CT Speech 10/2016

Christopher Garrity                                                                                                     10/01/2016     

Importance of a CT machine in the medical field

Specific Purpose:  To inform my audience about the importance of a CT scan.

Central Idea: To have my classmates understand the importance and uses of a CT scan. Have the class leave today with more knowledge of how the benefits will outweigh the risks when it comes to computed tomography imaging.

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Introduction: 

My name is Christopher Garrity and I am looking to pursue a career in the medical field. I have been working at St. Francis hospital in Roslyn, New York for roughly nine months. I currently work for the radiology department where I am a CT technologist assistant. Through this speech I am here to inform you about the importance of a CT machine and some of its uses. Through this presentation we will cover a small history of the machine origin, different scans which can be performed, as well as the importance of contrast administered by a CT technologist which yields more precise results. On a standard day working for radiology, myself and a CT technologist will be working to complete these scans in a timely fashion. While every scan we complete holds an importance to one of our patients, there are emergencies which occur and take precedence over the others and I would like to give an example with a story. This includes a code which is announced over the loudspeaker called “Neuro RRT” followed by the location of the patient. This code is determined by an employee at the hospital who has suspicion that a patient is suffering from a stroke. When this occurs, myself and the technologist will work diligently to complete whatever scan is on the table and have the room cleared and prepared for the patient which will be rushed down to our department. When this code is called a team of employees who make up our stroke response team will all come to our office very quickly, to assess the patient and speak with the radiologist as well as a neurologist to determine a plan of which steps to take to ensure the patients wellbeing.

Body:

I.         A background and history of CT scanning. 

                  A.   Invented in 1972 by British engineer Godfrey Hounsfield and Allan Cormack.

B.   Both individuals received the Nobel peace prize for their contributions to medicine.

C. CT scan is abbreviated for Computed Tomography Imaging.

D. CT is a combination of many x-ray images taken from different angles to produce cross sectional images.

                 

      II.       Different scans performed.

A.    Head

1. Can rule out skull fractures, internal bleeding, brain tumors, stroke, aneurysm.

B.     Abdomen and Pelvis.

1.      Can rule out issues such as colon cancer, diverticulitis, appendicitis or an abscess in the abdomen.

C.     Angiography

1.      Uses IV contrast which highlights your vessels.

2.      Used to examine your vessels throughout the body.

3.      Can detect a thrombus such as a PE.

4.      Used to detect aneurysms.

D.    Spine

1.      Detect herniated discs.

2.      Compare the spine before and after surgery

3.      Can detect tumors in the vertebral column.

III.       The uses of IV and Oral contrast

A.    Intravenous contrast

1.      Administered through an IV

2.      Labs must come back with normal kidney function to administer this contrast

3.      Two types of contrast we use are Visipaque and Omnipaque.

4.      The iodine in this contrast will highlight the vessels to look for any obstructions or thrombus.

B.     PO (Oral contrast)

1.      Two drinks will be administered two hours before the exam.

2.      Used to highlight areas of the GI tract in the Abdomen and Pelvis.

3.      Oral contrast takes at least 90 minutes to fully pass through the GI tract.

4.      Can be used for any issues which stem for abdominal pain such as diverticulitis and appendicitis.

       Conclusion:

            As a result, we have reviewed many of the main points when referring to CT scans used in the healthcare field. These scans have become very crucial when diagnosing patients with a variety of different diseases and have improved healthcare tremendously within the past 50 years. As technology continues to grow, we see more and more examples of how machines such as computed tomography helps to increase longevity.