted for 20.8%.
Conclusion: CT scanning has potential to alter significantly clinical management decisions. Although a CT scan session appears expensive in this environment, its imaging superiority over the conventional radiography far outweighs other negative considerations.


NQJHM Vol. 14 (1) 2004: pp. 35-38