Cranial CT scan

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Head CT

Brain CT; Head CT; CT scan - skull; CT scan - head; CT scan - orbits; CT scan - sinuses; Computed tomography - cranial

Iodine is the usual contrast dye. Some patients are allergic to iodine and may experience a reaction that may include:

• Breathing difficulty
• Hives
• Itching
• Nausea
• Other symptoms

As with any x-ray examination, radiation may be harmful. Talk to your health care provider about the risks if you need many CT scans over a period of time.

A CT scan can reduce or avoid the need for invasive procedures to diagnose problems in the skull. This is one of the safest ways to study the head and neck.

Other tests that may be done instead of Cranial CT scan include:

• MRI of the head
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the head
• Skull x-ray

Review Date: 11/22/2010
Reviewed By: Ken Levin, MD, Private Practice specializing in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Allentown, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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