When you arrive, you will be greeted by a technologist who will guide you to lie down on a table. In some cases, we may administer contrast dye, which can help better highlight the areas of the body being examined.

The table you lie on will slide in and out of the scanner periodically during the scan. At the same time, a series of X-rays will rotate around you, capturing the images that will help your doctor make a diagnosis and form the proper treatment plan for you. At times, our technologist may request you to hold your breath briefly to eliminate any blurriness caused by motion.

A CT scan only takes about 10 – 20 minutes to complete. Following your CT scan, you will be able to leave the imaging center on your own and continue your normal, daily routine.

Our team of experienced CT technologists at South Jersey Radiology will provide specific guidelines to follow regarding your appointment. Here are the important guidelines to follow:

• Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment.
• Wear comfortable and loose clothing that doesn't contain any metal including jewelry, belts, or buttons.
• Avoid eating or drinking in the hours prior to your CT scan. Based on the specific details for your exam, our staff at South Jersey Radiology will provide specific time periods to restrict eating or drinking.
• If you have any specific medical conditions or medications you take, please inform your doctor or the staff at South Jersey Radiology.

A CT scan has numerous benefits that outweigh any of the negatives that come with it. CT scans use a very small amount of radiation to better highlight the areas of the body being studied. CT scans expose you to less radiation than various background items such as televisions, phones, smoke detectors, and much more.

At South Jersey Radiology, all of our medical imaging techniques are compliant with Image Wisely guidelines to ensure radiation exposure is kept to a minimum.

CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans are both medical imaging techniques that capture detailed images of the body's internal structures. However, different reasons may warrant your doctor to recommend one technique over the other as they have different preferred use cases.

CT scans use a series of X-rays to produce cross-sectional images of the body. Generally, CTs are faster than MRIs and capture images of bones and harder tissue structures with more detail. CT scans do use a small amount of radiation to help visualize hard tissue structures that can be more difficult to view.

MRIs use magnets and radio waves to produce highly detailed images of soft tissue structures including the brain and spinal cord. MRIs do not utilize any form of radiation.

At South Jersey Radiology, all of our medical imaging techniques are compliant with Image Wisely Guidelines to ensure radiation exposure is kept to a minimum.

Once your CT scan is completed, one of our subspecialized radiologists will analyze the results and develop a detailed report for your doctor. Your doctor will receive the report within 48 hours and follow up with you to go over the results.

South Jersey Radiology is in-network with 99% of insurance carriers. Please contact your insurance carrier to inquire about SJRA's in-network status. Some insurance companies may try to direct you to their preferred radiology center. As the patient, you have the right to choose if you would like your study performed at South Jersey Radiology.