What Is This Scan?

• A Spine CT uses X-rays and advanced computer processing to produce highly detailed images of the spine.Depending on your symptoms and your doctor's request, the examination may assess the:
• Cervical spine (neck)
• Thoracic spine (mid-back)
• Lumbar spine (lower back)
• Sacrum and coccyx
• Sacroiliac (SI) joints

CT provides excellent detail of the bones, joints and alignment of the spine. It can also assess the spinal canal, intervertebral discs and surrounding soft tissues.

At IMPACT Radiology, the CT examination can be tailored to the specific spinal region and clinical question your doctor would like assessed.

Conditions We Commonly Assess

• Degenerative disc disease
• Facet joint arthritis
• Spinal fractures
• Spinal canal stenosis
• Neural foraminal narrowing
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spondylolysis
• Scoliosis and other spinal deformities
• Osteoarthritis and degenerative spinal disease
• Sacroiliac joint disease
• Bone lesions and tumours
• Spinal infection
• Post-surgical changes
• Position and integrity of spinal hardware
• Complications following spinal surgery
• Pre-operative and surgical planning
• Pre-procedural assessment for image-guided spinal injections
• And many more.

Why Might My Doctor Request This Scan?

• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Pain radiating into an arm or leg
• Sciatica
• Radiculopathy or suspected nerve compression
• Numbness, tingling or weakness
• Spinal or back injury
• A suspected spinal fracture
• Degenerative arthritis
• Persistent pain that has not improved with treatment
• Previous spinal surgery
• Spinal implants or surgical hardware
• Suspected sacroiliac joint disease

CT may also be requested for surgical planning or before an image-guided spinal procedure.

Preparation

Most Spine CT examinations require no special preparation.

Intravenous contrast is not routinely required for assessment of degenerative spinal disease or fractures. However, contrast may be required for certain conditions, including suspected infection, tumour or some post-operative complications.

If contrast is required, please inform our staff if you have significant kidney disease or have previously experienced a reaction to CT contrast.

What Happens During the Scan?

You will lie comfortably on the CT table, usually on your back.

The table moves through the CT scanner while detailed images of the affected region of your spine are obtained.

You will need to remain still while the images are being acquired. The scan itself is very quick and usually takes only a few minutes.