An examination of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, pancreas, spleen and bowel. It is particularly valuable for detecting tumours, assessing their spread and evaluating abdominal injuries.
- Duration5 minutes, with contrast 20–30 minutes
- Contrastif indicated
- Preparationrequired: diet, empty stomach
- Report1–2 hours
What it shows
- The liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, pancreas, spleen and bowel
- Benign and malignant tumours: size, margins, spread to neighbouring organs
- Metastases to the liver and deep lymph nodes
- Cysts, including parasitic cysts
- Abscesses of the abdominal organs
- Damage to internal organs after injury
- Diffuse liver disease (cirrhosis, haemochromatosis, etc.)
- Abdominal blood vessels (with contrast)
When it is recommended
- Blunt abdominal injury
- An abdominal mass of unknown origin
- Suspected tumour or metastases
- Obstructive jaundice of unclear cause
- Enlarged liver and spleen of unknown cause
- Doubtful ultrasound or other test results
- Monitoring cancer treatment
- Planning surgery; when MRI is contraindicated
Preparation
- For 2–3 days before the scan, follow a diet without foods that cause bloating or constipation, or that you do not tolerate well
- Whether and how to empty your bowels the evening before — please call us to check.
- Do not eat on the day of the scan — abdominal CT is done on an empty stomach
Good to know
- CT has limited value for the stomach; its lining is examined by gastroscopy.
- MRI (MR cholangiography) may be preferable for assessing the bile ducts without contrast.
- The kidneys and adrenal glands belong to the retroperitoneal space — they are examined separately or together with the abdomen (abdomen + retroperitoneum).
General information about CT — safety, contraindications, contrast and what to expect — is on the CT page.