People are just finding out what CT scan machine does without its outer casing and it's leaving them terrified
Topics: Health, Science, Reddit, Technology
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/MRIPETCTSupportEngineer
Topics: Health, Science, Reddit, Technology
There's much more to a CT scan that meets the eye.
Officially known as a computerized tomography scan to all you tech boffins out there, a CT scan is 'a type of imaging that uses X-ray techniques to create detailed images of the body', Mayo Clinic explains.
CT scans work better than a standard X-ray because they capture soft tissue in its imaging as well as bone injuries, which may not show up on a X-ray, according to John Hopkins Medicine.
It's estimated that 93 million (yes, million) CT scans are carried out in the States each year and while they're hugely beneficial when it comes to diagnosing someone, some researchers have expressed concerns that the technology may use too much radiation.
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Apparently, the dosage of radiation a person is subjected to during a CT scan varies from clinic to clinic, but they're often 'unnecessarily high', Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a professor at the University of California-San Francisco medical school, told NBC News last month.
The X-rays performed as part of a CT scan are a form of ionizing radiation. The radiation levels of one CT scan are reportedly equivalent to 200 chest X-rays, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says.
But, away from the pros and cons of CT scans, people are only just learning about how the scan looks when its happening as the mechanism usually has a cover on it.
To those having a CT scan, they might hear a slight whirring noise as it's being done. That sound is the scanner spinning round you as it captures data, but did you know just how fast it goes?
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The newest version of CT scans can achieve five revolutions per second, translating to one full spin every 0.2 seconds, a 2024 MRIPETCTSOURCE video explains.
A similar clip was shared to Reddit in recent days that shows the scanner in all its glory, and it has blown people's minds.
"Put its clothes back on, I don’t like it," someone joked.
A different person quipped: "Wouldn't it be cheaper to just spin the patient?"
"It'll open a portal I'm telling ya all," added a third.
Someone else suggested that the casing is usually there to 'prevent patients from being terrified' — and it's a fair point.
"I've always wondered why people are afraid of that machine, now I understand they're afraid because it can send you straight into space," penned someone else.
A different person commented: "I was never afraid of CT machines, but now I’m pretty afraid of CT machines."