CT NECK ANGIO

At its core, a CT Neck Angio combines two powerful medical technologies to achieve its detailed results.

First, a CT (Computed Tomography) scanner takes multiple X-ray images of your neck from various angles. A powerful computer then processes and combines these individual "slices" to create highly detailed cross-sectional and even three-dimensional (3D) views of your neck's anatomy, including bones, soft tissues, and blood vessels.

Second, to make the blood vessels stand out, a special contrast material is used. This is typically an iodine-based dye that is injected into a vein in your arm. As the dye travels through your bloodstream, it fills the arteries and veins in your neck, making them appear bright and distinct on the CT images. This process is essential for providing a comprehensive CT angiography of neck vessels, allowing our radiologists to see their structure, size, and any potential blockages or abnormalities clearly.

Types of CT Neck Angio

The standard and most effective version of this test is the CT Neck Angio with intravenous contrast. The contrast dye is what makes this a true "angio" (vessel imaging) study, as it is essential for visualizing the arteries and veins.

While a non-contrast CT of the neck can be performed to look at bones or certain soft tissues, it cannot provide the detailed vascular information that defines a CT Neck Angio. The scan is often performed as a standalone test, but depending on your symptoms, your doctor may order it in conjunction with a CT scan of the head (to check brain vessels) or the chest (to view the aorta and its major branches).

When our radiologists analyze your scan, they are meticulously examining several key parameters to assess the health of your neck's vascular system. These include:

• Vessel Patency: Determining if the blood vessels are open and allowing blood to flow freely, or if they are blocked (occluded).
• Stenosis: Identifying any areas of narrowing within the arteries and precisely measuring the percentage of the blockage.
• Aneurysms: Searching for any abnormal and potentially dangerous bulges or weak spots in the walls of the blood vessels.
• Dissections: Detecting any tears in the inner lining of an artery wall, which can be a cause of stroke.
• Plaque Buildup (Atherosclerosis): Assessing the amount and type (calcified or soft) of plaque that has built up in the walls of the carotid and vertebral arteries.
• Vascular Anatomy: Mapping the unique layout and branching pattern of your arteries and veins, which is vital for surgical planning.
• Vertebral Artery Integrity: A key part of the test is performing a complete vertebral artery imaging scan to ensure these critical vessels are healthy.

There are many specific clinical reasons why your doctor would order this powerful diagnostic test. It is a crucial tool used to:

• Investigate Stroke-like Symptoms: To find the source of a TIA or stroke, such as a blockage in the carotid artery.
• Evaluate Neck Trauma: After an accident or injury, the scan can quickly identify damage to the blood vessels in the neck.
• Clarify Abnormal Findings: To get a closer look and confirm or rule out a condition suggested by a less detailed test, such as an ultrasound.
• Monitor Known Conditions: For patients with established vascular diseases, like vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) or fibromuscular dysplasia (abnormal cell growth in artery walls), the scan helps monitor disease progression or treatment effectiveness.

Benefits of Taking the Test

Choosing to have a CT Neck Angio at Cadabams Diagnostics offers several significant benefits for your health and treatment plan.

• High-Detail Imaging: It provides exceptionally clear and accurate images of the ct angiography of neck vessels, far more detailed than many other non-invasive tests.
• Precise Diagnosis: This level of detail helps your doctor make a confident and precise diagnosis, which is the foundation for creating the most effective treatment plan for you.
• Stroke Prevention: By identifying problems like severe carotid artery stenosis early, the test can lead to preventative treatments that may help you avoid a major stroke.
• Fast and Non-Invasive: Unlike traditional catheter angiography, which requires inserting a catheter into an artery, this scan is significantly less invasive and much faster.

When and Who Needs to Take a CT Neck Angio?

Your physician may recommend this scan if you are experiencing specific symptoms or if they need more information to plan a medical procedure. You may be a candidate for a CT Neck Angio if you have:

• Symptoms of Stroke or "Mini-Strokes": Patients who have experienced transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), sudden weakness, numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, sudden dizziness, or unexplained vision changes often require this scan.
• Suspected Vascular Abnormalities: The test is a primary tool for diagnosing a suspected aneurysm (a dangerous bulge in a blood vessel wall), stenosis (a narrowing or blockage), or a dissection (a tear in the artery wall).
• Pre-Surgical Planning: Surgeons rely on the detailed vascular maps created by a carotid artery CT scan to plan complex procedures involving the neck or carotid arteries, ensuring the highest level of safety and precision.
• Follow-up to Other Tests: If a previous test, like a carotid ultrasound, revealed a potential issue, a CT Neck Angio is often the next step to get a more detailed and definitive view.

