A Look Inside

The new 64-slice CT scanners enable more accurate diagnoses of arterial blockages, aortic dissections and pulmonary embolisms, by using unprecedented resolution and speed

1. While lying down, the patient is injected with a contrast agent that helps highlight the heart's blood vessels

2. A table slides the patient into the scanner as the X-ray tube circles the body for 5 to 8 sec.

3. The detector array records the X rays. Each complete loop creates a spiral slice of the heart composed of 64 thin slices, offering exceptional resolution

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