Computed Tomography or CT (sometimes called CAT scan or Computerized Axial Tomography) is an imaging tool used to view several levels and planes within the body. As the patient's body passes through a large doughnut shaped machine, an x-ray tube rotates around the patient's body, capturing detail from many angles. The images are called cross sectional images. These images are like the slices in a loaf of bread. The slices are reconstructed by a computer to form a complete picture that can be used to make a three-dimensional image.

CT is used for many procedures. It may be used to examine the head to check for bleeding, tumors, blood clots or signs of stroke. In other parts of the body, CT may be used to distinguish whether a growth is solid or fluid filled, detect a ruptured disk in the spine, determine an organ's size. Information supplied by CT scans can also be used to determine the stage of some types of cancer, helping the physicians decide how to treat the disease.

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