Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
CT Scan
This entry covers a CT of a single named segment of your spine - your doctor's prescription will specify whether that's the neck, mid-back, or lower back - rather than naming one region up front the way the centre's cervical, dorsal, or lumbar-specific scans do. It exists in the catalogue as a general one-segment spine CT, so what it actually looks at depends entirely on what your doctor has written on the referral. Whatever the segment, the scan works the same way: X-rays from multiple angles reconstruct into cross-sectional images of the vertebrae, discs, and spinal canal at that level. It's ordered for the same broad reasons any spine CT is - fracture, degenerative disease, or persistent pain.
This scan images the vertebrae, discs, and spinal canal of whichever single spine segment your doctor has specified. It shows bone detail - fractures, alignment, degenerative changes - at that level. Confirm with your doctor or the centre exactly which part of the spine has been requested before your visit.
Unlike a scan named for a specific region, this one is written up as a general single-segment spine CT. The actual area imaged - cervical, thoracic, or lumbar - is set by what your doctor has written on the prescription, not by the test name itself.
Before your appointment, it's worth confirming with your doctor or the centre exactly which segment is being scanned, so there's no confusion on the day. The imaging itself doesn't change: it's still a standard bone-detail CT of that part of the spine.
- Vertebral fractures or compression - Alignment of the spine at that level - Degenerative changes such as bone spurs or disc narrowing - Structural causes of localized back or neck pain
Doctors request a single-segment spine CT after trauma to a specific area, for pain that hasn't responded to treatment, or to plan a procedure involving that part of the spine. Ask your doctor whether contrast is needed for your case.
That depends entirely on what your doctor has written on the referral - this is a general catalogue entry for a single spine segment, not a fixed body part. Confirm the exact region with your doctor or the centre before your visit.
It's listed in the catalogue as a general one-part spine CT rather than a cervical-, dorsal-, or lumbar-specific entry. The centre also offers scans named for those specific regions if your prescription already specifies one.
Yes, like all CT, it uses X-rays. The amount depends on the segment being scanned and the number of images taken.
Not necessarily - it depends on what your doctor is checking for. Ask your doctor or the centre whether contrast applies to your specific referral.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
It can show disc-related changes such as bulging or narrowing at that spine level, though MRI generally gives a clearer picture of disc and nerve detail. Your doctor decides which scan fits your symptoms.
Preparation depends on the segment being imaged and whether contrast is used. Ask your doctor or the centre for instructions specific to your appointment.
It's generally a quick scan, though exact timing depends on the segment and whether contrast is involved. Ask the centre for an estimate on the day.