What is CT Stonogram?
Computed Tomography scan, Computer Axial Tomography (CAT) scan or simply CT scan, is a medical diagnostic procedure that creates a cross sectional image of a portion of a 3-dimensional object (a tomogram). It is among the most important medical technology developments although the scientific process is also applied in other fields such as archeology. For medical diagnosis, CT Scan is basically used to create a digital image of internal structures and organs of the body to determine figure, dimension, mass and texture, which in turn helps determine medical illness, extent of damage, location and other important details.
The CT Scan has many diagnostic uses. For instance, the CT Stonogram is a particular type of CT scan especially to find stones in the kidney and gallbladder. Compared to other diagnostic tools like the X-ray, which may sometime require radiopaque injections (for creating contrast), the CT stonogram serves as an exceptional diagnostic tool that can precisely identify the size and location of practically all types of ureteral stones (except maybe indinavir stones) painlessly and with very minimal intervention. It is faster and eradicates the possibility for IV contrast allergic reactions. In undergoing a CT stonogram, one will simply be asked to drink water to fill up one’s bladder so that the patient will have a patent urge to pee or urinate.
However, patient will be asked to hold it because a bladder that is full is required to obtain a good scan. Patient will then be asked to wear a hospital gown and remove any form of metal in the body (i.e. jewelries, rings, braces, etc. One thus needs to inform medical technician of any metal implants in one’s body. Patient will then lie down on a bed as the technician gives instruction through a microphone. The bed is then controlled so that it enters a huge machine with a big hole. Patient will then hold his breath for a few seconds as the machine performs that scanning. The scanning process may be repeated a few more times. After that, patient can get up, get dress and wait for the results in a few minutes. The cost for CT Stonogram procedure in the Philippines ranges from P5,000 to P12,000 depending on the hospital.