BoulderCentre for Orthopedics & Spine provides CT scans for identifying injuries and conditions in your body. A CT (or CAT) scan is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedure that uses X-rays and computer technology to create detailed, 3D images of the inside of your body, including bones, muscles, fat, organs, and blood vessels. The scans are very safe, and there is minimal radiation exposure.

  • CT Scan photo

Preparing for a CT scan and what to expect on your examination day:

  • Please inform your CT scan scheduling representative if you have a pacemaker, metal fragments in your eyes or body, types of aneurysm clips, stents, stimulators (bone, brain, or neuro), and implants. A good rule of thumb is if it is on you or in you and you were not born with it, we will need to know about it eventually.
  • The CT technologist will explain what will be done and position you on the CT table. The CT scanner gantry, or opening, is much shorter than an MRI scanner, which helps alleviate the feeling of claustrophobia that some patients sometimes have with an MRI scan. As the X-ray tube rotates around you, the table you will be lying on will move into and out of the opening of the scanner.
  • Follow your doctor’s instructions on eating, drinking, and continuing to take your prescribed medications. Bring a list of your medications that includes the name, dose, and dose frequency.
  • Arrive early for registration and to complete forms on medical history and allergies.
  • A CT scan is different from an MRI scan in that it can normally be completed within 10 minutes.
  • Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may wear normal street clothes as long as they do not contain any metal, including zippers, snaps, buttons, and metallic thread. You will also be asked to remove all jewelry, glasses, dentures, loose change, wallets, bank or credit cards, wigs, etc.
  • If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, talk to your doctor before continuing with the scan.
  • The amount of radiation during a CT scan is small. You should talk to your doctor about the amount of radiation and risks and how it pertains to your situation.
  • Since we are an orthopedic facility, we do not need to use contrast agents. Contrast is a substance taken by the mouth or injected to improve the image of a particular organ or tissue.

With our top-of-the-line Siemens SOMATOM CT scanner, patients can expect:

  • A short turnaround time
  • Convenience
  • High-resolution images interpreted by our two musculoskeletal radiologist physicians
  • Increased efficiencies
  • Increased imaging power
  • Same-day appointments

Our CT scanning hours

  • Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To learn more about our CT services, please call BoulderCentre for Orthopedics & Spine at 303.449.2730. Same-day appointments may also be available.

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