What is Cardiac CT?

Also known as: cardiac CT scan, cardiac CAT scan, cardiac computerized tomography.

A Computerized Tomography (CT) scan takes detailed pictures of the inside of the organs, tissues, blood and vessels that cannot be seen on regular X-rays. It is often used to diagnose, monitor and treat certain conditions.

What are the risks of a Cardiac CT Scan?

• Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s CT scanner uses a low dose of radiation.
• Women who are pregnant and any accompanying children are not permitted to be in the room during the scan. If you are pregnant, please bring another adult who can stay with your child during the scan and/or another adult who can wait in the waiting room with the other children
• CT scans are not painful. The bed moves slowly through the tunnel and the camera remains around your child, never touching him/her. A lot of children say the camera looks like a spaceship or doughnut!
• A CT scan takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes depending on the type of scan.
• In order to get the best results, it is very important that your child holds still for the scan.
• In certain cases, patients may be given a mild oral sedative to relieve anxiety and help hold still. Patients who need stronger sedation (typically children younger than six to eight years-old and some older children with developmental delays) will be re-scheduled for a future scan under general anesthesia.

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Reviewed by: Luisa F. Cervantes, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM