Computed Tomography

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's Department of Radiology provides comprehensive computed tomography (CT) scanning services for the diagnosis and evaluation of a wide range of injuries and illnesses. The most recent addition to the CT services is Cardiac Scoring which is a revolutionary new procedure that detects the amount of calcium deposits in coronary arteries. CT scanners use computer-enhanced x-ray images to produce black-and-white cross-sectional images of a specific part of the body. Unlike standard x-rays, CT scans provide detailed images of internal organs and other soft tissue.

The CT machine itself consists of a circular array of x-ray sensors arranged around a special patient table. When a narrow beam of x-rays is precisely directed through a section of the patient's body, the level of x-rays reaching the sensors is calculated and relayed to a computer. The computer then interprets the data and provides a video image of a thin 'slice' of an organ or other body part. In effect, the images allow physicians to analyze a 'layer' of the body as thin as one millimeter.

In some cases, a special liquid (x-ray contrast or dye) may be used to make a specific organ or structure easier to image. Depending on the type of procedure being performed, the contrast may be ingested orally and/or administered intravenously.

Although the time required for various CT scans ranges from a few minutes to a few hours, most exams take 20 to 40 minutes. The new Cardiac Scoring procedure takes approximately 10 minutes of scan time to detect calcium in the coronary arteries.

If you would like more information regarding CT scanning services at PVHMC's Department of Radiology, please contact us at (909) 865-9580.

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
Department of Radiology
1798 North Garey Avenue
Pomona, CA 91767
Phone: (909) 865-9580