Hunterdon Radiological Associates, P.A. is dedicated to providing quality medical care by:
1. Being sensitive and responsive to the healthcare needs of the community
2. Protecting the privacy of the patient
3. Acting in a professional manner and maintaining the highest standards of personal integrity and ethics
4. Utilizing state of the art equipment and highly skilled professionals
CT Scan
A CT scan provides a direct image of soft tissue structures such as the liver, lung, spleen, pancreas, lymph nodes and fatty tissues. CT scans can be beneficial for identifying and tracking large abnormalities such as tumors. CT scans of the head can be used to evaluate strokes, tumors, bleeding and injuries. They can also be used to examine brain structures. CT scans also provide images of bony structures. These include spine, facial bones, sinuses and skull. There are also advantages in viewing long bones for fractures, tumors or infections.
About The Exam The exam usually takes from 10 to 30 minutes allowing, for preparation as well as time for the computer to generate the images, during which you may be given special breathing instructions by the technologist. Actual x-ray exposure time is minimal. A person having a CT scan will need to undress and put on an exam gown. Next, he or she will be asked to lie on the table, which will gradually slide through a machine that resembles a doughnut. This is called a gantry. While in the gantry, a x-ray tube travels around the patient creating computer-generated x-ray images. During the process of the examination, the patient will be able to see the technologist at all times and will be able to communicate via a two-way microphone. In some cases, prior to the exam, an x-ray dye injection, sometimes referred to as contrast, may be administered. This is the only part of the exam that may be uncomfortable. This is used to outline blood vessels or add contrast to organs so the CT scanner can see them more clearly. This dye contains iodine and can result in allergic or adverse reactions in a minority of cases. If contrast will be required for the exam, the patient will be given a consent form to educate him/her about this procedure, and his/her technologist will explain the injection procedure. Scans of the intestines sometimes call for the patient to drink a contrast media prior to the exam. Please inform the technologist promptly if you have kidney or cardiac problems, ashthma, or any know allergies to iodine or x-ray dye. If this is the case, you may be given a CT scan without contrast, or an alternative examination such as an MRI or an ultrasound. If an alternative examination is necessary, you will be rescheduled for another day.
Patient Prep View this study's patient prep information. You will need to follow these guidelines before taking this exam
CT scans can be beneficial for identifying and tracking large abnormalities such as tumors. CT scans of the head can be used to evaluate strokes, tumors, bleeding and injuries. They can also be used to examine brain structures. CT scans also provide images of bony structures. These include spine, facial bones, sinuses and skull. There are also advantages in viewing long bones for fractures, tumors or infections.
examination, the patient will be able to see the technologist at all times and will be able to communicate via a two-way microphone. In some cases, prior to the exam, an x-ray dye injection, sometimes referred to as contrast, may be administered. This is the only part of the exam that may be uncomfortable. This is used to outline blood vessels or add contrast to organs so the CT scanner can see them more clearly. This dye contains iodine and can result in allergic or adverse reactions in a minority of cases. If contrast will be required for the exam, the patient will be given a consent form to educate him/her about this procedure, and his/her technologist will explain the injection procedure. Scans of the intestines sometimes call for the patient to drink a contrast media prior to the exam. Please inform the technologist promptly if you have kidney or cardiac problems, ashthma, or any know allergies to iodine or x-ray dye. If this is the case, you may be given a CT scan without contrast, or an alternative examination such as an MRI or an ultrasound. If an alternative examination is necessary, you will be rescheduled for another day. 
Patient Prep