Benefits of Taking the Test

Choosing to have a CT Neck Angio at Cadabams Diagnostics offers several significant benefits for your health and treatment plan.

• High-Detail Imaging: It provides exceptionally clear and accurate images of the ct angiography of neck vessels, far more detailed than many other non-invasive tests.
• Precise Diagnosis: This level of detail helps your doctor make a confident and precise diagnosis, which is the foundation for creating the most effective treatment plan for you.
• Stroke Prevention: By identifying problems like severe carotid artery stenosis early, the test can lead to preventative treatments that may help you avoid a major stroke.
• Fast and Non-Invasive: Unlike traditional catheter angiography, which requires inserting a catheter into an artery, this scan is significantly less invasive and much faster.

Illnesses Diagnosed with CT Neck Angiography

This single scan can help diagnose a wide range of serious conditions affecting the neck arteries. A carotid artery CT scan is instrumental in identifying:

• Carotid Artery Stenosis or Disease
• Vertebral Artery Disease
• Cerebral or Cervical Aneurysms
• Arterial Dissections
• Vasculitis
• Vascular Malformations
• Tumors that affect or are near major blood vessels

Proper preparation is simple but essential for ensuring a smooth and successful scan. Please follow these guidelines:

• Diet: You will likely be asked to fast from solid foods for about 4 hours before your scheduled appointment. Drinking clear fluids like water, black tea, or black coffee is usually permitted and encouraged to keep you hydrated.
• Clothing: Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes without any metal snaps, zippers, or buttons in the chest or neck area. You may be asked to change into a hospital gown for the procedure. Please remove jewelry, dentures, and hearing aids before the scan begins.
• Inform Our Staff: It is critical to inform the technologist about your medical history. Be sure to mention any known allergies (especially to iodine), if you are pregnant or could be, any kidney problems, or medications you are currently taking, particularly Metformin for diabetes.

Pre-requisites

• You will need a doctor's referral to undergo a CT Neck Angio. You can get a referral from your general practitioner or a specialist. For more information, please [Link to: Contact Us].
• If you are receiving contrast dye, you will likely need a recent blood test (within the last 30-60 days) to check your kidney function. Please bring these results with you or ensure they have been sent to our facility.

Best Time to Take the CT Neck Angio

There is no specific "best time" of day for the scan itself. The test is performed based on a scheduled appointment to ensure our team is ready for you and to minimize your wait time.

Eligibility

Most people are eligible for a CT Neck Angio. However, the test is generally contraindicated (not performed) for individuals with:

• A known, severe allergy to iodine-based contrast material.
• Severe renal failure.
• Pregnancy.

Our clinical team will carefully review your history to confirm your eligibility and safety.

Procedure for Taking a CT Neck Angio

Understanding the ctal neck with contrast procedure can help you feel more comfortable on the day of your test. Here is a step-by-step overview of what to expect:

1. Check-in and Preparation: You will register at the front desk and a technologist will greet you, confirm your medical history, and answer any last-minute questions.
2. Positioning: You will be asked to lie down on your back on a motorized table that is part of the CT scanner. A comfortable headrest will be used to help you keep your head still.
3. IV Placement: A technologist or nurse will place a small IV line into a vein in your arm or hand. This is for administering the contrast dye.
4. Contrast Injection: As the scan begins, the contrast dye will be injected through the IV. It is very common to feel a warm sensation spreading through your body and sometimes a metallic taste in your mouth. This is a normal reaction and subsides quickly.
5. Scanning: The table will slide slowly into the center of the large, donut-shaped CT scanner. The machine is open at both ends, so you will not be fully enclosed. The technologist will speak to you through an intercom from a control room and may ask you to hold your breath for short periods (about 10-15 seconds) while the images are being captured. It is very important to remain as still as possible during this time.
6. Completion: The entire scanning process is very fast and is usually completed in under 15 minutes. Once finished, the technologist will return to remove your IV line, and you will be free to go.

Caution Before Taking the Test

For your safety, it is absolutely crucial that you inform our team at Cadabams Diagnostics before your scan if you:

• Have any allergies, especially to iodine, shellfish, or any contrast materials from previous scans.
• Are or might be pregnant.
• Have a history of kidney disease, kidney failure, or diabetes.
• Are taking medications for diabetes, especially Metformin (e.g., Glucophage), as you may need to stop taking it for a short period before and after your scan.